As revealed by "Globes", Sheldon Adelson's free newspaper "Israel Today" will start to charge subscribers from this October.
The newspaper has announced that it will charge full subscribers (those who receive the newspaper daily) NIS 52 per month, while those who receive the Friday weekend edition only will pay NIS 26 per month. The newspaper will set up a payment collection unit, which it has not had up to now. Free distribution in public places will continue as at present.
According to sources at "Israel Today", tens of thousands of people have requested to receive the newspaper, but are not on the subscription list because of distribution limitations.
"Israel Today" was founded in 2007, and in TGI exposure surveys has been on a par with previous market leader "Yediot Ahronot", and even exceeded it, since mid-2010. In recent months, the newspaper has carried out several market surveys to examine the effect of charging a cover price. Up to now, it has been distributed entirely free of charge, which is what has made it a major force.
Bills have been proposed in the Knesset to limit the free distribution of a newspaper, ostensibly to protect competition in the newspaper industry, although the real motive of the bills appears to be to restrict the political influence of "Israel Today", which is perceived as pro-Netanyahu.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 25, 2011
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2011