Times-Union to study charging for its online content?

[KenFSU]

This is probably overly cynical, but if the TU is even considering this, they should just get it over with and close up shop now. "We don't have enough money so let's charge more for the same stuff" is a signal of a failing company, end of discussion. Not to mention that they would have a huge tradeoff between the subscription charge and anything they bring in from advertising - it would pretty much obliterate their page views.

Print media is dead, and they're just trying to figure out how to apply the same model to the internet.

After nearly 150 years serving the community, I'm not ready to write the Times-Union off yet.  I genuinely hope they can bounce back. I definitely don't think that charging a fee for the content we already get for free is the solution, but a premium subscription service - if well executed - could be a real savior for the Times-Union. A few features that I would gladly pay a monthly fee for:

- First look news. Depending on the timeliness of the story, articles could be posted between an hour and a day early for premium subscribers. The article would still be posted for free on the regular site, but subscribers would have first access.

- Complete WELL CURATED online archives of the Times-Union, with major stories easily accessible. I would love to see former TU publications, such as the Jacksonville Journal and the Star Edition (black edition) of the FTU archived as well. It's shockingly hard to find certain information about the city's history, and this could be an incredible resource.

- It would be equally fantastic to partner with a local news station and offer historic local broadcast footage as well. I know news stations were in the habit of recording over a lot of their masters in the 60s and 70s, but surely a lot of footage must still exist. Would be really cool (read: premium) to relive coverage of events like Irsay landing a helicopter in the Gator Bowl in 79, Jacksonville winning an expansion NFL franchise, the USFL, the 295 Sniper, the Landing opening, past New Year's/Tree Lightings/Boat Parades, Presidential visits, big events/concerts, etc.

- Expanded restaurant and show reviews.

- A well moderated discussion forum where subscribers could interact in an intelligent fashion with TU staff and other subscribers.

- A network of user blogs, with the best entries being featured on the site, maybe even for a nominal reward (free month added to your subscription, show tickets, free meals from sponsors, etc.) to encourage quality.

- In depth, feature stories not available on the free site.

- An assortment of weekly podcasts from the staff (eg. Gene and Tania doing a Jags podcast, Sorgel doing a movie podcast, a dining podcast, a podcast dealing with local issues of the week, etc.)

- Great tablet and smart phone apps to manage all of this information on the go.

If well implemented, I'd happily pay up to $10 a month or so.

A ton of websites have managed to very successfully add a premium membership option on top of their free site. I personally subscribe monthly to a good half dozen websites. The key seems to be making the premium features active, rather than passive - building a community inside of this walled garden. Definitely think there is a way to maximize ad views from the readers who will never pay a cent while still superserving a smaller group of active paying enthusiasts.

IF IMPLEMENTED WELL, and presented as a value-added supplement for subscribers rather than a punitive measure against free loaders, it could be an awesome thing.

[fieldafm]

If we really want it, we'll pay for a subscription.

The problem with that though is if they drastically reduce the people who view their webpage... they then drastically reduce their ad revenue, which is much greater than any money they'll collect from subscription fees.

I like these ideas:

Complete WELL CURATED online archives of the Times-Union

In depth, feature stories not available on the free site.

I think the Biz Journal does it pretty well in regards to the mix b/w paid subscribers and short tidbits available online for free.  I just wish they had a better mobile app.

[dougskiles]

The problem with that though is if they drastically reduce the people who view their webpage... they then drastically reduce their ad revenue, which is much greater than any money they'll collect from subscription fees.

The other problem is for those making the news.  If you are the Jaguars, Mayor, Council members, citizen/advocate, local business - and you have a story that is in the news - you want it to reach as many people as possible (well - OK - most of the time you do).  By limiting the audience, the ability to spread your message is diminished.

It is important for our community that we have a strong, reliable media outlet that is readily available to everyone.

The TV channels don't provide this service.  If I have an issue I want to bring to the community's attention, I can't walk down to Channel 4 and ask them to do an editorial piece.  But I can write a letter to the editor and if my content is good, I have a pretty good chance of getting it published in the Florida Times Union.

[danem]

Basically what Ken said. If they want to suddenly monetize the site, they're going to have to ADD value, not take away value that used to be free. The days of websites all charging for content and still being successful are over, in my opinion. 

Also what Doug said. A lot of us use aggregates like Google News to get news from all over the world. Let me tell you, if the ONLY news links from Jacksonville goes to a walled garden that says "You must pay up to read this", that's what the internet calls a "fail".

[IamAmerican]

Hmm...I look forward to their experiment. It only gives sites like metro Jacksonville an increased opportunity to be seen and heard.

[KenFSU]

Anyone else think the Times-Union is out of its mind with the way that they are handing this new move into the paid digital space?

Asking web site readers to pay a monthly fee, without even laying out exactly what they are paying for or what specific premium content they will be recieving aside from a snazzier layout, is insane. The $11.50 monthly rate for non-print subscribers is equally irrational. That's more than the Economist, way more than the Daily (which is $39 a year), and comparable to the Wall Street Journal. In a world where online news is predominantly free/ad-supported, you had better provide the highest quality in the country to even think about charging that much per month. I definitely think they can succeed with a premium website, but the entire way they have gone about it thus far -- from the self-congratulatory editorial about the high quality of their journalism (based on a sample of two local interest stories), to the bizarre vaguery of what specifics the premium site contains -- just seems all wrong.

Instead of the pandering, "you're not a reader, you're a member!" rhetoric, it would have been nice to provide a detailed breakdown of either a) what specific additional features you will recieve for your monthly feee, or b) what existing features will be moving behind a pay wall.

I wish them the best, but I seriously can't imagine who would sign up for this as it has currently been presented.

