Sun-Times Media Group to Begin Charging for Online Content
By Chuck Sudo in News on Dec 6, 2011 10:50PM
Starting Thursday, the Sun-Times Media Group will begin a "metered" pay plan for online content.
The plan isn't a sudden decision; STMG CEO Jeremy Halbreich outlined the paywall plan two years ago. The future is now.
“We think the time is long overdue for us to begin charging for our content. It is certainly award-winning content and we need to find new ways to support it.”
The new plan gives readers 20 free page views at any Sun-Times affiliated site every 30 days. Once those are gone, readers will be required to purchase an online subscription for continued access. The subscription rates are $6.99 every four weeks, or $77.87 a year. Sun-Times home-delivery subscribers may pay $1.99 ever four weeks. The paywall was developed by Press+, whose co-founder, Steven Brill, has long worked with publishers to "reclaim their business on the Web."
The Sun-Times would be following in the steps of the Daily Herald, which started their own metered system in September. Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert has charged for "The Ebert Club" newsletter since March 2010.