The Wall Street Journal is working to close loopholes that enabled smartphone users to read its premium online content for free via the mobile web. Adweek reports the news organization has made many articles on its iPhone and BlackBerry applications available exclusively to paid subscribers--the change impacts the Journal's core business and financial coverage, although some articles from its lifestyle, sports and politics categories remain free to mobile readers.
The Journal now charges $2 per week for mobile subscriptions, although existing print and online subscribers must pay only $1 more per week for mobile access. The publication is one of the few major U.S. newspapers requiring premium subscriptions for its online content, and currently boasts more than 1 million online subscribers. The Journal introduced [1] a free mobile news application in February 2008, followed six months later by the WSJ.com Mobile Reader [2], a free app optimized for BlackBerry smartphones. The Journal's free iPhone app [3] debuted in April 2009.
For more on the new Journal policies:
- read this Adweek article [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/wall-street-journal-goes-mobile/2008-02-06
[2] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/wall-street-journal-introduces-mobile-reader/2008-08-19
[3] http://www.fiercemobilecontent.com/story/wall-street-journal-unveils-free-iphone-app/2009-04-16
[4] http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3ifc258f6318477ab07338113e22f72e98