Three flagship Afrikaans language newspapers – Die Burger, Beeld and Volksblad – owned by South African media conglomerate Naspers are to adopt paywalls, making users pay for prioritised online content.
The newspapers announced they were adopting a “digital first” strategy, giving priority to online content.
Subscribers, however, will have to pay for redesigned websites and tablet apps, with current subscribers having web access included in their subscription fees and non-subscribers paying ZAR99 (US$11) per month for access.
The papers said they had decided on the move as proceeds from online advertisements had been minimal and “giving away their original content for free online” was not profitable.
Leading South African newspaper Business Day made the leap from “paper first” to “digital first” last year, and is slowly phasing in a paywall, with readers currently having to register as a website user before they can obtain unlimited access. The paper plans to soon reduce free viewing to 15 stories.
The paywall discussion continues to grip media across the world, with media houses debating how to best make money from online news sites without scaring away readers. The likes of The Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times have all implemented paywalls, with varying amounts of free viewing.
More than 300 US daily newspapers also now have some type of paywall, according to the trade website News & Tech, and The Washington Post is one of the last major US newspapers to offer online content for free.
