Wolverhampton’s Express & Star, the UK’s biggest selling regional daily paper, has this week introduced paid-for access to its digital platforms.
The paper replaced free access to all its digital content with a series of subscription packages through the launch of its ‘Express & Star 24’ initiative.
Breaking news will remain free-to-access on the Express & Star website however the title is now asking readers to pay £2.34 a week to receive the printed newspaper, alongside full online and mobile apps access.
The Express and Star is also offering a digital-only package but claims that due to the tax laws the £2.34 price tag will incur VAT, bringing the cost to £2.81 per week.
The Express & Star announced plans to put the majority of its content behind a paywall last month as it outlined the introduction of its new premium content website.
The newspaper, which is owned by the family-run Midland News Association, put in a comparatively strong circulation performance with sales dropping just 2.8 per cent year on year to a daily average 116,992 during the second half of last year, according to the most recent figures from the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
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