The newspaper introduced a new subscription-only Web site in March that charged for access to "premium" stories and columns. But it's apparently no more. August 13, 2013 5:17 PM PDT The San Francisco Chronicle. (Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) A little more than four months after the San Francisco Chronicle began charging online readers for some content, the newspaper's pay wall experiment has reportedly come to an end. The newspaper announced in March that it would place certain "premium" stories and columns behind a pay wall, charging readers a $12 monthly subscription fee for access to all the digital content on SFChronicle.com, which is separate from the newspaper's free SFGate.com. News of the pay wall's impending collapse was broken Tuesday morning on Twitter by The Verge's Casey Newton, a former reporter at CNET and the Chronicle: Staffers were informed of the move during a meeting Monday afternoon at the newspaper's downtown San Francisco office, according to the SFWeekly. Oddly, SFChronicle.com subscribers will still have the option of paying for access to the premium-content Web site even though it will all now be freely available at SFGate.com, the free weekly alternative newspaper reported. CNET has contacted the Chronicle for comment and will update this report when we learn more. Related stories SF Chronicle erects paywall for 'premium' content Washington Post to start charging frequent site users Washington Post said to add paywall for online news Charging readers for access to online content is a growing trend in the newspaper business, which for the past decade has been scrambling for profits amid sagging print advertising revenue and declining circulations. In June, The Washington Post erected a pay wall, joining other national newspapers in charging for online news access. Though unusual, the demolition of a newspaper pay wall isn't unheard of. In 2007, The New York Times dismantled its TimesSelect Web service after two years but eventually replaced it with another subscription plan that gives readers access to 20 articles a month free of charge. Newspapers are also known to lower pay walls temporarily during times of natural disaster.
The newspaper introduced a new subscription-only Web site in March that charged for access to "premium" stories and columns. But it's apparently no more.
The San Francisco Chronicle.
(Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
A little more than four months after the San Francisco Chronicle began charging online readers for some content, the newspaper's pay wall experiment has reportedly come to an end.
The newspaper announced in March that it would place certain "premium" stories and columns behind a pay wall, charging readers a $12 monthly subscription fee for access to all the digital content on SFChronicle.com, which is separate from the newspaper's free SFGate.com. News of the pay wall's impending collapse was broken Tuesday morning on Twitter by The Verge's Casey Newton, a former reporter at CNET and the Chronicle:
Staffers were informed of the move during a meeting Monday afternoon at the newspaper's downtown San Francisco office, according to the SFWeekly. Oddly, SFChronicle.com subscribers will still have the option of paying for access to the premium-content Web site even though it will all now be freely available at SFGate.com, the free weekly alternative newspaper reported.
CNET has contacted the Chronicle for comment and will update this report when we learn more.
Related stories
- SF Chronicle erects paywall for 'premium' content
- Washington Post to start charging frequent site users
- Washington Post said to add paywall for online news
Charging readers for access to online content is a growing trend in the newspaper business, which for the past decade has been scrambling for profits amid sagging print advertising revenue and declining circulations. In June, The Washington Post erected a pay wall, joining other national newspapers in charging for online news access.
Though unusual, the demolition of a newspaper pay wall isn't unheard of. In 2007, The New York Times dismantled its TimesSelect Web service after two years but eventually replaced it with another subscription plan that gives readers access to 20 articles a month free of charge. Newspapers are also known to lower pay walls temporarily during times of natural disaster.
