Times website to charge for access from tomorrow

News International will begin charging for access to its Times and Sunday Times websites from tomorrow (2 July).

The new look sites were launched on 25 May, with compulsory registration introduced on 15 June.

Users will be charged £1 a day or £2 a week to access content on the sites, although News International is offering a special launch deal of access to both sites for just £1 for the first 30 days.

Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International, said: “We have been very pleased with the response from readers since the launch of the new websites for the Times and the Sunday Times in May.

“The new sites showcase our award-winning journalism in a very visual way, giving readers exclusive content and interactivity so that they can get even more from the news. We believe the new sites offer real value and we look forward to continuing to invest and innovate for readers.”

According to figures from research firm Hitwise, the Times website has seen its share of UK newspaper web visits fall from 4.37% to 2.67% since registration was introduced.

Within its ‘News and Media – Print’ category, Hitwise said that the title’s market share dropped from 4.37% during the week ending 22 May to 2.67% during the week ending 19 June.