[thelakelander]

I have my doubts that this will work long term but I'm taking a wait and see approach.  Me? With free access to many resources, I can't justify the expense.  I rather spend the $11.50 at a food truck.

[KenFSU]

If you're going to charge people $11.50 for content, you can't be making basic mistakes like this.

From their current main story (see bold).

YMCA announces $21 million Riverside Y to replace current building

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-10-19/story/ymca-announces-21-million-riverside-y-replace-current-building#ixzz29m8gq1z0

After years of planning, the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast has kicked off an aggressive plan to fund a $21 million three-story showplace to replace the aging Riverside branch, expand services throughout neighboring areas and help rejuvenate downtown.

The 80,000-square-foot, glass-fronted complex will be built on vacant riverfront property behind the current branch, which is on Riverside Drive near the Acosta Bridge. When construction is complete, the old building will be torn down and replaced with surface parking.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-10-19/story/ymca-announces-21-million-riverside-y-replace-current-building#ixzz29m8aYuyJ

Come on T-U.

That's where your own building is.

[fsujax]

It's Riverside Avenue TU. It looks like a large parking lot fronting Riverside Ave.

[Ocklawaha]

Hey TU, the original corporation that makes up today's Norfolk Southern had a similar idea back in the mid-1960's. They were losing their (nether regions) on the remaining passenger trains between Cincinnati and Jacksonville... What to do? Let's eliminate one train outright, cut off the dining cars, drop the sleepers, make the surviving train coach-only, then truncate the route in St George, Georgia, in the Okefenokee Swamp, 31 miles from Jacksonville Terminal. It was the old, 'if you think we've lost money before -  wait until you see this,' routine. A streamlined passenger train from Cincinnati to St. George quickly fell apart. Funny if it weren't so sad and true.

Now the newspaper is going to commit the same error and lose massive amounts of their daily readership. How? Print readers are using newsprint in increasing numbers for door stops and fly swatters. New readers are using the web or in some cases slick specialty magazines most of which come with specialty web-content. You'll be offering the same old newspaper on a computer screen for the same old premium, only now I won't have anything tangible at all to show for it. So your not going to grab much market share, and as everyone has pointed out the risk of loss of more readership will tilt the advertising revenue in a downward spiral.

Why not try something original, like REALLY nice in depth reporting, pro and con articles, investigative as well as great archival material and photos for FREE? Want a photo? You pay for that. Want reprints? You pay for that too.

Grow the readership to the point where your ad revenue exceeds your previous ad and subscription revenue combined, but do it with quality rather then nickel and dime fees.  Of course you could just move the entire operation to St. George, Georgia, I understand they still have great BBQ but their lacking a newspaper.

[RiversideHusker]

I don't understand the pricing.  I can subscribe to Sunday Only delivery for $95 a year + tax, which I believe includes full access to the members site...obviously that comes out to less than $11.50 per month plus I'd get all of the coupons every Sunday! Am I missing something?

[Bativac]

I was at the Arts Market today when I came across a guy from the TU giving out free papers and talking up subscriptions. I told him I'd think it over and went to find my wife, to blow money on delicious food items. Later, as we looked at the paper, we noticed it was LAST week's Sunday edition. We laughed and took it home to use as firestarter for the grill.

I mean, I know it's a free paper, but handing out week old newspapers is just a strange way to try to drum up business.

[thelakelander]

Anyone else think the Times-Union is out of its mind with the way that they are handing this new move into the paid digital space?

Asking web site readers to pay a monthly fee, without even laying out exactly what they are paying for or what specific premium content they will be recieving aside from a snazzier layout, is insane. The $11.50 monthly rate for non-print subscribers is equally irrational.

For comparison's sake, the Orlando Sentinel also charges for online content.  However, its significantly cheaper:

Join Now

Thank you for frequently visiting OrlandoSentinel.com. You have reached your allowance of free articles. To read more, we invite you to become an exclusive member, giving you unlimited access to our website and content:

Try a digital membership today for just 59¢ for the first five weeks.*

After five weeks, you'll pay just $4.99 every five weeks, or just $2.99 every five weeks if you get the Orlando Sentinel newspaper less than seven days a week or you subscribe to the eEdition.*

Current 7-day Orlando Sentinel newspaper subscribers will receive a free membership to the website (just activate your free membership by clicking 'Next' below).

*Your continuous membership automatically renews every 5 weeks. You may cancel at any time by contacting Press+ before the expiration of the billing cycle to avoid automatic charges to your credit card for the next billing cycle. You will be notified in advance of any price changes. Sales tax may apply.

[John P]

The problem with that though is if they drastically reduce the people who view their webpage... they then drastically reduce their ad revenue, which is much greater than any money they'll collect from subscription fees.

The other problem is for those making the news.  If you are the Jaguars, Mayor, Council members, citizen/advocate, local business - and you have a story that is in the news - you want it to reach as many people as possible (well - OK - most of the time you do).  By limiting the audience, the ability to spread your message is diminished.

Information and the access to it is power.

It is important for our community that we have a strong, reliable media outlet that is readily available to everyone.

The TV channels don't provide this service.  If I have an issue I want to bring to the community's attention, I can't walk down to Channel 4 and ask them to do an editorial piece.  But I can write a letter to the editor and if my content is good, I have a pretty good chance of getting it published in the Florida Times Union.

[KenFSU]

Breaking Times-Union news:

"The velvet rope is up" on the members section.

"Times-Union Media’s All-Access plan launches Thursday to bring more exclusive content and a better user experience to members."

Kind of implies a poor user experience for non-paid members.

I could justify the $1 a week impulse buy price that Ennis noted above with the Orlando Sentinel, but again, $11.50 a month is insane compared to where the current comparable market value is for content like this.