New York Times subscribers to get full access in Flipboard

The New York Times has today announced a deal that will see its subscribers able to access all its content through Flipboard, a magazine social reader app for iPhone, iPad and Android.

It is the first time that the news outlet, which began charging for metered access in March 2011, has allowed subscribers to get full access to its web content through a third party, according to the New York Times Bits blog.

According to the announcement post, "beginning Thursday (28 June), Times subscribers will be able to view articles, videos, slideshows and blog posts inside Flipboard, and non-subscribers will be able to read a free sampling of articles," the post states. By making limited content available the New York Times is hoping the move will encourage non-subscribers to consider buying a subscription.

A similar move is also being considered by the Financial Times. Earlier this month the FT said it is looking at ways to allow those with a subscription to the news outlet to login and read the digital publication on social reader apps such as Flipboard and Zite, enabling its audience to read the FT on their platform of choice.

The New York Times and Flipboard deal will see an advertising revenue split between the two organisations. According to the post, the New York Times "will sell full-screen ads that appear between its Flipboard pages, which are intended to be more attention-grabbing than conventional web advertising". Details of how the revenue would be split has not been revealed.

The Bits blog post adds that the US outlet had previously made only parts of its digital content accessible through third parties.

It interviewed Denise F. Warren, general manager of the New York Times's site. She said it made sense to extend the publication's reach through alternative channels.

Warren told Bits blog that the New York Times conducted a survey with its subscribers and found that 20 per cent said they read web content through third-party apps like Flipboard that feature a variety of sources.

The post adds that subscribers with access to the web site and smartphone apps can read the New York Times on Flipboard’s smartphone apps. People who subscribe to the web site and tablet apps can read the content through Flipboard’s tablet apps, and readers who pay for the ability to read on any digital platform will have access through Flipboard apps on any mobile device.

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