Independent Introduces Paid-For Online Content

The Independent has joined a growing list of internet publishers who are charging for premium online content.

The www.independent.co.uk website has launched a new subscription service consisting of a collection of its best content, which is available to buy per article or through monthly and annual subscription.

The paper claims: “We have launched this new portfolio because we believe that fine writing, analysis and in-depth reporting has an intrinsic value. Much of the content on the site will remain free to read, but subscribers will be able to purchase opinion pieces, articles from Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk, a news and sport achieve and crosswords.”

The Independent will charge users £60 a year to access its entire portfolio and will also offer a £1 pay as you go access for 24 hours.

The move follows what some analysts have described as the inexorable slide towards paid for content on the web, pioneered by the FT.com and recently introduced by the Times Online (see Times Online To Charge Users). It is expected that the Guardian Unlimited, which according to Hitwise is the most popular online print site, will follow suite with the roll out of paid for content.

Online news services are becoming increasingly popular and the latest figures from Hitwise show that traffic to news sites increased by 6% during the first two weeks of the Iraq conflict. In contrast viewing levels for Sky News, BBC News 24 and ITN News steadily fell over the period (see News Sites Show No Signs Of War Fatigue).

The Independent: 020 7005 2000 www.independent.co.uk

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