Wired has a bigger ad blocking problem than the average publication, owing to its tech-savvy audience. More than 20 percent of its audience blocks ads, according to the publication, compared to 16 percent of the U.S. online population as of the second quarter of 2015, according to PageFair.
Wired has already been in the ad blocking trenches for some time. To people who whitelist the site, it’s offering an ad-light experience, with only standard display ads and no pop-ups, in-line video ads or autoplay video ads with sound. It also introduced a $1-a-week ad-free site for people who don’t want to see any ads (or be tracked by them).
NY Times wants $5 a week for its content. I think that’s really high but Wired’s single-focus and $1 a week pricing seems really smart. I see this as a no-brainer for fans of the publication. $50 a year seems crazy but $4 a month sounds good (yes I know they’re the same).