The Wall Street Journal plans to start charging $ 2 a week to read their articles on BlackBerry, iPhone and other mobile devices, expanding its efforts to become less dependent on revenues from their print edition.
The rates will be imposed on one or two months, according to Rupert Murdoch, CEO of the company owning the Journal, Murdoch said News Corp. charges Tuesday during an investor conference in New York.
Details of the deal for the Journal's new rates next week.
The Journal introduced a free application, "Mobile Reader for BlackBerry in August 2008 and began offering the iPhone for about five months ago. The newspaper announced that users would free mobile application for a limited time.
Unlike most American newspapers, the Journal has long required a subscription to read most of its articles on its Web site. The strategy has been effective so far and claims over one million online subscribers.
Now Murdoch tries to generate more revenue through other channels to help offset a sharp drop in advertising in recent years. It is proposed to charge for online access to other News Corp. newspapers, including The New York Post and the Times of London.
Readers who subscribe to the newspaper's Web site can access it on their phones at no additional charge if they use a mobile browser.
Subscribers to the print edition of the Journal will have to pay a dollar a week if they want the mobile application, Murdoch said on Tuesday. The rate of two dollars a week will be for mobile readers that do not subscribe to the newspaper.
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