Restarting Ongo is trying to tackle a problem – getting people to pay for news online – using a combination of new and old. Ongo will add the contents of a number of newspapers, you pull the ads, to improve the interface and charge a monthly fee.
Ongo is underpinned by three major media companies: The Washington Post Company, The New York Times Company and Gannett, which publishes USA Today. Each one has invested $ 4 million. Ongo is for readers to examine a variety of publications every day and want to read in one place. Show articles from about 20 publications, and is in talks with dozens more.
The decision comes as speculation has been increased Paywall measured plans for NYTimes.com. The announcement of NYTimes.com ‘s, which is expected to one day actually February 3, when Q4 earnings are released, is probably the time has fueled debate over paywalls for last year. The big question is whether people will pay for the overall content of news-site as opposed to the news angle related businesses, such as WSJ.com and FT.com. San Francisco Ongo is coming along just at the time the model will have its biggest test.
CEO Alex Kazim Ongo figures represent millions of readers of online news. If he can capture only a fraction of them could have a multimillion dollar business in your hands. Ongo rate subscription basis is $ 7 per month. This gives a selection of the best stories of the New York Times, a selection of the best TF stories and stories from The Washington Post, USA Today and AP.
The idea, he says, is to provide 12 percent of news consumers who read six or more sites a day with a better alternative than the Huffington Post or Google News – much better than pay $ 6.99 or more per month that. Subscribers who pay the basic rate access to the 20 stories in the New York Times and the entire contents of U.S. Today and the Washington Post, and a document from another of his choice. Those who want even more sources can add to additional fees. Kazim compares the cable television model, where subscribers can opt for a basic package or premium channels.
Like other sites, Ongo allows people to share items with friends via email, Facebook and Twitter. But also to create groups of people – family members or colleagues, for example – to share, and facilitates discussions about articles. If someone is a member firm Ongo up after reading a shared history, the sender receives one month’s membership free.
Ongo first-time users can get a free trial of one day passes, and if they register within a month, the first month is free.
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