Free articles for loyal NYT readers as WSJ mulls $2 single-issue downloads

The New York Times has a carrot for loyal subscribers: A free one-year subscription for online articles accessed on the web and via iPhone and iPad apps, reports The Loop. The deal excludes the e-reader editions, Premium Crosswords and The New York Times Crosswords apps. The paper is reportedly pitching its long time users with the following line:

As a frequent reader of NYTimes.com, you’ve demonstrated an uncommon interest in a wide variety of today’s most important topics.

This comes as a pay wall is scheduled to go live next Monday. As we reported, the Times will charge for online articles and limit free access to twenty articles a month. A three-tier plan will provide unlimited access to online articles via the web and through smartphone apps for $15 every four weeks. Web plus tablet access will cost $25, or $35 for an all-access plan.

At the same time, Rupert Murdoch-owned The Wall Street Journal is toying with selling individual digital editions of The Wall Street Journal. These offers come at a time when most people don’t expect to pay for online content. Will that change?

Only time will tell. In the Journal’s case, each digital edition will be priced at two bucks, claims PaidContent. You’ll be able to purchase those in their iPad app. The ability to back up purchased items to a computer and restore single-issue downloads to your iPad is in the works as well. Each digital edition will reflect the contents of that day’s print edition.

For readers yearning for up-to-date news, the Journal will be offering the full “Now Edition” for $18 a month. The new plans come on top of the Journal’s existing $4 a week plan for full access to online articles via WSJ.com plus smartphone and tablet apps.