The how and why behind the building of a digital FT weekend

Jasper Jackson of The Media Briefing writes about the new digital FT Weekend, launched earlier this month.

Jackson writes, “The FT’s launch of a digital FT Weekend section of its app earlier this month suggests part of its answer involves slicing up its content to create new products.

“This digital version of FT Weekend features lifestyle-heavy content from the Saturday and Sunday versions of the newspaper, which were made available as a separate print subscription earlier this year. The Weekend app is already available to existing FT digital subscribers, but will also soon be offered as a standalone digital subscription.

“It’s a bit of a departure for the FT, which has built a strong tiered subscription offering but until now hasn’t split out its digital content. It is however an approach another pioneer in paid for digital news subscriptions, the New York Times, has begun doing with its NYT Opinion, Now and Cooking packages, which provide access to more limited selections of content at a reduced price.

“FT senior product manager Chris Smith tells TheMediaBriefing that some cannabalisation of full FT subscriptions is to be expected with people who only want the Weekend content online. However, he says by creating a digital product given the same distinctive treatment FT as the print version of Weekend, the FT can bring in new subscribers who wouldn’t otherwise pay for digital editions and significantly improve the experience for full subscribers.”

Read more here.