A new metered paywall will greet visitors to The Times website at 10 a.m. May 24.
Don’t panic.
The Times updated its digital services portal with a new software platform, Piano, which is one of the largest providers of metered paywalls in the world. More than 1,200 news and media organizations, such as the Hearst Corp., Esquire and Bloomberg, use the Piano platform.
With this update comes some changes, including securing a new username and password as well as the ability to access five free articles a month.
The e-edition will continue to be accessed for free and will be fully operational at its website by June 4. However, the e-edition app is not up and running yet. That will be launched at a later date.
The following are some frequently asked questions that can help subscribers through this transition:
I have a username and password that I used on the old website. Why isn’t it working? Do I need a new one?
The digital services portal was updated and subscribers will be prompted to re-register when visiting timesonline.com. You will need a new username and a new password. Your current ones will no longer work.
Are there requirements for passwords?
New password requirements must consist of at least eight characters, one capital letter and one number.
I’m a print subscriber. Do I have to subscribe to digital as well?
As a Sunday-only or six-day-a-week print subscriber, you receive full access to our digital products. To register, please visit www.timesonline.com.
I have a question. Is there someone I can contact?
If you have any questions, feel free to call The Times circulation department at 724-775-3200, extensions 270, 241, 265 or 247. Or you can email Mark Zuchelli, circulation manager, at mzuchelli@timesonline.com, Shelly Martin at smartin@timesonline.com or Barry Wallace at bwallace@timesonline.com.
How many stories do I get for free? How does the paywall work?
You can visit the website for free, and many pages are open. However, users will receive up to five free articles during each calendar month.
I only read short articles, do these count against my five free articles?
Yes, these still count. You are able to access five free articles, regardless of the length.
How much does an all-digital-access subscription cost? Why?
A digital subscription costs $12.99 a month. We feel this is a fair price to pay for the local journalism you get from The Times.
I don’t want to pay, but want to stay connected to my local community.
Through The Times, there are still plenty of ways to get this information by following us on social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), signing up for our daily e-newsletter or visiting our website throughout the day.
Isn’t digital advertising enough? Why do you need to charge for content?
The Times digital and print subscribers have full access to all of our journalism content. We know our readers value our local news coverage, and such coverage comes at a cost to pay for equipment, salaries and other business expenses.
Our digital advertising efforts supplement some of the cost of our news gathering operation, but digital advertising alone is not enough to support a high-quality local news operation. We feel strongly that a subscription-based digital news product is the best way to secure the future of local journalism.
I’m a digital subscriber, why am I still seeing ads?
We understand that some subscribers will want an ad-free model as part of their subscription. Unfortunately, we cannot offer that option at this time.
How do I subscribe?
To subscribe, please visit www.timesonline.com/subscribenow.