The Times’ forthcoming new pay-for websites may not be bundling the charges with Sky TV bills, as some had speculated – but they are integrating with Sky in other ways.
The latest mailout to readers interested in the forthcoming June relaunch adds detail on two new features the forthcoming £1-a-day TheTimes.co.uk and SundayTimes.co.uk will have – one a cross-over with its News Corp (NYSE: NWS) stablemate.
— Culture Planner tool: A “week-in-view events calendar” on SundayTimes.co.uk; “watch sneak-preview video, book tickets and remotely record the best of the week’s TV“.
— Live debates: Daily engagement with Times writers and others on TheTimes.co.uk, including “OpEd Live”.
Remote Record is a pioneering feature of Sky’s Sky+ PVR, letting satellite TV subscribers schedule recordings from a TV guide on Sky’s website, smartphone app or by SMS.
News International confirmed the Sky link-up. Linked from the Culture Planner, it means readers can set Sky TV recordings from SundayTimes.co.uk. News International owner News Corp also owns 39 percent of BSkyB.
In one way, this isn’t a significant draw to the new paid news site – Sky’s website already offers the feature for free. But tying it more closely with themed programming (culture) is likely to mean a bit more TV engagement from existing Sky subscribers.
Culture Planner will also let users book tickets, presumably via an affiliate partnership.