Back to the future? Consumer preferences for bundling news with other content

In a high-choice media environment, consumer attention is split across multiple media which makes it challenging for news outlets to increase subscriptions to a single title. This study examined audiences’ paying intent for bundling news with non-news content. We conducted a choice-based conjoint analysis through an online survey (n = 2,125) including 7 core attributes: number of titles, news topics, non-news content, bundling with other digital subscriptions, ad-free, subscription frequency and price. We found that bundles at higher price points maintain strong uptake rates, even though these consumers are sensitive to factors such as price, frequency of payment and inclusion of other digital content in the package offered. Younger people, city dwellers, those with high income and education levels were more likely to prefer bundled options.