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Times Online
- Thread starter Sausage
- Start date
Gazwag
5 millionth post poster
I blame Roger
Si Gull
Way Down South
If it was a half-way decent newspaper with articles written by proficient journalists I might pay to read it but it is a seond-rate rag full of spelling mistakes and vapid copy. Goodbye.
Hunting 784561
New member
- Jul 8, 2003
- 3,651
The Times website is very poor compared to the Torygraph.
Read that one instead - it's free.
Read that one instead - it's free.
somersetwest
New member
It will prove to be a very short-lived experiment
All people will do is go to the BBC or SKY news sites - more up to date and free ! The Times will change it's mind once the number of readers starts to drop and so the online advertisers go elsewhere.
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Didn't the Argus try making its online site subscription only a while back ?
I gather the experiment died on its arse, as it was back to being freely available fairly sharpish.
I gather the experiment died on its arse, as it was back to being freely available fairly sharpish.
Monsieur Le Plonk
Lethargy in motion
I guess this is the internet news litmus test that a lot of people have been waiting for. I also guess it will fail horribly for the Times.
Trufflehound
Re-enfranchised
The Times tried introducing charging for non-UK readers like me a few years ago.
We all stopped reading it.
The experiment failed.
We all stopped reading it.
The experiment failed.
Yes but £2 for the week.
As one commentator pointed out, I'm surprised there's no cross-product pricing: half-price to Sky users for example.
It's an interesting move: I don't think it will be short-lived: the FT and WSJ charge and Murdoch obviously thinks that the Times is a big enough brand.
The Torygraph is interesting: they're up to something and there's speculation that they're going to charge to. - I think they'll certainly keep a close eye on it.
clippedgull
Hotdogs, extra onions
I do like reading 'The Times' online but will not pay these prices. I think micro-payments would work better say 1p per article read up to a maximum of £1 per week. Will be interesting to see how this ends up.
Murdoch is set to introduce charging across all News International sites: Sun and NOTW are next, I expect Sky will be next in line.
The BBC has already said that it's going to reduce the content available on its sites.
Clippdedgull is right that micropayments is the way forward but we're not there yet - that will probably come with e-readers.
I think this experiment is different from previous ones: all media companies are interested in charging and reading on mobiles/ereaders does offer new opportunities.
The FT and WSJ are a unique product with a specific and sophisticated market ... the Times isn't.
Normal Rob
Well-known member
This is what the eisotr has to say on a live webchat...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:32 Guest
14:34 Lucia Adams:
James is here and typing his first response..
Friday March 26, 2010 14:34 Lucia Adams
14:34 James Harding:
S: We're charging for the vast bulk of our content, but we will of course continue to give people a glimpse of The Times, not least through the front page - the home page, which will be free at all times
Friday March 26, 2010 14:34 James Harding
14:36 James Harding:
To Guest, and everyone else asking about the BBC: We compete with The BBC every day, two million people buy The Times every week, and we provide something that is distinctive and, if I may say so, better in many cases.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:36 James Harding
14:37 [Comment From AlexAlex: ]
Why so much? I agree with the principle and understand your arguments, but I think that the price point is a little high. I read timesonline every day and would be willing to pay - but not as much as you are asking for
Friday March 26, 2010 14:37 Alex
14:38 James Harding:
I hope that what we're doing is providing a simple price and one that, even in these difficult times, is affordable. It'll be £2 a week for all seven days. The print editions will cost you £8.50. And, I hope, that over time you'll see that the digital editions of The Times and The Sunday Times will give you so much more...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:38 James Harding
14:39 [Comment From Louise RidleyLouise Ridley: ]
Hi James, how do you think your online readership will change after this move? What reader will you lose, and will you gain any different ones?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:39 Louise Ridley
14:40 James Harding:
That's a really good question. Clearly, we are going to lose a lot of passing traffic. We have, like a few other national newspapers, tens of millions of unique users a month. But they are not regular readers. They are more like window shoppers. We will lose some of them...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:40 James Harding
14:40 times_live:
James Harding taking reader questions
Friday March 26, 2010 14:40 times_live
14:42 James Harding:
But we also have hundreds of thousands of people who have a digital newspaper habit - i.e. they read The Times more or less every day. They read TimesOnline, but not the print version of the paper. Those people, I think, will come to read TheTimes.co.uk. And, of course, I hope that we will see more and more people who tend to get their news from their PCs or phones or, in the future, the iPad will turn to The Times in its digital editions.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:42 James Harding
14:42 [Comment From GuestGuest: ]
How far do you see your unique users falling and how do you think that will affect advertising revenue?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:42 Guest
14:43 Lucia Adams:
Keep those questions coming - we'll try to cover as wide a range of subjects as possible.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:43 Lucia Adams
14:44 James Harding:
I think we will lose plenty of unique users, but we will grow the number of regular readers and, more important still, contributors to The Times. And I think we will attract a new kind of reader to The Times.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:44 James Harding
