The New European has put up a partial micro-paywall on its website, charging 10p for articles marked as “premium” but allowing free access to all other content.
Readers not already subscribed to the weekly newspaper, launched “for the 48 per cent” in the wake of the June 2016 Brexit vote, must now pay a minimum of £3 into a digital wallet to read content behind the paywall.
But they will never pay more than 50p per week no matter how much premium content they read.
The model is the same as that used by gossip website Pop Bitch, which launched its micro-paywall in January. Both are supplied by digital solutions company Agate.
TNE editor Matt Kelly said: “We’re putting our toe in the water to see if this kind of micro payment makes more sense than just erecting a big fat paywall.
“Traffic on theneweuropean.co.uk is growing very quickly so translating that into revenue is important.”
The website is understood to receive about 750,000 page views a month.
Kelly told Press Gazette’s Journalism Matters podcast that TNE just about breaks even financially, fluctuating with weekly sales.
Clicking on a premium content article prompts the following message: “Thanks for choosing to read this article from The New European.
“In exchange, we’re asking for a small contribution towards the cost of creating it.
“You’ll be supporting both media plurality and the fight against a potentially catastrophic Brexit – so please consider this to be great value…”
The New European is owned by regional news publisher Archant. Weekly newspaper the Hackney Gazette, owned by the group, has also put up a paywall encouraging readers to whitelist the website and allow adverts or pay for ad-free access.
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