Medium is launching a $5-per-month subscription service in order to protect the “need for depth, truth-seeking, and understanding,” the website said Wednesday.
“Today, the precariousness of our media ecosystem has never been more obvious — nor has our need for depth, truth-seeking, and understanding,” Medium posted.
“It’s time for thoughtfulness to prevail. That means transforming not just the experience around reading and writing, but also the economic model that determines which stories are told, clicked on, and compensated.”
The ad-free platform will deliver content that can only be created when writers and publishers are rewarded on “value rather than clicks,” Medium stated.
The free version of the site will still be available, but for those who want to pay the few, a new upgraded version will also be accessible.
The company, under CEO Ev Williams, has vowed to transfer the funds from “those who sign up in the first few months” straight to writers and publishers, and will not be taking a cut for the time being.
In January, Medium laid off a third of its staff (around 50 people) in an effort to upgrade its business model, Verge reported.