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What is a Content Subscription?

If one already subscribes to a traditional hard copy magazine or newspaper why don't publishers allow subscribers access to the same content via an Amazon Kindle (or other eReader) without paying additional subscription fees?

  • I have checked around to see if it is possible to link an existing subscription, and I've learned that some magazines allow access to eContent for existing subscribers. But many don't (I.E. Conde Nast).  It seems to me that a single subscription should give you the content regardless of the mode of access.

  • Answer:

    This an excellent question that all readers should be asking.  At the macro level, many publishers need to maximize their sources of revenue and are fumbling around with these pricing and content for the new, dynamic platforms.  Here are a few of the factors that effect pricing: Revenue model, how much comes from advertisers, how much from subscriptions.  Conde makes most of their revenue from advertisers, who many be reluctant or unsure how to promote their brands/products on tablets and smart phones Content strategy and the degree of overlap between print, website and apps, original content for tablets may lead to separate pricing Relationship with marketplaces--Apple, Android, Amazon and B&N all have different approaches to pricing and revenue shares The WSJ, FT and The Economist are great examples of publishers who are offering the type of bundled pricing that you're talking about.  The NYT has the right idea, but it is way too pricey.

Leslie Talmadge at Quora Visit the source

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In addition to 's answer, some magazines have a completely different structure around their electronic version of the magazine. One example is , which offers a database of searchable articles going back many years. The cost of creating and maintaing such a system is higher than simply publishing an e-copy of the magazine. Having said that, it is counterintuitive to most people that it would cost extra (or more, as in the case of SA) to subscribe to the electronic version of the same magazine one already receives. Ultimately, the real reason for the variance is the fact that electronic media is very young and it is still trying to find its place in between the other media available. Eventually, one model will prevail and become the standard of the publishing industry, but for now we are doomed to live with a fragmented set of policies and offers.

Fernando Montenegro

Multiple magazines allow you free access to their electronic version. For example, People, Wired, and Time. However, it appears that Newsweek requires separate print and electronic subscriptions, which is indeed bad. 2/5/12. Recently, Newsweek started offering its electronic version for free as well to the subscribers of the hard copy.

Konstantinos Konstantinides

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