In January of 2011, the NYTimes has announced that its online site will go on the dime. Users will have to pay again for reading pages on the website. This is not the first foray into charging – for a period in 2006-2008 NYTimes charged for reading its most popular editorial writers and some additional features but then removed all charges. It is free until 2011. In the upcoming pay-to-read service, any links to the NYTimes will be honored plus some limited additional free browsing like at the WSJ or Financial Times. But like the other institutions, the NYTimes is determined to make online editions pay for themselves through user fees.
In the run up to going online for a fee, the NYTimes has developed a new Times Reader, broadened its Wall Street Deal Book coverage, and done many deals with story providers like Gigaom, ReadWriteWeb plus VentureBeat among others. But the most interesting developments has been the continuing improvements in UI presentation of news and stories. Earlier this month, the NYTimes resorted to some JavaScript and Flash mashable magic to present the US 2011 Budget in a most compelling way. Previously Takethe5th did a series of stories on NYTimes Finance pages widgets. And today NYTimes has a very effective Timeline Widget showing the Brinkmanship being played by North Korea over the last 4 years:
One can follow the litany of provocations from North Korea with absolute clarity of images, stories, and links as seen above. In sum, the NYTimes appears determined to enter the fray for paid online new source with best set of Web UI apps in its editorial arsenal as well as the most diverse options for viewing – Times Reader, Android and iPad apps, plus the most mashable Web edition.