APN's Listener has introduced paid online content.
Online subscribers can now get the magazine's weekly edition from midday Thursday, while ye olde print subscribers don't get the hardcopy version until at least Friday morning.
"The magazine goes offstone Wednesday night, so it's a big advantage editorially in avoiding the anguish of being overtaken by events," an insider told NBR.
I'm really happy to see the "print" edition is being offered online as regular HTML web pages, not Zinio or some other jumped-up format that apes the look of print. Zinio and the like good in a presentation, but in reality are appallingly unreadable.
(I'd also add that while I have apps for multiple newspapers and magazines installed on my iPad, I find most of them slow and clumsy. I love reading content on my tablet, but always opt to view a publication's website if it has all the print content onboard. Quick and easy.)
Digital-only subs can take a $5 one week "snack subscription"; a one year online subscription costs $129 (vs $169 for print). See more pricing options here.
Print subscribers will get the digital edition free.
Online extra content, including that pumped out by blogger Toby Manhire, will be outside the paywall, NBR understands.
In a perfect world, the Listener's digital edition would be free online, funded by ads.
But in our mean, messy reality, online advertising is thinly spread, with most revenue going to search engines and directories. So if you like reading the Listener, stump up.