Study: The New York Times Paywall Has Hurt Traffic

Here we go. The first study on The New York Times paywall has been conducted by Experian Hitwise, and according to the site, the results aren’t good: Traffic to the paper’s site has declined.

It’s doom and gloom for the paywall! All is lost! Right? Well, not really. The study was way too short.  It only measured 12 days before and 12 after the paywall went into effect. Maybe if this study was done after a year it’d have some merit, but 12 days? We’ve eaten pizza that’s been older than 12 days.  Also, that traffic decline the study mentions? Only 15 percent. Not exactly earth shattering.

Let’s hold off on declaring anything definitive about the Times’ paywall until some time  – at least six months – goes by. Until then, anyone have some Pepto-Bismol?

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