After launching in the US and Canada in March, Apple has extended its paid subscription news service, Apple News+, to UK users – with publishers News UK and Bauer Media on board as launch partners.
Newsbrand publisher News UK is launching content from The Times, The Sunday Times and their associated magazines on the service. Both titles have operated behind a strict paywall since 2009.
“We are proud to partner globally with a company that truly believes in the profundity of provenance and that there should be a premium for premium journalism,” said Robert Thomson, CEO of News UK’s parent company News Corp. The Wall Street Journal, another News Corp-owned newsbrand, was one of the founding titles of Apple News+ when it debuted in the US and Canada.
“Apple has acted positively, honorably and decisively to change the digital landscape, while other gatekeepers, such as Google, prefer hype and hypocrisy,” he added.
Rebekah Brooks, CEO of News UK, added that the agreement between Apple and News UK “benefits both sides”, bringing new revenues to News UK as well as an opportunity to reach a wider audience.
“The Apple News+ subscription service is the next step as we evolve our digital strategy,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bauer Media Group is launching 29 of its magazine titles on the platform in the UK – as well as in Australia, where it has also launched this week.
The publisher said it has already had success with the five titles it has launched in the US so far, and that the service “represents an exciting new distribution channel for BMG publications” as it looks to tap into the growth of digital-first audiences.
“As people increasingly turn to digital platforms to access news and entertainment, this collaboration enables our market-leading magazines to be available at the click of a button in a user-friendly, interactive format,” said Rob Munro-Hall, CEO of Bauer Publishing UK, co-head of Bauer Media Group’s global publishing business.
“It puts our publications in the hands of every Apple device user.”
Bauer expects to launch its titles in other territories as the platform is rolled out globally.
The £9.99-a-month service is an extension to Apple’s free News app, which is used by 90 million English-speaking readers according to the tech giant. News+ will give consumers full access to partnered newsbrand and magazine titles, in a “convenient and curated” experience.
