The increase in the Sun’s online audience is proof that the original decision to put all the content behind a paywall was misconceived.
Since lowering the paywall, allowing people to access key content for free, the paper’s website has enjoyed a much greater response from the public.
Every major story every day is now made available, along with other popular content, and the huge boost in daily browsers each day in June shows that readers appreciate the opening up of the site.
Clearly, more and more is going to be free in future. Note the quote from the Sun’s editor, David Dinsmore, in which he said “we are very much at the start of putting selected content outside of the Sun+ subscription.” At the start, eh?
It suggests that Rupert Murdoch has had to compromise on his refusal to “give away” editorial content for free, although his UK publisher, News UK, is continuing with the “hard” paywall for the Times and Sunday Times.
The Sun has been charging subscribers £7.99 for the privilege of visiting its site. But can it continue justifying that charge as it increases the amount of free-to-access material?
Around the corner the company faces a difficult decision to forgo such online revenue.
Meanwhile, the failed paywall strategy is illustrated by the large digital audiences enjoyed by the Sun’s rivals, such as the Daily Mirror (4.3m a day in June) and Mail Online (14m plus), while the Sun’s was just below 800,000.
