The chart below, from TrendlineHQ, shows how the NYT has been transitioning from digital advertising revenue to subscription revenue
- In 2011, the NY Times changed strategy
- Focused on quality content, asked users to pay directly
- NY Times has 8.6 million paid subscribers
- Broader shift in internet monetization in last 5-7 years
- Early internet content was free, monetized through ads
- Value went to aggregators like Facebook
- Netflix, Spotify made customers pay for content
- Transition impacts internet culture positively
Why it matters: shift from clickbait to quality content creates a healthier internet
