APN News & Media set for subscription model at nzherald.co.nz

Michael Miller.

APN News & Media is gearing up for a subscription model at the nzherald.co.nz website.

The APN board is expected to approve the new model, which is planned to be in place by this time next year and marks a shift to subscriptions accounting for a bigger share of revenue. Chief executive Michael Miller said this week that the time was right to move ahead.

"Ten years ago it was foreign for people to pay anything for digital. Publishers - traditional ones or otherwise - relied on an advertiser-funded model," Miller said.

"Now people pay for apps every day or for subscriptions to broadband. People are used to paying for digital content."

A key decision would be how much content to make available for free before charging people for access.

Development of a metered model might underpin some decisions about the dual role of print and online content.

"I am a believer in print, and I'm encouraged by the progress at the NZ Herald compared to other regional parties - it was first in market with an iPad and Windows 8 app," Miller said.

APN assets - including the NZ Herald - were still up for review.

The assets held by APN in two years' time would be different than they are now, Miller said.

He played down the effect of the two-way competition between the two newspaper chains in New Zealand - APN and Fairfax.

"We are competing with all media including digital and we are not losing our audience to Fairfax."