- Facebook (FB -1%) says it's launching a test for support of subscriptions in its Instant Articles, a move in response to criticism that it was cannibalizing traditional publishing access with the instant model.
- It's starting with a "small group" of publishers on a test rolling out on Android devices, and names a number of partners: "Bild, The Boston Globe, The Economist, Hearst (The Houston Chronicle and The San Francisco Chronicle), La Repubblica, Le Parisien, Spiegel, The Telegraph, tronc (The Baltimore Sun, The Los Angeles Times, and The San Diego Union-Tribune), and The Washington Post."
- The company says it's hearing that "maintaining control over pricing, offers, subscriber relationships, and 100% of the revenue" are critical to publishers' businesses.
- Facebook will support a paywall in Instant Articles, for both metered and freemium models. Those who hit the paywall will be prompted to subscribe for full access, in a transaction taking place on the publisher's site.
- It will also test a call-to-action subscription unit that might appear in-line in Instant Articles, and a "subscribe" button that would replace the "Like" button on top of an article.
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Original article