Gulf News has stepped into a new digital age. History is about moments that act as a turning point, about building a legacy, about being pioneers.
On April 20, at 12.30 pm, gulfnews.com launched its digital subscription, a first in the region and a milestone in the UAE’s publishing industry.
The news industry the world over has been faced with increased costs, which have risen dramatically over the past few years. Major news websites are charging for their content. Quality journalism comes at a price.
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Gulf News CEO, Editor-in-Chief and Executive Director of Publishing, Abdul Hamid Ahmad, explained: “The decision to launch a digital subscription and to charge for our online content was taken a while ago. It is no longer possible for us or for that matter any other news organisation to carry on offering their content for free, while we witness, regionally and globally, an increasing decline in revenues coming in from advertising.
“This is not a mere trend but a reality that media houses have to accept and are forced to comply with. We were offering our high-quality content online for free for the longest time when the print revenue gave us the freedom to do so. But, that is on the decline, as can be seen, the world over.
“As the new challenge of the coronavirus pandemic arrived, we found that innovation was the only way forward. We had to change, adapt and go ahead with the subscription process.”
Gulf News has launched two digital subscription plans. Both have a special introductory offer for a limited time period.
The plans are:
– Standard Access Plan
– Prime Access Plan
Standard Access Plan is a monthly subscription plan with regular access to gulfnews.com and is priced at AED 5.95 as an introductory offer against a base price of AED 11.
Prime Access Plan has both monthly and annual subscription options. It provides access to all our special content in addition to regular news coverage on gulfnews.com
The monthly Prime Access Plan is priced at AED 8.95 as an introductory offer against a base price of AED 18.
The annual plan is priced at AED 52 – only AED 1 a week as an introductory offer against a base price of AED 195. This price is for users who have registered with Gulf News until April 19, 2021.
All new customers registering from April 20, 2021, onwards, can avail themselves of the Prime Annual Plan for AED 65 against the base price of AED 195. Monthly subscription offers remain the same.
The subscription gives access to niche sections such as Living in UAE, which tells you all you need to know to live in the UAE, it goes beyond the news. Living in UAE is a one-stop guide that’s updated, invaluable information just a click away.
Your Money gives advice on how to save, invest and spend money wisely.
Parenting helps mums and dads when they need aid from experts.
The brand new Food section explores cuisines, recipes, guides and cultures.
Then you have the Games section featuring exclusive Crosswords created for the gulfnews.com audience, Word Search and Sudoku.
There is also the Special Reports section that goes beyond the news as an experienced team of reporters and editors look at stories in-depth and tell readers what exactly they mean and how they affect lives.
All this is in addition to the news and analysis from the UAE, Region, World, Business, Sport and Entertainment.
“The paywall is not a wall to prevent people from reading but is a gateway for trusted, credible and verified news. By setting this digital subscription in place, we protect our readers from fake news and clickbait content. It is a gateway to quality journalism and a quality reading experience,” added Abdul Hamid Ahmad.
