Publisher the Boston Globe is switching to a subscription model for BostonGlobe.com after experimenting with a free model in the past few weeks.

In order to access BostonGlobe.com, users must pay a weekly subscription. The Boston Globe is banking on a similar subscription model of its parent company, the New York Times, with its digital pricing.

?From a mobile perspective, it is an important channel for readers,? said Chris Mayer, publisher of the Boston Globe, Boston.

?When we built BostonGlobe.com, we wanted it to be consistent across all platforms,? he said. ?By approaching it this way, we have been able to develop a Web site that resembles an application.?

Pay per view
Under the new pricing model, users will pay $3.99 a week ? or approximately $16 a month ? to access BostonGlobe.com.

To leverage the print product, the Boston Globe will sell a print and digitial package for $3.50 a week.

The weekly rate gives consumers unlimited access BostonGlobe.com.

To kick off the plan, new users who sign up for a subscription to BostonGlobe.com will receive unlimited content to the Web site for one month with a $0.99 cent fee.

In addition to a new subscription model, the Boston Globe is also releasing new features for the site, including article comments.

The Boston Globe also has plans to roll out a loyalty program titled Boston Globe Insiders.

The program will give members additional access to content, event invites and offers from the publication?s advertisers.

The daily newspaper is beginning its subscription model after testing out a free trial since BostonGlobe.com launched on Sept. 12.

?We never intended for BostonGlobe.com to be free and have always said it will be a subscription-based extension of the printed content,? Mr. Mayer said.

?Our goal with the free model was meant to be an introductory to the site, and we wanted to give as many people as possible the chance to experience it,? he said.

Making money
The subscription plan for BostonGlobe.com closely mirrors the model of the New York Times, which owns the publication.

The New York Times rolled out its subscription plans earlier this year (see story).

Unlike the New York Times model, the Boston Globe model will give users unlimited access to the publication?s digital channels.

The Boston Globe owns two online properties ? Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com.

Boston.com was launched in 1995 and is ad-supported.

Boston.com has a mobile-optimized site and a line of iPhone, Android and BlackBerry apps.

An executive from the Boston Globe recently said that the publication has struggled to monetize content (see story).

?The subscription model adds to the offerings we have for readers and advertisers to reach our content on a variety of different products,? Mr. Mayer said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York