The New York Times is to halve the number of free articles readers can view on its NYTimes.com site.

Starting in April visitors to the website will be able to read up to 10 free articles a month, down from 20 free articles previously. The change comes one year after launching the paid digital subscription, which now has 454,000 paid subscribers.

The Times, like other US newspaper publishers, has been struggling with sinking advertising sales and dwindling print subscribers and has focused on improving its digital strategy to replace the lost revenue.

The company started 2012 without a chief executive or a digital boss after former chief executive Janet Robinson and former digital head Martin Nisenholtz retired.

Chairman and Publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr, who is also interim chief executive, said on February 2nd the New York Times was in the early stages of searching for an executive with digital and brand-building experience to help guide its long-term growth strategy.

The focus on an improved digital strategy helped circulation revenue grow 5 per cent to $241.6 million in the fourth quarter, the Times said.

Reuters