• by Ray Schultz , April 29, 2021

USA Today readers were recently surprised when told “Subscribe to View” when trying to access premium stories. Subscriptions were offered for $4.99 a month.

Owner Gannett had not formally announced the move, and a spokesperson told Poynter the offer is a test. But the import was clear: The previously free is site is instituting a paywall.

In fact, Poynter reported receiving an email offering “full access to a COVID-19 database and the rest of USA Today’s coverage of the pandemic (at the same $4.99 a month rate),” Poynter writes. 

USA Today explained the move in an FAQ:

“Select stories are not available without a subscription because they are part of USA Today’s premium experience.”

“Articles and videos elevated as premium represent the best of USA Today’s must-read journalism, anchored in original reporting with visual impact. We invest in this journalism on your behalf.” 

If USA Today proceeds, it will be joining a parade of news sources to charge for content. 

For instance, Sports Illustrated recently announced it would start charging readers $7.99 per month to access content at its website: SI.com.

Reuters has unveiled a paid subscription website in an effort to woo business professionals. The price is $34.99 per month.