The shift to “freemium” subscription models

As their initial forays into subscriptions mature, publishers are taking a step back and reexamining which models and approaches are best suited to their specific businesses, audiences and products. As part of that process, many are exploring the pros and cons of metered access models and reconsidering if a metered approach is right for them. Publishers that initially introduced metered models across their properties are increasingly moving towards freemium models, pulling down their meters and instead reserving more of their content -- or distinct portions of their content -- for paying subscribers only. Others that already operate freemium models are layering meters on top to create “hybrid” approaches in the hope that additional content restrictions will drive more readers to