• Mediaweek, Thursday, November 10, 2005 12:55 PM

The New York Times' TimesSelect program appears to be bearing fruit. According to Mediaweek, 135,000 people have now subscribed to the program, which already adds up to nearly $6.8 million for the company. In September, the Times began charging consumers $49.95 per year for access to its daily Op-Ed columns, which also includes access to its extensive archives, in an attempt to monetize the site's considerable reader base. The maneuver to charge for premium content initially drew criticism from consumers and pundits alike, but according to the company, 90 percent of those who signed up for the free 14-day trial became paying subscribers. Since the launch, new features have been added, including online dialogues with columnists, as well as podcasts of each day's Op-Ed columns.

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