Starting next month, Twitter users may have to pay to read news articles. Elon Musk, the CEO of Twitter, announced on Saturday that the microblogging network will allow media publishers to charge consumers to view their content.
Rather than purchasing a complete month or year subscription, as is the traditional technique used by paywall publications, readers will be paid “per article basis.” However, if they do not use the monthly subscription service, they may end up paying more, according to Musk.
“Rolling out next month, this platform will allow media publishers to charge users on a per-article basis with one click,” tweeted Musk.
“This enables users who would not sign up for a monthly subscription to pay a higher per-article price for when they want to read an occasional article. Should be a major win-win for both media orgs & the public,” he added.
It is unclear whether Twitter will take a cut of the subscription revenue or if solely the publication will receive payment. Some internet users also wondered if media publishers who already use a paywall for subscription-based content would also be participating in the service.
Musk and Twitter’s new revenue streams
Musk has been looking for new ways to create cash for the company since acquiring Twitter in a $44 billion deal. He has already sacked more than 80% of the Twitter personnel in order to balance the finances. Last year, Musk launched the Twitter Blue membership service, via which any user can obtain the blue checkmark after paying a price and showing identification confirmation.
Musk announced earlier this month that producers on Twitter will be able to charge consumers for access to their work, which will range from “long-form text to hours-long video.”
Creators now have the option to charge monthly membership fees of $2.99, $4.99, or $9.99. Musk stated in a Twitter thread that for the next 12 months, the creators will make the most of the money because Twitter will not charge anything. Twitter changed its advertising policies earlier last week, allowing cannabis companies to freely market their products on the network.
“Going forward, certified advertisers may feature packaged cannabis products in ad creative,” the company stated in a press release.