$12 per month to gain access online beyond 20 free stories per month. I thought everyone knew this, but I guess not. Are you going to pay it. I understand why they are doing this, but $12 per month seems a little steep to me - $144 per year seems too much. Although people paid for years and years (and still do) to have the print edition delivered to your house - not sure there is a difference.
A price of between 20 and 35 per year is what I think it should be. (Should be interesting to see what happens) Wonder how sites like WTHR.com, WISHTV.com, WRTV.com and WXIN.com are going to try and capitallize on this
http://www.indystar.com/article/2012...ss-model-times
Indianapolis Star updates business model for the times
Since 1903, The Indianapolis Star has served Central Indiana with news and information. We've worked hard to keep a trust with you for nearly 110 years, even as a lot changed in that time.
A hundred years ago in Downtown Indy, people didn't just talk about mass transit -- they rode it. A fleet of more than 300 electric streetcars crisscrossed the city. We've seen construction of Indy's first skyscrapers, the launch and expansion of the convention center and the construction of Circle Centre mall. The once-new Market Square Arena and RCA Dome gave way to Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium. We're home to new museums, the zoo, Victory Field, the NCAA headquarters and now the nation's second-largest medical school on the site where IUPUI was born.
How we communicate also has evolved, of course. We've moved from telegraph to telephones, to radio, to television and now into the digital age.
Certainly, one of the more dramatic changes is how you and other Central Indiana residents get your news and information. It wasn't too long ago that the printed edition of The Star was the only option we provided to you. Today, you engage with us on your desktop, on your smartphone and on your tablet. In Central Indiana alone, more than 210,000 residents engage with The Star each week on a digital platform. Even more telling, 89,000 Central Indiana residents look at our news and information only on our digital platforms each week.
And although many consumers choose to use digital devices to access our content, many still prefer the traditional print edition. In a typical week, more than 650,000 residents read a print edition of The Star. It's easy, though, to see where consumers are headed.
After a century of doing business in about the same way, it's time for us to transform The Star's business model. These changes will include a new Full Access subscription plan that reflects the value of our content and ensures our ability to grow and serve you better. We are not unlike thousands of businesses that have needed to rethink their business model to keep ahead of changing needs of consumers.
In the past year, we have met with many readers and conducted numerous research studies. We listened hard to what you want and need from us. No "one size fits all" was apparent, but what was obvious was the need to provide multiple options for you to access our content how, when and where you want it. And you told us that we must focus on (and invest in) the issues that you most care about. We will.
Here are a few key highlights of our new business model:Beyond the headlines
Our primary goal is to provide high-quality, in-depth journalism on topics you are passionate about. Great investigative reporting and public service rank high on that list. The Star's Our Children Our City project takes you inside the halls and classrooms of struggling schools and into the lives of children, shining a light on the troubling issues they confront and inspiring you to become involved. Our StarWatch investigative team brings you hard-hitting stories you can't get anywhere else -- exposing corruption, injustice and incompetent government agencies that waste your tax dollars.
In sports, we take you beyond the games, bringing you closer to your favorite players and providing you with more angles on the Colts than any other source. We offer behind-the-scenes details, engaging humor, expert analysis and clever ways to save time and money. We have strong personalities and provocative columnists whose takes on life may delight you or rile you -- but always make you think. And we have great storytelling. All of this is part of our daily effort to improve your Star -- an effort that will now intensify as we devote greater resources to providing you with even more and better coverage.
Multiple ways to connect with us
All subscribers will have full access 24/7 through all of our platforms:
» Print edition, delivered to your home.
» e-Newspaper, replica of the print edition.
» Desktop, on your computer.
» Mobile, iPhone, Androidsmartphone.
» iPad and other tablets.
Full Access digital-only subscriptions are available for $12 a month, only 40 cents a day. Beginning Sept. 1, we will limit access to news and information content consumed through our website, smartphones and tablets. Nonsubscribers still will be able to read up to 20 stories per 30 days on IndyStar.com before needing to subscribe.
New subscription rates
We are committed to continuing to provide you with in-depth stories and compelling journalism in timely and meaningful ways. To be able to deliver on that commitment, we are raising some of our subscription prices. In August, you will get a letter from me outlining the specific changes to your subscription. The new rates are effective Sept. 1, but we will honor your current rate until your next billing cycle. We have not made this decision lightly. A Full Access subscription, including home delivery of the print edition each day, will be a great value at only 76 cents a day.
Finally, there is one more part of our transformation that I want to explain. You may have heard or read recently that we have decided, after 104 years, to put our Downtown building on Pennsylvania Street up for sale. It has been a wonderful part of our history. But the Penn building no longer suits the size and needs of our staff. We need space that inspires us to be creative and digitally focused as we continue to pursue great journalism that makes an impact and is a positive force on our community. We are committed that Star employees will relocate to a new location Downtown still to be determined. We hope to find space that inspires our future and welcome you to be a partner in the conversation.
All of our changes are meant to ensure we serve Central Indiana for a very long time. Our commitment to keep our readers informed and serve our community is stronger than ever.
On Aug. 12, we will publish a Q&A in The Star and on IndyStar.com regarding our changes. The next day, we'll also answer questions in a chat online. Please don't hesitate to email me with questions you'd like answered.
Look for my letter in your mailbox in the weeks ahead.
