Arianna Announces HuffPost Paywall Plans

[TampaYankee]

Ariana Huffington

A Word About Digital Subscriptions to The Huffington Post

Posted: 04/ 1/11 07:55 AM ET

Today marks a significant transition for The Huffington Post Media Group, as we introduce digital subscriptions for employees of The New York Times. It's an important step that we hope you will see as an investment in The Huffington Post, one that will strengthen our ability to provide high-quality journalism to readers around the world -- and especially to our readers inside The New York Times.

The change comes in two stages. Last week, we rolled out digital subscriptions to our readers in Winnipeg, Canada, which enabled us to fine-tune the customer experience. Plus, they're Canadians, eh? Today, we will begin offering digital subscriptions to employees of The New York Times.

If you don't live in Winnipeg or are not an employee of The New York Times, you will continue to have full and free access to our news, information, opinion, and the rest of our rich offerings.

If you are an employee of The New York Times, this is what you will be greeted with when you visit our site (click to enlarge):

This is how it will work, and what it means for you:

• On HuffingtonPost.com you can view the first 6 letters of each word at no charge (including slideshows of adorable kittens). After 6 letters, we will ask you to become a digital subscriber. You may choose to subscribe to see the rest of each word individually, or choose a package to access all words of more than 6 letters. This is an example of what you will see:

"Today the Obama admini-[click here to continue word for a small fee] said that the interv- [click here to continue word for a small fee] in Libya would contin-[click here to continue word for a small fee] indefi [click here to continue word for a small fee]..."

• Times employees who come to The Huffington Post through links from search, blogs, and social media will be able to freely access certain articles. For instance:

If you come in through Facebook, you'll be able to access for free all stories involving animals born with extra limbs.

If you come in through Twitter, you'll be able to access for free words that contain more than six letters, but only those that refer to antiquated transportation machines (i.e. "funicular").

If you come in through Google, you'll be able to access stories of criminals who break into people's houses and then do strange things, such as take a shower or eat a snack.

If you come in through Digg, you'll be able to read for free all stories that refer to TV's Erik Estrada.

• Slideshows and videos of adorable kittens (our signature offering) will be available for free only to one very senior New York Times employee.

And, of course, stories that aggregate falsehoods to support an administration's efforts to take the country into a disastrous, decade-long war based on lies will always remain free.

Thank you for reading The Huffington Post, in all its forms.

Sincerely,

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

President and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post Media Group

[TampaYankee]

This sucks!!

The HuffPost is one of my first reads every day. I really don't begrudge them desiring to make money off their effort, even if much of what they do is aggregrate others work. Nevertheless, I'll take a pass, relying on other open sources.

BTW, the paying by the word or by the length of the word is pretty stupid. I guess they think it might act as a hook to draw people in. I find it insulting that they choose to try to bait me or anyone else.

[TotallyOz]

This was the coolest April Fools Joke I have seen. Great job AH.

[TampaYankee]

This was the coolest April Fools Joke I have seen. Great job AH.

Say it ain't so, Joe!

Fuck me, I fell hook, line and sinker.

[MsGuy]

This sucks!!

The HuffPost is one of my first reads every day. I really don't begrudge them desiring to make money off their effort, even if much of what they do is aggregrate others work. Nevertheless, I'll take a pass, relying on other open sources.

BTW, the paying by the word or by the length of the word is pretty stupid. I guess they think it might act as a hook to draw people in. I find it insulting that they choose to try to bait me or anyone else.

TY, when are you gonna learn to stay away from that keyboard until you've finished your morning coffee?

[TotallyOz]

Love the photo MSGuy!

[Guest BeachBoy]

It goes to show you how effed up Plantation Arianna is when we get fooled by an article like this. Jesus, I hate her.

[Guest zipperzone]

It goes to show you how effed up Plantation Arianna is when we get fooled by an article like this. Jesus, I hate her.

I can't stand her accent. Listening to her and Arnie Cal - e - fornia, at the same time could make me rethink suicide

[Guest hitoallusa]

MsGuy and Lookin always come up with humorous photos that go well with the post. They must have a special algorithm that allows to search an image that corresponds to their posts in the speed of light.

Love the photo MSGuy!

[Guest zipperzone]

MsGuy and Lookin always come up with humorous photos that go well with the post. They must have a special algorithm that allows to search an image that corresponds to their posts in the speed of light.

I think they probably use Google Images

[MsGuy]

I think they probably use Google Images

Bingo, at least for MsGuy. For me it's two parts finding the right Google search terms and one part serendipity. Lookin, however, has the ability to hunt the wilds of the internet outside the cultivated gardens of Google Images.

And Lookin's creativity with his pic selection is far beyond mine.

[lookin]

You're being far too kind. I would never have thought of tracking down an ardent lepidopterist to illustrate my modest sleuthing abilities, though delighted that you did.

Notwithstanding the fact that my personal life's journey has encouraged me to make every effort to maintain an arm's length relationship with butterfly nets.

[TampaYankee]

The silver lining to this is that if this is my worst screw-up of the year then I have faired pretty well. Better, it is already behind me. Hoping everything is up from here.