To maximize their effectiveness, color cases ought to be printed in color. On March 28, 2011, The New York Times website became a restricted site where the majority of the content was shielded behind a "paywall." Users who surpassed the limit of 20 free posts per month were required to cover a digital or print subscription. The newspaper business had been suffering from sales declines over the previous decade, and the transition to digital media was tricky to navigate. Revenues from online advertising weren't sufficient to replace the loss of print revenue, and lots of publishers had investigated charging readers for content, with mixed success, where specialized sources like The Wall Street Journal were successfully utilizing the model, but several other general news sites had failed. Content creators and papers in general were really interested in understanding whether it could become a blueprint for future success as a business model that is sustainable, and whether transitioning to the paywall at the most famous news website would succeed. There were several difficult issues to examine in establishing the digital strategy for The Times.
Would consumers remain as engaged with a site shielded by a paywall? Would advertisers react positively to this type of move that walled off readers? Would readers value both the print and digital versions of the content, or would it become necessary to produce content that is new? The Times had several choices in design the paywall, including determining the electronic content, pricing, along with how to interface with readers of secondary news websites like blogs that posted links to news articles. Should they design a "leaky" paywall where determined users could easily slip through, or a "bulletproof" paywall like the Financial Times had done, where users needed to pay before they could get any content? What alternatives would provide the basis for a successful business model?
The New York Times Paywall, Portuguese Version Case Study Solution
PUBLICATION DATE: February 22, 2012 PRODUCT #: 513P06-HCC-POR
This is just an excerpt. This case is about SALES & MARKETING
Related Case Solutions & Analyses:
Maria Sharapova: Marketing a Champion (B)
Coalition of Essential Schools
Polaroid Corp.: European Distribution System
Goldman Sachs: Anchoring Standards after the Financial Crisis
Azza Fahmy Jewellery: International Expansion
Jill’s Table: Digitizing a Retail Legacy
Litehouse Foods: The Glass Dilemma
Shift Your Lens: The Power of Reframing Problems
Red Hen Bakery
Note on Sensing Opportunity
