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Telegraph to put politics, business and rugby news behind paywall Telegraph to put politics, business and rugby news behind paywall
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The Telegraph is to put the vast majority of its politics, business and rugby coverage behind its premium paywall, as the publisher dramatically cuts back on freely accessible content to drive its subscription strategy. The Telegraph is to put most of its politics, business and rugby coverage behind its premium paywall, as it dramatically cuts back on freely accessible content to drive its subscription strategy.
The move is the latest stage of a digital strategy shift that will see the amount of Telegraph content moved into its Telegraph Premium service, which charges from £2 a week, rise from the low 20% mark to more than a third by the end of the year. The publisher’s move is the latest stage of a digital strategy shift. The amount of Telegraph content moved into the Telegraph premium service, which charges readers from £2 a week, will rise from the low 20% mark to more than a third of the content by the end of the year.
Other changes designed to pull in more paying readers includes more focus on lifestyle, some culture and money content that is likely to attract subscribers, with a rough target of about half of all stories from those sectors going into the Telegraph’s premium service. Other changes designed to pull in more paying readers include greater focus on lifestyle, and some culture and money contentlikely to attract subscribers, with a rough target of about half of all stories from those sectors going into the Telegraph’s premium service.
Some travel content will also go into the premium subscription service for the first time. About 15% of news, TV and film and technology coverage will also only be accessible to premium subscribers. Some travel content will also be part of the premium subscription service for the first time. About 15% of news, TV and film and technology coverage will also only be accessible to premium subscribers.
The strengthening of the pay wall, which was revealed to staff at a recent “town hall” meeting, marks the next step in new chief executive Nick Hugh’s strategy to create a sustainable future for the 163-year old newspaper. The strengthening of the pay wall, which was revealed to staff at a recent “town hall” meeting, marks the next step in the strategy of the new chief executive, Nick Hugh, to create a sustainable future for the 163-year old newspaper.
The changes to the Telegraph’s content strategy will take effect before the end of the year.The changes to the Telegraph’s content strategy will take effect before the end of the year.
Staff were told that audience and data analysis had determined that the Telegraph’s politics, business and rugby coverage had proved to be “high engagement” content for readers, meaning they are highly likely to pay to read it rather than head elsewhere. Staff were told that audience and data analysis had determined that the Telegraph’s politics, business and rugby coverage had proved to be “high engagement” content for readers, meaning readers were highly likely to pay to read it rather than head elsewhere.
Some other sport content is likely to also go into the premium service from time to time but football – a huge web traffic driver for newspapers – is likely to be seen as more valuable being kept free. The Telegraph declined to comment. Some other sport content is likely also to be in the premium service from time to time. But football – a huge web traffic driver for newspapers – is likely to be seen as more valuable in a “free” state.
Last September Hugh, the former European vice-president at Yahoo who took over as chief executive from the long-serving Murdoch MacLennan last summer, unveiled a new “registrations-first” plan, with a goal of attracting 10 million registrants. The publisher has already passed its 2018 target of 3 million. Currently, registrants can only access one premium article per week. The Telegraph declined to comment. Last September, Hugh, the former European vice-president at Yahoo, who took over as chief executive from the long-serving Murdoch MacLennan last summer, unveiled a “registrations-first” plan, with a goal of attracting 10 million registrants. The publisher has already passed its 2018 target of 3 million. Currently, registrants can only access one premium article per week.
A combination of declining print readership and sales together with the dominance of Google and Facebook in hoovering up digital advertising has put pressure on newspaper publishers to seek new revenue streams to remain financially sustainable.A combination of declining print readership and sales together with the dominance of Google and Facebook in hoovering up digital advertising has put pressure on newspaper publishers to seek new revenue streams to remain financially sustainable.
Telegraph Media Group, the publisher of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, reported a 50% slump in profits to £13.7m last year.Telegraph Media Group, the publisher of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, reported a 50% slump in profits to £13.7m last year.
The Financial Times has 740,000 paid digital subscribers. Rupert Murdoch’s Times and Sunday Times have said that the year to June was their most successful since introducing a digital paywall in 2010, with subscriber numbers up 20% to over 500,000. Digital-only subscribers stand at about 260,000. And the New York Times reported that as at the end of June it had 3.8m total paid subscriptions, of which 2.9m were digital-only. The Financial Times has 740,000 paid digital subscribers. Rupert Murdoch’s Times and Sunday Times have said that the year to June was their most successful since introducing a digital paywall in 2010, with subscriber numbers up 20% to more than 500,000. Digital-only subscribers stand at about 260,000. And the New York Times reported that, as at the end of June, it had 3.8m total paid subscriptions, of which 2.9m were digital-only.
The Guardian is pursuing a different model with a three-tier membership programme while keeping all content free. More than 900,000 people financially support the Guardian; of these about 230,000 are print or digital subscribers and just over half are digital-only. A further 700,000 are either part of the membership programme or made one-off donations in the last year. The Guardian made a loss of £23m in its last financial year and is on track to break even by April 2019. The Guardian is pursuing a different model with a three-tier membership programme and all content kept free. More than 900,000 people financially support the Guardian; of these about 230,000 are print or digital subscribers and just over half are digital-only. A further 700,000 are either part of the membership programme or made one-off donations in the last year. The Guardian made a loss of £23m in its last financial year and is on track to break even by April 2019.
The Telegraph has also hired Dominic Coles, a former long serving senior executive at the BBC and latterly US-pay TV giant Discovery, as its new chief financial officer. He will replace Finbarr Ronayne, who steps down at the end of the year after a decade at the Telegraph. The Telegraph has also hired Dominic Coles, a former long-serving senior executive at the BBC and latterly the US pay-TV company Discovery, as its new chief financial officer. He will replace Finbarr Ronayne, who steps down at the end of the year after a decade at the Telegraph.
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