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atimes.net: A Refreshing News Concept

atimes.net
2009-07-17 11:12 1859

HONG KONG, July 20 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- A new website, atimes.net ( http://www.atimes.net ), heralds a refreshingly original concept in online news publishing. The website, twin sister of Asia Times Online's atimes.com, attracts subscribers by offering a high-quality, value-adding alternative to mainstream news websites.

atimes.net pioneers a business model it calls "pay for added value", which is in stark contrast to the tried-and-failed pay-to-read model that is back in vogue among online news publishers who have come to understand that online advertising revenue is never going to pay for exclusive news content, even if the global economy were not in dire straits.

atimes.net does not expect readers to pay to simply read online news. In fact, the same news content that appears in atimes.net also appears in the free atimes.com. So why are its readers willing to pay? Simply, because of the multitude of advantages and privileges that atimes.net offers.

Firstly, it carries no advertisements. As online advertising becomes ever more brazen and intrusive in its desperation to attract a few clicks, readers will welcome this -- "In fact," says atimes.net Editor in Chief Allen Quicke, "quite a few readers have long been telling us that they would be happy to pay for our content if it were ad-free." He adds, "We cannot ignore ad revenue entirely. So our idea is that the free site, with advertising, will run parallel to atimes.net. Asia Times Online readers have an option: our news content for free along with ads at atimes.com, or subscribe to atimes.net for a more rewarding, interactive web experience."

Secondly, atimes.net offers members a wealth of new features and tools that enable them to contribute material directly to the site, as well as interact instantly with writers, editors and fellow members. To enable this, the website architecture has been designed and custom-built from the ground up.

Quicke says: "It's possible to offer far more facilities to paying subscribers than to the general public. This has everything to do with the fact that spammers, fanatics and abusers, the scourge of free websites, are unlikely to pay for the privilege of getting in one's face. We give our members pretty much free rein, in the knowledge that the need for editorial supervision is minimal."

atimes.net and atimes.com are published each weekday, presenting an in-depth look at issues that affect Asia, viewed from a range of perspectives that are refreshingly different from those of the mainstream English-language media.

Media Contact:

Allen Quicke

Tel: +66-89-609-4901

Email: aq@atimes.net

Source: atimes.net
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