14:44 [Comment From GuestGuest: ]
James, thanks for taking the time.. Don't you think the Times Online following are a completely different set of people to your paper readers, so you can't rely on a faithful crowd to pay a fee ?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:44 Guest
14:46 James Harding:
I hope that they are a different set of people. One of the things that we are trying to do here is change the dynamics of the newspaper business. Instead of just defending a dwindling band of existing readers, we're aiming to reach out to a world of people who want to get information and ideas but not from the printed page. They look to their phones and their laptops and their TVs to inform them. We want to be there - and on a host of new devices to come.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:46 James Harding
14:47 [Comment From Richard KendallRichard Kendall: ]
What will be done to counter-balance, what will probably be a much smaller online audience?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:47 Richard Kendall
14:48 times_live:
James explaining his next response to @timesvideo
Friday March 26, 2010 14:48 times_live
14:49 James Harding:
Richard, I hope that what you will see is that we are delivering The Times, but, in its digital editions, an even better product. And that's because we can do so much more online: we can provide video, interactive graphics, personalised news feeds and a chance for people to engage, directly, with our journalists.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:49 James Harding
14:49 [Comment From Peter CampbellPeter Campbell: ]
If the paywall scheme leads to sharp losses in the next year, and if no other major media outlet in the UK follows suit, will you drop the scheme or persevere with it?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:49 Peter Campbell
14:49 James Harding:
...nope, just hide under this desk.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:49 James Harding
14:50 James Harding:
Seriously, Peter, it's got to be the case that charging for content is going to make more economic sense than just giving it away. We are not making just dumping our journalism online. Even if we grow our audience by tens of millions of people, then that will still be the case.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:50 James Harding
14:51 [Comment From Bexie TBexie T: ]
How rapidly will the change over happen?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:51 Bexie T
14:52 James Harding:
We're announcing our plans today. We'll launch the new Times and Sunday Times websites in early May. And then we'll be open for business about a month after that. So it's all going to happen between now and the time Wayne Rooney lifts the World Cup.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:52 James Harding
14:52 [Comment From GuestGuest: ]
Is it a completely new site? What will be different?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:52 Guest
14:53 James Harding:
It is different in design and there is a fair bit of innovation that's gone into it. We hope that it will be cleaner, clearer and stronger - that it will have much of the architecture of the paper, but all of the versatility made possible by digital media.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:53 James Harding
14:57 James Harding:
...I know there are a lot more questions, but I'm afraid I've got to run off to present our plans to the newsroom. We did one session this morning, we're doing another this afternoon. And then it's conference. We've got a paper to get out - in print and online.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:57 James Harding
14:57 times_live:
On the design...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:57 times_live
14:58 Lucia Adams:
Thank you James and to everyone who has sent in questions. I am sorry we couldn't answer all of them - we were completely inundated. If you'd like ask James any more quesitons, please e-mail theeditor@thetimes.co.uk
Friday March 26, 2010 14:32 Guest
14:34 Lucia Adams:
James is here and typing his first response..
Friday March 26, 2010 14:34 Lucia Adams
14:34 James Harding:
S: We're charging for the vast bulk of our content, but we will of course continue to give people a glimpse of The Times, not least through the front page - the home page, which will be free at all times
Friday March 26, 2010 14:34 James Harding
14:36 James Harding:
To Guest, and everyone else asking about the BBC: We compete with The BBC every day, two million people buy The Times every week, and we provide something that is distinctive and, if I may say so, better in many cases.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:36 James Harding
14:37 [Comment From AlexAlex: ]
Why so much? I agree with the principle and understand your arguments, but I think that the price point is a little high. I read timesonline every day and would be willing to pay - but not as much as you are asking for
Friday March 26, 2010 14:37 Alex
14:38 James Harding:
I hope that what we're doing is providing a simple price and one that, even in these difficult times, is affordable. It'll be £2 a week for all seven days. The print editions will cost you £8.50. And, I hope, that over time you'll see that the digital editions of The Times and The Sunday Times will give you so much more...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:38 James Harding
14:39 [Comment From Louise RidleyLouise Ridley: ]
Hi James, how do you think your online readership will change after this move? What reader will you lose, and will you gain any different ones?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:39 Louise Ridley
14:40 James Harding:
That's a really good question. Clearly, we are going to lose a lot of passing traffic. We have, like a few other national newspapers, tens of millions of unique users a month. But they are not regular readers. They are more like window shoppers. We will lose some of them...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:40 James Harding
14:40 times_live:
James Harding taking reader questions
Friday March 26, 2010 14:40 times_live
14:42 James Harding:
