Full Breakdown
SMH Introduces Article-Gifting Feature for Digital Subscribers
By Drooid · · How we work
New Article-Gifting Feature Launch
The Sydney Morning Herald and its sister publications have added a functionality that lets digital subscribers share selected articles with friends and family. The feature is available to both Starter Digital and Premium Digital plans and is intended to broaden the reach of the outlets’ journalism.
How the Feature Works
Each month, Starter Digital subscribers receive three gifting credits, while Premium Digital subscribers receive five. Credits reset at the start of every month and do not carry over. A gifted article can be accessed for up to seven days or three separate visits, whichever occurs first. To free up credits, users must remove items from their saved-article list once they have reached the maximum number of saved items.
Subscriber Benefits and Limits
The system is limited to subscriber-only content, ensuring that premium reporting can be shared without compromising the paywall. Unused credits are forfeited at month-end, encouraging regular use. The design also prevents unlimited sharing by capping the number of articles that can be gifted per plan.
Official Commentary
Luke McIlveen, Executive Editor of SMH, The Age, Brisbane Times and WA Today, explained that the addition aims to “spark conversations” and make high-quality journalism more accessible within personal networks. He emphasized that the feature simplifies the process of sharing articles that have captured readers’ attention.
Potential Impact
By allowing subscribers to extend access to selected pieces, the gifting tool may increase exposure to the publications’ reporting and potentially attract new subscribers through word-of-mouth promotion. The limited-time and limited-visit parameters balance broader distribution with the need to preserve the value of the subscription model.