This epitomizes what makes New York, New York. We “know” we are the center of the universe, but we have a sense of humor about it. This is the waiting area of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning & Sustainability across from City Hall, with clocks for time in each of the 5 boroughs.
The Canadians always complain they don’t get things first. Well, this time they’re at the head of the line. The New York Times (NYSE: NYT) digital subscriptions kick in there today; March 28 for the rest of us, allowing the NYT to avoid April Fools’ jokes. (We reported this morning that the long-awaited announcement could come as early as today.)
See more of our latest Apps coverage
or add an alert for future coverage of Apps.Canada is the testing ground, giving the Times roughly 10 days to fine-tune the complicated product—and the message—before it goes global. Access is cut off after 20 article views in a month; the three plans for non-print subscribers start at $15 a month. Home delivery subscribers will get full access to the site and the full content of certain apps; the Times has been a long-time believer in the concept of adding value to its expensive print subscriptions through bundles. Access to TimesSelect was included, for instance, as were earlier efforts to create additional revenue digitally. But the all-access pass doesn’t include everything; the e-editon and premium crosswords are excluded. (Drat.)
As promised, the Times has tried to carve out as much space as possible for links to its stories. In a letter to NYTimes.com registered users that just went out, Publisher Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. explains:
Readers who come to Times articles through links from search, blogs and social media like Facebook and Twitter will be able to read those articles, even if they have reached their monthly reading limit. For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to Times articles.
That should make access to far more than 20 articles a month possible—and should quiet some of the people who claim the Times is walling itself off or becoming irrelevant.
Access to some news stays open: The Times also has carved out spaces that will remain free. At NYTimes.com that includes the home page and all section fronts; for mobile apps, the “Top News” sections will be accessible.
Complying with Apple: The Times promises to add one-click access in iOS apps by June 30 , which gives it a head start to get as many users as possible converted to subscriptions before the 30 percent share with Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) kicks in.
Full press release below; more to come.
From the release:
The New York Times announced today that it is launching digital subscriptions, which will affect some users of its award-winning Web site, NYTimes.com, and its applications for smartphone and tablet. The subscription plan allows for free access to a set amount of content across digital platforms. When the monthly reading limit is reached, users who are not already home delivery subscribers will be asked to become digital subscribers.
Digital subscriptions will be available in the United States and globally on March 28, 2011. The Times is launching digital subscriptions in the Canadian market beginning today in order to fine-tune the customer experience prior to the global launch.
For non-home delivery subscribers, the basic package - NYTimes.com plus Smartphone App - will start at $15 every four weeks. The NYTimes.com plus Smartphone App package is currently available for purchase by users in Canada. On March 28, the global launch, The Times will offer three digital subscription packages, all of which include access to the Web site. Details are outlined below.
In making today’s announcement, Arthur Sulzberger, Jr., chairman of The New York Times Company and publisher of The New York Times, said, “Today marks a significant transition for The Times, an important day in our 159-year history of evolution and reinvention. Our decision to begin charging for digital access will result in another source of revenue, strengthening our ability to continue to invest in the journalism and digital innovation on which our readers have come to depend. This move will enhance The Times’s position as a source of trustworthy news, information and high-quality opinion for many years to come.”
Janet L. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of The New York Times Company, added, “As the market for and delivery of digital content evolves, we believe that supplementing advertising revenue with digital subscription revenue makes tremendous sense. The step we are taking today will further improve our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers across the world on any platform, while maintaining the large and growing audience that supports our robust advertising business.”
Details about the digital subscription:
* All users of NYTimes.com are able to enjoy 20 articles at no charge each month (including slideshows, videos and other forms of content). Beyond 20 articles and for open access to the site, users will be asked to become digital subscribers.
* On The Times’s smartphone and tablet applications, the Top News section will remain free. To delve deeper into the apps’ other sections, users will be asked to become digital subscribers.
* The Times is offering three digital subscription packages that allow users to choose the devices on which they want to access Times content. NYTimes.com will be included as part of any subscription. Details and pricing for these plans is available at http://www.nytimes.com/access. Introductory offers will be available.
All New York Times home delivery newspaper subscribers receive free, unlimited access to NYTimes.com and the full content on all of The Times’s applications. Home delivery subscribers can go to http://homedelivery.nytimes.com to sign up for free access.
* Readers who come to Times articles through links from search, blogs and social media will be able to access those individual articles, even if they have reached their reading limit. For some search engines, users will have a daily limit of free links to Times articles.
* The homepage at NYTimes.com and all section fronts will remain free to browse for all users at all times.
In keeping with Apple’s new subscription service terms, The Times will make 1-click purchase available in the App Store by June 30 to ensure that readers can continue to access Times apps on Apple devices.