But we also have hundreds of thousands of people who have a digital newspaper habit - i.e. they read The Times more or less every day. They read TimesOnline, but not the print version of the paper. Those people, I think, will come to read TheTimes.co.uk. And, of course, I hope that we will see more and more people who tend to get their news from their PCs or phones or, in the future, the iPad will turn to The Times in its digital editions.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:42 James Harding
14:42 [Comment From GuestGuest: ]
How far do you see your unique users falling and how do you think that will affect advertising revenue?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:42 Guest
14:43 Lucia Adams:
Keep those questions coming - we'll try to cover as wide a range of subjects as possible.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:43 Lucia Adams
14:44 James Harding:
I think we will lose plenty of unique users, but we will grow the number of regular readers and, more important still, contributors to The Times. And I think we will attract a new kind of reader to The Times.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:44 James Harding
14:44 [Comment From GuestGuest: ]
James, thanks for taking the time.. Don't you think the Times Online following are a completely different set of people to your paper readers, so you can't rely on a faithful crowd to pay a fee ?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:44 Guest
14:46 James Harding:
I hope that they are a different set of people. One of the things that we are trying to do here is change the dynamics of the newspaper business. Instead of just defending a dwindling band of existing readers, we're aiming to reach out to a world of people who want to get information and ideas but not from the printed page. They look to their phones and their laptops and their TVs to inform them. We want to be there - and on a host of new devices to come.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:46 James Harding
14:47 [Comment From Richard KendallRichard Kendall: ]
What will be done to counter-balance, what will probably be a much smaller online audience?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:47 Richard Kendall
14:48 times_live:
James explaining his next response to @timesvideo
Friday March 26, 2010 14:48 times_live
14:49 James Harding:
Richard, I hope that what you will see is that we are delivering The Times, but, in its digital editions, an even better product. And that's because we can do so much more online: we can provide video, interactive graphics, personalised news feeds and a chance for people to engage, directly, with our journalists.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:49 James Harding
14:49 [Comment From Peter CampbellPeter Campbell: ]
If the paywall scheme leads to sharp losses in the next year, and if no other major media outlet in the UK follows suit, will you drop the scheme or persevere with it?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:49 Peter Campbell
14:49 James Harding:
...nope, just hide under this desk.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:49 James Harding
14:50 James Harding:
Seriously, Peter, it's got to be the case that charging for content is going to make more economic sense than just giving it away. We are not making just dumping our journalism online. Even if we grow our audience by tens of millions of people, then that will still be the case.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:50 James Harding
14:51 [Comment From Bexie TBexie T: ]
How rapidly will the change over happen?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:51 Bexie T
14:52 James Harding:
We're announcing our plans today. We'll launch the new Times and Sunday Times websites in early May. And then we'll be open for business about a month after that. So it's all going to happen between now and the time Wayne Rooney lifts the World Cup.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:52 James Harding
14:52 [Comment From GuestGuest: ]
Is it a completely new site? What will be different?
Friday March 26, 2010 14:52 Guest
14:53 James Harding:
It is different in design and there is a fair bit of innovation that's gone into it. We hope that it will be cleaner, clearer and stronger - that it will have much of the architecture of the paper, but all of the versatility made possible by digital media.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:53 James Harding
14:57 James Harding:
...I know there are a lot more questions, but I'm afraid I've got to run off to present our plans to the newsroom. We did one session this morning, we're doing another this afternoon. And then it's conference. We've got a paper to get out - in print and online.
Friday March 26, 2010 14:57 James Harding
14:57 times_live:
On the design...
Friday March 26, 2010 14:57 times_live
14:58 Lucia Adams:
Thank you James and to everyone who has sent in questions. I am sorry we couldn't answer all of them - we were completely inundated. If you'd like ask James any more quesitons, please e-mail theeditor@thetimes.co.uk
Easy 10
Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Yep same here, I was a regular reader of Times Online, the sports coverage was really good. But I'm not paying for it. Think I'll give the Telegraph a go. Its an excellent free app on the iPod Touch, so I'll just migrate there for my lunchtime read I think.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
It's quite clear what's happening ...
Murdoch is trying to establish a "market price" for on-line access to The News. His aim is to get the government to demand that the BBC must stop delivering free news on-line, using licence fees to fund it.
As a licence fee payer, I say differently. Keep the free stuff coming, BBC. Murdoch can f*** off.
But I bet "Dave" Cameron will be persuaded to back "market pricing".
I think that's right. It's no coincidence that this has been introduced to come into force just after the election.
But I don't think the effect of e-delivery should be under-estimated. Media outlets (like the one I work for) are expending a lot of effort in working out how to deliver to mobile devices and how to charge for it.