Telegraph Media Group is to launch a new metered paywall for international readers.
TMG today unveiled two new digital subscription packages for its international audience that will see it adopt a metering approach similar to the model currently used by the New York Times.
International readers will get free access to The Telegraph's website up to a limit of 20 articles per month, after which they will be asked to choose between two subscription packages.
The Telegraph web and mobile pack will offer unlimited access to the Telegraph’s website and its mobile apps on Android and iPhone for £1.99 per month.
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The full digital pack costs £9.99 and includes access to The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers on the iPad.
With both packages, readers will be offered a one-month free trial before they are asked to commit to a subscription.
According to the latest ABC figures, in September the Telegraph website attracted an average 2,679,920 daily unique browsers (up 34 per cent year on year), and 51,406,858 monthly users (up 35 per cent year on year).
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TMG said that around a third of those browsers are international readers.
The new paywall will only apply to the Telegraph’s international audience and UK readers will still be able access the website for free.
In a statement the company said: “Like all publishers, TMG continually evaluates the developments in the digital sector; there are currently no plans to introduce a meter model for UK readers.”
Edward Roussel, executive editor, digital, said: “Telegraph writers include many of the world’s finest journalists on areas such as politics, international affairs, sport and business.
“There is a growing global demand for first-class journalism. The Telegraph already has a strong subscriber base of loyal readers in the UK. Our subscription model is now being extended globally.”
The only other UK national newspapers websites with any form of paywall are the Financial Times and The Times, which began charging all users for access in May 2010.
According to figures released earlier this year number of digital subscribers to the Sunday Times website rose 66 per cent in its first 13 months to 125,989, while the number of subscribers to its sister website times.co.uk rose by 56 per cent during the same period to 130,751.
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