Today, Digiday studied the premium subscription plans of heavyweight publishers upon the debut of Slate‘s membership program.
“From The New York Times to … the National Journal, media stalwarts are increasingly pitching memberships as a way for readers to get their hands on exclusive content and experiences,” writes Digiday‘s Ricardo Bilton. “But not all memberships are created equal. Some give readers greater access to reporters, while others strive to make members’ online reading experiences a bit less painful.”
Slate Plus charges a modest $50 for additional content, more reader-friendly features, and even a mug. Editor David Plotz was quick to assure readers that the model does not include a paywall.
Condé Nast’s Ars Technica‘s membership is also $50 and includes ad-free story pages, chats with writers, coupons, and even input into the site’s coverage.
The Times‘s Premier platform, meanwhile, is only $550 more. It provides unlimited access to content, whereas free users can only read 10 articles a month. Members also get behind-the-scenes accounts from Times reporters.
The National Journal‘s membership subscriptions are aimed at companies and organizations, and the price varies by the size of the subscriber. Benefits include networking events like “Coffee With the Newsroom.”
To read more about the state of membership subscriptions, visit Digiday.
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