com. This initiative heralds the start of what CNN describes as a "long-term" mission to establish a robust digital subscription model.

Alex MacCallum, CNN's executive vice president of digital products and services, shared the news in a memo to the staff, explaining that as of today, users in the United States will be required to pay a small recurring fee for unlimited access to CNN's high-quality articles. The implementation of the paywall is designed to gradually encourage the site's 150 million monthly visitors to subscribe, with users only being prompted to pay after accessing a certain number of free articles.

Subscribers will benefit from various exclusive features, including special election coverage, original documentaries, a curated daily selection of unique journalism, and reduced digital advertising. The cost of the subscription starts at $3.99 per month or $29.99 annually.

Initially, the CNN homepage, live blogs, breaking news live stories, vertical videos, stand-alone video pages, and interactive content will be excluded from the paywall. MacCallum noted that these offerings will evolve over time as CNN aims to cater more effectively to its audience and attract new users. Future plans include the development of new products, expanded capabilities in product, engineering, data, and subscriptions, and an increased focus on both textual and video content anchored by on-air talent.

Earlier this year, CNN took measures to streamline its operations with a reduction of about 100 jobs as part of its pivot towards a more digitally-focused business model.

On the same day, Thomson Reuters also introduced a digital paywall for its news content. Priced at $1 per week, this initiative aims to expand Reuters' award-winning coverage while ensuring continued investment in their reporting and subscriber products. Reuters president Paul Bascobert emphasized the importance of providing "trusted, unbiased, agenda-free news" in an era filled with misinformation.