Interesting strategy by NYTimes. Paralleling a long time up-sell tactic of cable companies, telecoms and other new media-technology providers, note the the tip-in in a recent NYT (yes I still get the Sunday Times, a hold out of long past NY dwelling and kindof like my past gym memberships.  I rarely visit my print edition of the Sunday Times with the exception of the magazine, but damnit I’d hate to cancel and not have it for that day I decide to crunch on some ADD meds and read the paper in peace for an hour or so).

This simple little tip-into the paper seems to recognize that people hate change and possibly don’t even “know what’s good for them” (is online news good for you?  I’m not sure but you get my point). Old habits die hard, and picking up a daily paper is a routine that many don’t want to live without. However, knowing that future business survival and ad revenues rely on a good deal of people switching over to digital news, the NYT introduces an alternative online newspaper format that replicates the “real” thing.

Will it work? Does it make sense? …I’m not sure. But helping people migrate into the digital world certainly is smart business..