The Hindu is probably the first Indian newspaper to charge readers for reading the newspaper in the epaper format. The prices are quite steep and I won’t be surprised if there is a downward revision in the price. As expected, the blogosphere has not reacted too favourably to this move. Santhosh feels that the pricing is outrageous.
I am sure only a miniscule of The Hindu’s loyal readers back home resort to the online edition. So a free epaper is not going to bite into its subscription base. But I am not expecting it to be free either. People outside India will be happy to pay a nominal amount. But not $100 or Rs 4000 per year as The Hindu puts it.
Comments
5 comments. Leave your comment »
Shashikant
Feb 12th, 2007 at 5:12 am | #
IIRC, The News Today from India Today Group ( launched in 2001) was the first online newspaper to charge readers. The site doesn’t exist today. I guess, you have the verdict.
Paras
Feb 12th, 2007 at 7:56 am | #
“People outside India will be happy to pay a nominal amount”
I agree. NRIs & Foreigners who are interested in happenings in INDIA , are the target Market for this product.
confused
Feb 12th, 2007 at 8:30 am | #
Hindustan Times tried it too. I think their rates were more reasonable, about 50rs a month but 6 months later they went back to free e-paper. Paid online content hasn’t really taken off even in the West. Ideally, Hindu should put it’s premium content behind the paid wall just like Times Select(New York Times) which seems to be reasonably successful.
Kaps
Feb 12th, 2007 at 8:48 am | #
@Shashikant,
Newspaper Today was probably ahead of its time and hence could not succeed. With contextual ads and other revenue models, it might have been a different story today.
@Paras,
My guess is as good as your guess.
@Confused,
Thanks for the info about HT. I think Hindu’s experience will be no different from that of HT.
You know who i am
Feb 15th, 2007 at 2:35 am | #
At this price range nobody gonna to buy epaper subscription. There is an hole in the epaper that lets you to read news without subscribing. But one has to dig deep to find it.