Summer Job: WaPo Building Digital Paywall

 (Photo credit: kieren mccarthy)

As reported here previously (see "TUOL" post 12/7/12), the Washington Post confirmed yesterday that it will unveil a metered paywall for its digital edition this summer.

Subscription rates are still being finalized, but the daily reported yesterday that Web site visitors will be able to access 20 free articles a month before being asked to pony up. Print edition subscribers, a vanishing breed, will have unlimited access to the digital version.

The Post also will offer unlimited viewing online  to students, military personnel, government employees and school administrators if they access the Web site from their respective school or workplace. All visitors will continue to receive free access to section lead pages, classifieds and the homepage, according to the Post article.

According to the article, the Post Web site attracts 1.4 million D.C. visitors among its total monthly 20 million visitors. The Post has been rocked by dwindling circulation and advertising revenues in its print version, suffering a 14 percent drop in ad revenues and an 8.9 percent decline in daily circulation to 462,228, based on Alliance for Audited Media figures.