Wednesday, December 28, 2005

What took so long? ... As ClickZ reported this week, Time magazine's website is testing the notion of making premium (subscriber-only) content available for free if readers agree to first view special advertising. For the "Person of the Year" cover story from the magazine, Time.com site visitors can read it for free after they view a multi-page, full-screen interactive ad from auto maker Chrysler. They'll also get 24-hour access to the magazine's full archive of articles.

Time.com is using technology from Ultramercial, which also is used by the online magazine Salon.

Salon, which locks down much of its content behind a paid subscription wall, has been letting non-subscribers access its material via a "day pass" since early 2003. Viewing a special ad gets you the day of free access.

I've long been puzzled that more website publishers didn't copy Salon's approach. Perhaps it's finally beginning to catch on.
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