Fairfax Media launches digital subscriptions

Fairfax Media has launched its digital subscriptions for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites and m-sites, as well as its SMH and The Age tablet apps today.

The announcement:

July 2, 2013: A new era in Australian publishing begins today as Fairfax Media launches digital subscriptions for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites and m-sites, and for its SMH and Age tablet apps.

Digital subscriptions for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites and m-sites will operate as a meter model, allowing free access to 30 articles a month. The tablet apps will use a freemium model, which means certain sections will be free, while others will only be accessible to paying subscribers.

Fairfax will unveil a new marketing campaign to support today’s launch – using the existing brand positionings of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age – aimed at SMH readers who are hungry for knowledge and The Age readers who have a deep curiosity to explore their world.

The campaign is specifically designed to inform all readers that everyone is still welcome and that they can access up to 30 articles a month for free and certain sections on tablet apps as a visitor. Those who subscribe however, will have unlimited access to more content and a range of exclusive features including eBooks and special offers.

Developed by Whybin/TBWA, the new campaign will run in print, online and on TV, and draws on the themes of the successful Sydney Morning Herald “Know No Boundaries” and The Age “Forever Curious” ad campaigns which were launched earlier this year.

“Digital subscriptions will enable Fairfax Media to continue to deliver the independent, quality journalism that Australians know, love and trust,” The Sydney Morning Herald Editor-In-Chief, Sean Aylmer said.

“Our approach is simple: visitors will be able to continue to enjoy our content for free just as they do now, with minimal disruption, and subscribers will have access to more content, plus additional benefits.
“The meter and freemium models allow our audiences to choose what content they access and how they access it.”

Editor-In-Chief of The Age, Andrew Holden, added: “We have done a great deal of research into our readers and the subscription model that will suit them best.
“The great thing about our digital subscriptions is they will suit our regular readers as well as less frequent visitors.
“Asking people to pay for our journalism online is an important step in the future of our newsrooms. It will help us continue to provide the best independent coverage in Australia.”

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age have a significant digital audience, with combined website visitors of more than 3.5 million per month*; more than 1.2 million tablet downloads^; and 374,852** average daily unique browsers on m-sites.

How the models work
The meter and freemium models allow Fairfax Media’s digital audience to choose how they wish to access content on The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites, m-sites and tablet apps. Different levels of access will be offered, based on whether they are a visitor or a subscriber:

Visitors:
· Free access to articles up to the meter limit, set at 30 articles per month, across The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites and m-sites.
· Unlimited access to articles in the free sections on The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age iPad and Android apps.

Visitors will also be able to view the homepages, photo galleries and videos as often as they wish without being prompted to subscribe.

Subscribers:
· Unlimited access to content on The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age websites, m-sites and tablet apps, depending on the subscription package chosen.

Website and m-site subscribers will also have access to a range of exclusive features, including:
· Zoom: a new research tool that allows subscribers to view current and archived stories published on popular news topics;
· Shortbooks: interactive eBooks curated by Fairfax journalists on specialist topics;
· My Benefits: Fairfax Media’s rewards program for Australian resident subscribers, with unique offers, event invitations and access to other digital products.

Readers will be able to select from five subscription packages. This includes a special launch offer with full digital access (website, m-sites and tablet) and weekend newspaper delivery, for just $1 for the first month (full list of launch subscription packages below).

Print Subscribers
Current two-day or more newspaper home delivery subscribers will automatically receive full digital access in their packages. Print subscribers who qualify began being notified to activate their complimentary digital access from the 27 May 2013.

Launch Subscription Packages

Package 1:
· Website access from any device (desktop or mobile)
· $1 for the first month, then $15 a month ongoing

Package 2:
· Full access to the iPad or Android tablet app
· $0 for the first month, then $21.99 a month ongoing

Package 3:
· Website access from any device (desktop or mobile)
· Full access to the iPad or Android tablet app
· $1 for the first month, then $25 a month ongoing

Package 4:
· Website access from any device (desktop or mobile)
· Full access to the iPad or Android tablet app
· Saturday and Sunday newspaper delivery
· $1 for the first month, then $25 a month ongoing

Package 5:
· Website access from any device (desktop or mobile)
· Full access to the iPad or Android tablet app
· 7 day newspaper delivery
· $1 for the first month, then $44 a month ongoing

Source: Fairfax Media press release

topics apps Fairfax Media paywall

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