The Telegraph Media Group, publisher of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph, is launching a new digital subscription service today (3 November), which will focus on in-depth exclusive content, such as long-form features and analysis.
Chris Evans, editor of The Daily Telegraph, explained most of the content on the website will now be free, but a significant number of stories will be reserved for Telegraph Premium subscribers in a bid to build a closer relationship with audiences looking for more in-depth coverage.
"We hope Telegraph Premium will increase engagement with users by building a greater sense of community and create a more personalised experience for our audience," he told Journalism.co.uk.
"The main purpose of this change is to increase our digital audience and offer a better experience to our users. We have successfully operated a metered model for a number of years – this is an enhancement of that."
The Telegraph's previous metered model provided readers with free access to 20 articles a month before it asked them to pay, but the outlet is now hoping this digital strategy will drive new subscription revenue, while enhancing advertising offerings with its free layer of content.
The publisher is offering a range of benefits to subscribers of Telegraph Premium, including direct access to the Telegraph’s journalists and resident experts through events, as well as 52 weeks of free digital access to The Washington Post as part of its rewards programme.
The cost of a Telegraph Premium subscription ranges from £2 per week, offering readers unlimited online access, to £11 per week, a package which provides them with a copy of the print newspaper seven days a week and full digital access across desktop and mobile.
Last month, the newspaper also introduced a redesigned version of its free mobile app, which uses colourful designs, a top stories channel and a scrolling news feed to make it more appealing to the audience.
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