The Times wants to sell the answer

The Times is preparing to sell annual guides to people who want useful information without a continuing newspaper subscription. It is a sensible experiment: charge for helping with a particular decision, rather than expect every paying reader to develop a daily news habit.

For occasional readers, that could mean buying a useful package without committing to the whole paper. Publishers gain another chance to earn from their expertise; the cost falls on the teams that must build, maintain and sell a product distinct enough to justify its price. The decision is whether a guide can earn additional money while keeping a subscription worth having.

Noah gives The Times or The Sunday Times a 78% chance of launching at least one new named guide or finite editorial package for UK consumers to buy once, without a recurring subscription, by 1 November 2027. For the same launch by 28 February 2027, it gives only a 49% chance. These estimates concern new offers launched after 1 November 2026, excluding print books and events. Existing guide franchises support a launch; unsettled pricing, access and geography could delay it.