A Financial Times executive has said that the title’s video content is to go behind the paywall over the next few months.
Stephen Pinches, FT lead product developer, is quoted by Journalism.co.uk saying: ‘It’s not a given that video should be free. Some of the most valuable content we have is video content….
“We’re going to see a transition of video behind that paywall, but it’s going to be a gradual thing over the next few months.”
He said that the FT will soon be switching from Maven technology to Brightcove for its video content and that it is encouraging other members of the newsroom, beyond the core video team, to get involved in video production JCUK reports.
He revealed that the up to 300 videos a month which the FT produces generate around one million page views a month.
Since 2008 the FT has adopted a hybrid paywall model which allows less frequent users of the website to view a limited amount of content for free, but which charges heavier users.
It is a move which has apparently helped boost paying website subscribers to the current total of 126,000.
Those wishing to circumvent the paywall can simply Google the story they are looking for. Like other paywall pioneers, the FT has dared not cut off the Google-juice which drives mass visitor numbers by stopping browsers who come into the site via the search engine.
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