Thank you for making us part of your life. We will continue to work hard to earn your trust and your business.
Contact Karen Crotchfelt, president and publisher
A price of between 20 and 35 per year is what I think it should be. (Should be interesting to see what happens) Wonder how sites like WTHR.com, WISHTV.com, WRTV.com and WXIN.com are going to try and capitallize on this
http://www.indystar.com/article/2012...ss-model-times
Indianapolis Star updates business model for the times
Since 1903, The Indianapolis Star has served Central Indiana with news and information. We've worked hard to keep a trust with you for nearly 110 years, even as a lot changed in that time.
A hundred years ago in Downtown Indy, people didn't just talk about mass transit -- they rode it. A fleet of more than 300 electric streetcars crisscrossed the city. We've seen construction of Indy's first skyscrapers, the launch and expansion of the convention center and the construction of Circle Centre mall. The once-new Market Square Arena and RCA Dome gave way to Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Lucas Oil Stadium. We're home to new museums, the zoo, Victory Field, the NCAA headquarters and now the nation's second-largest medical school on the site where IUPUI was born.
How we communicate also has evolved, of course. We've moved from telegraph to telephones, to radio, to television and now into the digital age.
Certainly, one of the more dramatic changes is how you and other Central Indiana residents get your news and information. It wasn't too long ago that the printed edition of The Star was the only option we provided to you. Today, you engage with us on your desktop, on your smartphone and on your tablet. In Central Indiana alone, more than 210,000 residents engage with The Star each week on a digital platform. Even more telling, 89,000 Central Indiana residents look at our news and information only on our digital platforms each week.
And although many consumers choose to use digital devices to access our content, many still prefer the traditional print edition. In a typical week, more than 650,000 residents read a print edition of The Star. It's easy, though, to see where consumers are headed.
After a century of doing business in about the same way, it's time for us to transform The Star's business model. These changes will include a new Full Access subscription plan that reflects the value of our content and ensures our ability to grow and serve you better. We are not unlike thousands of businesses that have needed to rethink their business model to keep ahead of changing needs of consumers.
In the past year, we have met with many readers and conducted numerous research studies. We listened hard to what you want and need from us. No "one size fits all" was apparent, but what was obvious was the need to provide multiple options for you to access our content how, when and where you want it. And you told us that we must focus on (and invest in) the issues that you most care about. We will.
Here are a few key highlights of our new business model:Beyond the headlines
Our primary goal is to provide high-quality, in-depth journalism on topics you are passionate about. Great investigative reporting and public service rank high on that list. The Star's Our Children Our City project takes you inside the halls and classrooms of struggling schools and into the lives of children, shining a light on the troubling issues they confront and inspiring you to become involved. Our StarWatch investigative team brings you hard-hitting stories you can't get anywhere else -- exposing corruption, injustice and incompetent government agencies that waste your tax dollars.
In sports, we take you beyond the games, bringing you closer to your favorite players and providing you with more angles on the Colts than any other source. We offer behind-the-scenes details, engaging humor, expert analysis and clever ways to save time and money. We have strong personalities and provocative columnists whose takes on life may delight you or rile you -- but always make you think. And we have great storytelling. All of this is part of our daily effort to improve your Star -- an effort that will now intensify as we devote greater resources to providing you with even more and better coverage.
Multiple ways to connect with us
All subscribers will have full access 24/7 through all of our platforms:
» Print edition, delivered to your home.
» e-Newspaper, replica of the print edition.
» Desktop, on your computer.
» Mobile, iPhone, Androidsmartphone.
» iPad and other tablets.
Full Access digital-only subscriptions are available for $12 a month, only 40 cents a day. Beginning Sept. 1, we will limit access to news and information content consumed through our website, smartphones and tablets. Nonsubscribers still will be able to read up to 20 stories per 30 days on IndyStar.com before needing to subscribe.
New subscription rates
We are committed to continuing to provide you with in-depth stories and compelling journalism in timely and meaningful ways. To be able to deliver on that commitment, we are raising some of our subscription prices. In August, you will get a letter from me outlining the specific changes to your subscription. The new rates are effective Sept. 1, but we will honor your current rate until your next billing cycle. We have not made this decision lightly. A Full Access subscription, including home delivery of the print edition each day, will be a great value at only 76 cents a day.
Finally, there is one more part of our transformation that I want to explain. You may have heard or read recently that we have decided, after 104 years, to put our Downtown building on Pennsylvania Street up for sale. It has been a wonderful part of our history. But the Penn building no longer suits the size and needs of our staff. We need space that inspires us to be creative and digitally focused as we continue to pursue great journalism that makes an impact and is a positive force on our community. We are committed that Star employees will relocate to a new location Downtown still to be determined. We hope to find space that inspires our future and welcome you to be a partner in the conversation.
All of our changes are meant to ensure we serve Central Indiana for a very long time. Our commitment to keep our readers informed and serve our community is stronger than ever.
On Aug. 12, we will publish a Q&A in The Star and on IndyStar.com regarding our changes. The next day, we'll also answer questions in a chat online. Please don't hesitate to email me with questions you'd like answered.
Look for my letter in your mailbox in the weeks ahead.
Thank you for making us part of your life. We will continue to work hard to earn your trust and your business.
Contact Karen Crotchfelt, president and publisher
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