Magazine publisher considers website charges

News - Future might charge for content

Future Publishing - the firm behind websites like CVG, and a number of the big official platform magazines - has said it is considering charging for web content in a bid to offset losses from off-line publications.

Future is experimenting with charges now, and any more concerted move would see the company following in the footsteps of News Corporation, boss Rupert Murdoch having revealed big plans to begin charging online subscriptions for certain content.

"We're experimenting in small places right across the portfolio, because we don't have the answer yet. Our strategy online is do and learn. We're learning as we go along, CEO Stevie Spring tells Brand Republic.

"When you come to our content and the reason that we can charge an average of five pounds for a magazine is that we do very nice, very must-have, very special content, and if anybody is going to pay for anything they are more likely to pay for that. That's why we use the word prosumer, it's much closer to business-to-business."