Wall Street Journal adding mobile fees to subscription menu, expanding push for more revenue
By APTuesday, September 15, 2009
Coming to mobile phones: Wall Street Journal fees
NEW YORK — The Wall Street Journal plans to start charging as much as $2 per week to read its stories on BlackBerrys and other mobile devices.
The mobile fees will be imposed in the next month or two, according to Rupert Murdoch, chief executive of the Journal’s owner, News Corp. Murdoch mentioned the upcoming fees Tuesday during an investor conference in New York.
Unlike most U.S. newspapers, the Journal has long required a subscription to read most of the stories on its Web site. The strategy has paid off so far, with the Journal boasting more than 1 million online subscribers.
Now Murdoch is trying to generate more revenue through other channels, to help offset a steep drop in advertising in the print edition.
