In this era of information and technology, staying updated and informed about different fields is very crucial. Newspapers, journals, and magazines have always been a highly-regarded source of credible and trustable information about different fields and races of life. However, the rise of the digital era has transformed how information is delivered to audiences. Conventional newspapers and magazines have been replaced by e-newspapers and e-magazines.
Wall Street Journal has also evolved with digitization and started its digital versions. Wall Street Journal is one of the most renowned platforms that promise to provide credible information and quality journal in different niches. You can get a paper-based or digital subscription. This article will explore if the Wall Street Journal subscription is worth it and other queries regarding the subscription. So let’s get into it.
What Is Wall Street Journal?
Wall Street Journal is popularly known as The Journal in an American audience. The American-based daily newspaper is headquartered in the New York City of the US. The journal is published in American and Asian editions. Wall Street Jornal is the original publication of Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corp.
The English-language journal has Chinese and Japanese editions as well, and it publishes six days a week. The company has become one of the largest news publications in America, with the circulation of around 2.834 million copies. The content of WSJ is mostly about business, economy, finance, technology, etc. The majority of published content comprises opinion-based news articles.
A Brief Overview Of WSJ History
The history of WSJ dates back to 1889 July, when it was published for the very first time. Before the initiative of WSJ, Dow Jones & Company used to publish a brief news bulletin known as flimsies. This paper-based paper comprises business news for stock exchange traders during the 1880s.
Later on, the news bulletin was converted into The Wall Street Journal, published on 8 July 1889, and delivered via telegraph. The division of News Corp officially launched ‘Dow Jones Industrial Average’ in 1896, and it is rated as one of the pioneering stock indices related to NYSE.
The journalist and his predecessors cultivated the culture of fearlessness and independent financial reporting in business journalism. In 1902, the company’s control was shifted to Clarence Barron as a result of the purchase.
After the death of Barron in 1928, the control of the company remained with the Bancroft family, Barron’s descendants, until 2007. The publication evolved a lot during this reign, including WSJ’s new and modern shape in the 1940s. 1947 was a good year for WSJ as the first Pulitzer Prize for William Henry Grimes’s editorials was awarded to the paper. Dow Jones Newswires was expanded internationally in 1967, resulting in financial centers in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Australia.
A series of launches, joint ventures, and acquisitions were added on the credit of Dow Jones from 1971 to 1997, including The Wall Street Journal Europe, Factiva, The Wall Street Journal Asia, WSJ weekend edition, etc. The Wall Street Journal Online’s initiative was taken in 1996 and offered a subscription to the users. During the whole period, a lot of design changes and management changes took place. The publication has won many awards and achieved a lot of milestones during the whole era. All of these things make it one of the best news publications in America.
Content Of WSJ
We’ve briefly talked about WSJ’s content that comprises news about business, economy, finance, technology, startups, etc. Let’s bifurcate each niche and what is published within.
In the regular publication, the following sections are included:
Section One
It comprises corporate news, economic reports, political reports, opinion pages, and a lot more. Section one is a permanent part of the publication and is included every day.
Money and Investing
It’s also the regular part of the publication added Mon-Fri and consists of international financial market analysis, reports, and data.
Review
Part of the weekend publication, Saturday reviews are published in WSJ weekend, which comprises commentary, reviews, essays, ideas, etc.
Mansion
As the name suggests, this section is about high-end real estate. The section was made part of the publication in 2012 and is published on Fridays.
WSJ Magazine
WSJ. or WSJ Magazine was launched in 2008, and it was a quarterly publication. After 2014, the publication was converted monthly and 12 issues per year are distributed since then. The luxury publication of the company is distributed globally across Europe, Asia, and the US.
WSJ is a diverse magazine covering every topic related to lifestyle. The most commonly covered topics are designs, food, style, fashion, entertainment, travel, and a lot more.
Off Duty
The Off Duty section is also part of the weekend publication, and every Saturday, it focuses on fashion, design, food, gear, technology, and travel.
Marketplace
A regular part of the publication is published from Mon-Fri and covers news related to media, marketing, health, technology, etc. It’s one of the pioneering sections of the publication since 1980.
Personal Journal
It’s also published every Tue-Thurs and comprises content about personal investments, cultural pursuits, careers, etc.
Opinion Journal
Opinion Journal is a contribution of different columnists, and it has a dedicated website that features content from the editorial pages of WSJ. The most popular features are
Best of the Web Today by James Freeman –Published on weekdays
- Business World by Holman W. Jenkins Jr.
- Americas by Mary O’Grady
- Potomac Watch by Kimberley Strassel
- Rule of Law by Peggy Noonan
Who Should Read WSJ?
Anyone who wants to stay updated about the latest happenings in business, finance, markets, and technology can read Wall Street Journal. However, the statistics of the company have shown that 60% of the regular readers of WSJ belong to top management positions in different companies and the reader profile has an average income of around $191,000 per year. Besides, the household readers stand at the second number when readership is concerned. In short, the reader profile of WSJ is not limited to a specific persona.
People from different fields of life, interests, and habits are regular readers and subscribers of the publication. Therefore, you can choose WSJ as your information source regardless of your profession, interest, etc. However, if you’re oriented toward business, finance, and investing, WSJ is indeed one of the best publications.
Subscription Plans And Costs
Let’s have a look at the subscription plans and costs of subscribing to WSJ.
There are two types of WSJ subscriptions you can get:
Basic Digital
Basic Digital subscription is a very economical deal, and you get unlimited access to WSJ for $1/ month for the first two months. After two months, the cost of a subscription is $9.99 per month.
The features included in the Basic Digital subscription are:
- Unlimited access to WSJ.com
- Access to WSJ mobile app
- Informative podcasts including interviews of WSJ editor and influencer
- WSJ + Premium Benefits Program
All Access Digital
All Access Digital costs you $28.99 per month after $1/per month of the first two months. The All Access Digital includes
- All the features of Basic Digital
- WSJ+ Membership
- WSJ Tablet App
Corporate Subscriptions
You can also get a corporate subscription for more than one user. If you’re a small company, you can get the group rate for 10 or more employees.
Pros
The most prominent features and benefits of WSJ subscription include:
- Multiple device access for reading content and watching podcasts
- You get WSJ+ membership, including invitations to parties, get-togethers, etc.
- Credible and trustworthy information about finance, marketing, business, and the investment industry.
- It’s an affordable deal for $1/month for the first two months. You get enough time to get through the content and see if it matches your interest.
- WSJ magazine is for every type of reader and covers all the topics, including entertainment and lifestyle topics.
Cons
Some people might see some downsides to WSJ subscription:
- You’ve to pay for the subscription in advance, and if you don’t pay for the subscription, you can’t access the content and articles.
- Cancellation of subscription is not simple. It’s not possible to do it from the account dashboard. Instead, you have to call customer care and open a dispute. It can sometimes be annoying to follow these procedures.
Final Verdict: Is WSJ Subscription Worth It?
Is a WSJ subscription worth subscribing to?
One word answer is Yes!
There are so many reasons why you should subscribe to the Wall Street Journal. The opinionated content, independent journalism, and unbiased reporting make it a credible and trustworthy source of information.
WSJ subscription is the right fit for investors who want insights into the latest trends and market dynamics. Whether you’re a business reader or a household reader, you will get pieces of your interest in the all-in-one subscription to Wall Street Journal. In short, it is a perfect value for money, and you get beyond what you pay for with a WSJ subscription.