Subscribers to the print edition of the International Herald Tribune, the global edition of The New York Times, will receive free, unlimited access* to NYTimes.com.
For more details about The Times’s digital subscriptions, go to http://www.nytimes.com/access, or see the FAQ’s: http://www.nytimes.com/digitalfaq.
*Mobile apps are not supported on all devices. Does not include e-reader editions, Premium Crosswords or The New York Times Crosswords apps. Other restrictions apply.
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Third Thursdays
The Lower East Side invites you to discover some of the best art in New York City during Third Thursdays, a night to discover the diverse art offerings of the area. Area galleries roll out the red carpet, staying open late from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the following Thursdays in 2011:
- March 17
- April 21
- May 19
- June 16
- July 21
- September 15
- October 20
The Lower East Side Visitor Center, 54 Orchard Street, will be open late on Third Thursdays. Stop by from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and pick up our neighborhood guide, complete with dining, shopping and nightlife information.
While you are in the Lower East Side, stop by the New Museum. This contemporary art museum offers free admission from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday nights.
The Lo-Down is the media sponsor for Third Thursdays. Please visit The Lo- Down at www.thelodownny.com for Lower East Side breaking news and information.
Participating galleries:
1. Abrazo Interno (CSV); 107 Suffolk Street ; 212.260.4080; www.csvcenter.org
2. Anastasia Photo; 166 Orchard Street; 212.677.9725 www.anastasia-photo.com
3. Allegra LaViola Gallery; 179 East Broadway; 917.463.3901; www.allegralaviola.com
4. Bridge Gallery; 98 Orchard Street ; 212.674.6320; www.bridgegalleryny.com
5. Charles Bank Gallery; 196 Bowery; 212.219.4095; www.charlesbankgallery.com
6. Collette Blanchard; 26 Clinton Street; 917.639.3912; www.colletteblanchard.com
NOTE: Collette Blanchard has closed her gallery in NYC and relocated it to Paris, France.
7. Dacia Gallery; 53 Stanton Street; 917-445-5243; www.daciagallery.com
8. DODGE gallery; 15 Rivington Street; 212-228-5122; www.dodge-gallery.com
9. frosch&portmann; 53B Stanton Street; 646-266-5994; www.froschportmann.com
10. FusionArtsMuseum; 57 Stanton Street; 212-995-5290; www.fusionartsmuseum.org
11. gallery nine5; 24 Spring Street; 212-965-9995; www.gallerynine5.com
12. Invisible-Exports; 14a Orchard Street; 212-226-5447; www.invisible-exports.com
13. Jen Bekman; 6 Spring Street; 212.219.0166; www.jenbekman.com
14. Krause Gallery; 149 Orchard Street; 212.777.7799; www.krausegallery.com
15. Le Salon d’Art; 90 Stanton Street, 212-777-6008, www.lesalonart.com
16. Lesley Heller Workspace; 54 Orchard Street; 212.410.6120; www.lesleyheller.com
17. LMAKprojects; 139 Eldridge Street; 212.255.9707; www.lmakprojects.com
18. Lu Magnus; 55 Hester Street; 212.677.6555; www.lumagnus.com
19. Mark Miller Gallery; 92 Orchard Street; 212.253.9479; www.markmillergallery.com
20. Munch Gallery; 245 Broome Street; 646.209.5457; www.munchgallery.com
21. Myplasticheart nyc; 210 Forsyth Street; 646.290.6866; www.myplasticheartnyc.com
22. The New Museum of Contemporary Art; 235 Bowery; 212.219.1222 www.newmuseum.org
23. NP Contemporary Art Center; 131 Chrystie Street; 212.226.4552 www.npcac.org
24. Rooster Gallery; 190 Orchard Street; 212.230.1370; www.roostergallery.com
25. Scaramouche; 52 Orchard Street; 212.228.2229; www.scaramoucheart.com
26. Sloan Fine Art; 128 Rivington Street; 212.477.1140 www.sloanfineart.com
27. Stephan Stoyanov; 29 Orchard Street; 212.343.4240; www.stephanstoyanovgallery.com
28. Thierry Goldberg Projects; 5 Rivington Street; 212.967.2260; www.thierrygoldberg.com
29. White Box; 329 Broome Street; 212.714.2347; www.whiteboxny.org
30. Windows Gallery; 37 Orchard Street; 917-600-0807; www.psychicwindowsgallery.com
31. Woodward Gallery; 133 Eldridge Street; 212.966.3411; www.woodwardgallery.net
Additionally, since the printing of our gallery guide, Gallery Bar has joined Third Thursdays:
Gallery Bar; 120 Orchard Street; 212-529-2266; www.gallerybarnyc.com
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Dave Borden of ThatRentalSite.com on Internet Listing Sites, namely the difficulty of duplicate or duplicitous listings on Craigslist.