The price of
a copy of The Straits Times will go up from March 1, in its first
price increase in eight years.
But the
newspaper is also offering a special discount to thosewho subscribe
to the popular "All-In-One" (AIO) subscription package, which gives
access to content across print and digital platforms. AIO
subscribers will be charged the same rate as the new print-only
package - $29.90 a month.
From March 1,
The Straits Times will be sold at news-stands for $1.10 a copy on
weekdays and $1.20 on Saturdays. The Sunday Times will also be
$1.10. This is an increase of 20 cents from current news-stand
prices.
Subscribers
to the print edition will be charged $29.90 a month, up from the
current $24.65. As is the case now, this price excludes delivery
charges of $3 to $5 a month, depending on housing type.
An AIO
subscription package, which includes daily print copies and access
by up to four digital devices to the full online version of The
Straits Times, is priced at $34.90 per month. But with the special
discount offered, AIO subscribers will be charged $29.90, a slight
increase from the current price of $28.65.
To allow
print subscribers to experience the full range of ST content across
platforms, all print-only subscribers will be automatically
upgraded to the AIO package, unless they choose to opt out.
Straits Times
editor Warren Fernandez said the paper had held off raising prices
for many years.
"We did so
despite the heavy investments to build up our newsroom and
transform it into one that now delivers content to readers
throughout the day on any platform they prefer," he said.
In a personal
note sent to subscribers this morning, Mr Fernandez added that ST
was offering AIO subscribers a special discount to thank them for
their support as subscribers over the years and to allow them to
enjoy the full range of ST content in print, as well as on their
digital devices.
"When major
news stories break, such as the week of national mourning at the
passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew or during the general election last
year, the newsroom was able to deliver up-to- the-minute content in
words, pictures, videos and graphics, across platforms and round
the clock," he noted.
A redesign
across platforms last year won the ST several accolades, including
Best News Website and 10 other awards at the recent Digital Media
Awards Asia organised by the World Association of Newspapers. In a
first for Singapore, the It Changed My Life video series also won
the top prize at the World Digital Media Awards, beating
competition from Asia, Europe and Latin America. The award went to
BBC News in 2014.
The changes
are the result of a recent pricing review by media group Singapore
Press Holdings (SPH) of all its newspaper titles to recoup
investments in newsroom capabilities for the digital age, as well
as to cover higher wages and increased costs of materials and
transportation over the last decade.
In recent
years, newspapers all around the world have raised cover prices
amid declining revenues. These include USA Today, which doubled its
cover price in 2013, and titles like The New York Times, Financial
Times, Sydney Morning Herald and Malaysia's New Straits Times,
which all raised cover prices by between 15 per cent and 25 per
cent.
The Straits
Times is also rolling out various digital access packages, details
of which can be found at the SPH's online subscription
portal:www.sphsubscription.com.sg
As part of
its pricing review, SPH is raising cover prices of a number of its
English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil newspaper publications by up to
25 per cent. The New Paper will see its cover price remain
unchanged, as will the group's Chinese student newspapers.
In addition,
SPH has introduced a number of bundled deals that allow subscribers
to buy two titles at a discount.
Customers who
subscribe to both The Straits Times and The New Paper will pay
$49.90 monthly - a 15 per cent discount. For the same price, The
Straits Times can also be bought with Chinese evening daily Lianhe
Wanbao, which is a 20 per cent saving.
