New York Times Co.’s Boston Globe Begins Charging Readers for Web Access

Until now, readers have been able to freely access content from the Boston Globe on Boston.com, a news and information website also owned by Times Co. Visitors to Boston.com will now have access to a limited number of stories from the Boston Globe newspaper, while the remainder will be available only to subscribers on BostonGlobe.com, the company said.

“The Boston Globe has never had its own digital front door,” Publisher Christopher M. Mayer said in an interview. “It’s always been integrated into Boston.com.” With the two websites operating separately, he said, “we’ve got an opportunity with different audiences and different brands.”

It will cost $3.99 a week to subscribe to the newspaper’s digital content on BostonGlobe.com. Subscribers to the print edition won’t have to pay for digital access. Summaries on the front page of the website can be seen free of charge, and customers who read stories through social media and search will receive the first click for free.

Boston.com, which is ad-supported and averages about 6 million unique visitors per month, will remain free, the company said.