New York Times to charge for articles online

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Times says it will charge readers for full access to its Web site starting in 2011, a risky move aimed at drawing more revenue online without driving away advertisers that want the biggest possible audience.

After months of deliberation that other newspapers also have been undertaking, the Times said Wednesday it will use a metered system, allowing free access to a certain number of articles and then charging users for additional content. The price has yet to be disclosed.

It would not be the first time the newspaper has tried to charge for its articles.

It charged for its Web site in 1996 but attracted only about 4,000 subscribers. Another experiment called Times Select, which required a $50 annual subscription to read Times columnists, drew 221,000 customers but was scrapped in 2007 because it put a dent in ad sales. Advertisers generally pay more for higher Web traffic.

The new approach resembles the one used at The Financial Times. The idea is to draw casual readers with free articles while getting fees from people who want to go deeper on the site.