This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/may/13/sun-paywall-premier-league-football

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Sun paywall set at £2 with access to Premier League football highlights Sun paywall set at £2 with access to Premier League football highlights
(4 months later)
The Sun is to introduce a paywall from 1 August with a £2 per week charge, including access to Premier League football highlights.The Sun is to introduce a paywall from 1 August with a £2 per week charge, including access to Premier League football highlights.
Mike Darcey, the chief executive of News International who was responsible for striking the Premier League digital rights deal in January, said that the new service will be called Sun+.Mike Darcey, the chief executive of News International who was responsible for striking the Premier League digital rights deal in January, said that the new service will be called Sun+.
"This move ensures that we will be offering a compelling, paid-for package across all of our titles, delivering great value for news that is worth paying for," he said, in an internal email to staff."This move ensures that we will be offering a compelling, paid-for package across all of our titles, delivering great value for news that is worth paying for," he said, in an internal email to staff.
Darcey said the package will include a "suite of offerings" including seven-day access to the Sun online, via tablet and smartphone apps.Darcey said the package will include a "suite of offerings" including seven-day access to the Sun online, via tablet and smartphone apps.
It will include access to Premier League clips as well as "exclusive offers and promotions".It will include access to Premier League clips as well as "exclusive offers and promotions".
Darcey, the former chief operating officer at News Corporation-controlled BSkyB, was appointed chief executive of News International in December.Darcey, the former chief operating officer at News Corporation-controlled BSkyB, was appointed chief executive of News International in December.
He officially began at Wapping in January and moved swiftly to make his mark by striking a £30m-plus deal to snatch the exclusive rights to internet and mobile highlights for all 380 Premier League matches on the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times digital platforms.He officially began at Wapping in January and moved swiftly to make his mark by striking a £30m-plus deal to snatch the exclusive rights to internet and mobile highlights for all 380 Premier League matches on the Sun, the Times and the Sunday Times digital platforms.
In doing so he outbid his former employer, BSkyB, and easily outbid previous rights holders ESPN and Yahoo, which controlled parts of the digital rights that were previously split into different packages.In doing so he outbid his former employer, BSkyB, and easily outbid previous rights holders ESPN and Yahoo, which controlled parts of the digital rights that were previously split into different packages.
For Darcey, a veteran of at least five Premier League TV rights auctions at BSkyB, the deal formed the basis of building a strategy to make the Sun a compelling enough digital product to erect a paywall.For Darcey, a veteran of at least five Premier League TV rights auctions at BSkyB, the deal formed the basis of building a strategy to make the Sun a compelling enough digital product to erect a paywall.
The UK's biggest selling daily newspaper has always been free online, but has only increased its digital readership by about 5 million monthly users to 27 million in four years.The UK's biggest selling daily newspaper has always been free online, but has only increased its digital readership by about 5 million monthly users to 27 million in four years.
By comparison, over the same time period the Mail Online has gone from the fourth biggest UK newspaper with 23 million monthly users to the world's biggest with more than 110 million.By comparison, over the same time period the Mail Online has gone from the fourth biggest UK newspaper with 23 million monthly users to the world's biggest with more than 110 million.
In March, Darcey said it was "untenable" for the Sun to not charge for online content.In March, Darcey said it was "untenable" for the Sun to not charge for online content.
The move means all of News International's national newspapers, including the Times and Sunday Times, are now behind paywalls.The move means all of News International's national newspapers, including the Times and Sunday Times, are now behind paywalls.
• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".• To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@guardian.co.uk or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".
• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.• To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.