Reader Reactions to Edweek.org's Premium Subscription Plan
I won’t pay.
I can’t afford it.
I might pay if the price is right.
You’re making a mistake.
I’m sorry I won’t be able to read all your great content online anymore.
Reactions to the fact that edweek.org soon will charge a fee for online premium content span the spectrum from those who think we’re nuts to those who think we’re doing what we have to.
Naturally, a lot of the comments related to price:
· I've been frequenting this site for a while and I've found its articles to be very informative. Although I have never, ever joined a site that requires a pay subscription, I may consider it for edweek.org, as long as the price is reasonable for me.
· As a parent who is involved with an often failing educational system I have enjoyed staying up to date with what is working and what teachers are encountering. I will miss your weekly updates but would never pay for them. Sounds like most everyone will loose out... Sorry to see you following this failed business model.
· … they have to go to some sort of a subscription site or else the Education Week Magazine will not exist anymore.
· I just recently accessed EdWeek.org and am sorry to find out it won't be free anymore, but totally understand the rationale behind the decision to switch to subscription. I'll probably subscribe to on-line only.
Several of our readers have suggested that a reasonable price for an online-only subscription is $29.95, compared to our price of $69.94.
· I have access to the print version at no expense to myself, but prefer to read your content online. I understand Education Week's need to sustain itself financially and want it to do so. So I would pay for access to online content, but I agree with the others who think $69 is over the top. I think $29.95 is more reasonable, and more competitive.
· I am an assistant principal. I read the online version often. I agree that $69.0 is a lot and by the way, I don't have access to purchase orders.
But not everyone thought that $69 is out of line:
· I think the price of $69 per year is a great price even for the online version. EdWeek is by far the most comprehensive ed publication out there. For those people who value their work in public education an annual price of $69 is not asking too much. You get a lot more in return in the way of knowledge that would be useful to run your schools and programs better.
We’ve had several requests for Education Week newspaper subscribers to get free online access, which we are providing.
· … please, keep your policy of letting those subscribers to your printed version also have access to the online version.
We also are selling site licenses with which schools or school districts, for example, could purchase access for multiple uses, up to at least 500.
Several comments have made us think about offering additional pricing options:
· I have been a long time subscriber to EW; at least 15 years. Despite the fact that I am an administrator, I have always paid for my own subscription, because I wanted my own, on time news about what was happening in education without having to wait for someone else to finish reading it first. I am retiring from education at the end of this month and will, most assuredly continue my subscription. Print is more important to me than an on-line copy, although the latter has provided a quick read when I needed it. Your scale makes sense - what no discount for "retirees?" Go for it!
· Do consider a greatly reduced fee subscription for retirees. My pension and part-time work income are stretched far enough now.
Here’s a summary of our current pricing plans:
Print + online (annual) -- readers that wish to receive Education Week in print will also have full access to edweek.org. $79.94 per year.
Online only (annual) -- for readers that only want access to edweek.org and do not want a print subscription to Education Week. $69.94 per year.
Online only (monthly)-- for readers that would like month-to-month access to edweek.org. $9.94 per month.
· The state of public education is in crisis and I strongly feel that keeping Ed Week free is the right thing to do in order to balance out so many ugly things happening to our schools. Everyone has the right to informed and intelligent education news. One day, these little things may add up to a major thing and perhaps it may even wake up the sleeping giant. John Dewey, where are you when we need you?
If we could financially keep edweek.org free, we would, because our mission is to help advance and improve K-12 education. As we’ve said before, we have come to the conclusion that the best way to continue meeting this mission in the years ahead is to have a more financially solid footing. Nonetheless, a lot of our site will continue to be free to registered users.
Our entire Teacher Magazine site will be free, as will the main page of our Research Center and our Agent K-12 job recruitment site. Registered users also will be able to read two premium articles free each week.
As always, we welcome comments and observations.
Gary Kebbel
Interim Executive Producer
Comments
I look forward to edweek online and frequently pass along articles to our district administration as well as other teachers. We are a poor school district and I spend a good deal of money keeping basic supplies in my students hands. I don't thing I would be willing to pay for this service if it cut into what I can do for my kids!
I am disappointed that the reps at NECC 2005 (in Philadelphia) didn't mention this change when I stopped at the booth to thank them for keeping me up to date. I might have convinced our tech director to buy in at that time but now the funds have been allocated.
Posted by: m porter | July 29, 2005 9:13 PM
I am a recently certified Social Studies teacher with a degree in History as well as Business.
Ask all your complaining website visitors what they do for free?
Posted by: Maria M. Golightly | July 31, 2005 6:16 PM
I just discovered edweek when I recentlylearnt it's going to stop being free . Since I became acquainted with this educatonal publication I've made every endeavour to benefit to the maximum from the huge amount of good quality input it imparts on line.That cost me of course time and energy to make up for past time in the very little time that is still available for me as free subscriber.Let me ask some of my stupid questions here: Will the archive continue to be free accessible ?
Also I want to add is that no price no matter how high it is can equal the high value of edweek ,still
Posted by: mohamed | August 1, 2005 7:10 AM
Edweek.org's archives will be included in the premium subscription plan. Non-subscribers will be able to search the archives and see a list of headlines related to their search. But, to read any of those articles, the non-subscriber would have to become a subscriber -- either to the print edition at $79.94 a year (which includes full online access) or to the online edition only, for $69.94 a year.
Gary Kebbel
Interim Executive Producer
Posted by: Gary Kebbel | August 3, 2005 11:00 AM
I will continue to ignore your publication.
Posted by: Anon | August 10, 2005 5:15 PM
I appreciate your publication, but with the small amount educators are being paid these days, it was a miracle we were getting something for "free". It is a tragic shame that something else is going by the wayside and we can not continue a service because of affordability. Its just one more thing that comes out of the teacher's personal pocketbook.
Posted by: Ruthlee | August 17, 2005 1:50 AM
Do you honestly think you have enough relevant material to justify such a price? Information behind your wall will be available elsewhere on the web for free. While the content may not have the editorial flair of your publication, readers will find a source of information that is offered for free.
Posted by: Anon | August 31, 2005 2:25 PM
Send me a way to subscribe. I have failed every time i have tried. My name and e-mail are already in your records as either a guest or former institutional subscriber. So I end up in a circle as already enrolled. All I need is to give you a credit card or check. I think the price is too high, but I am willing to pay it. Miles Myers
Posted by: Miles Myers | September 20, 2006 5:40 PM