Scribd adds premium magazine articles to its subscription service

Document sharing service Scribd is expanding its subscription offering with the addition of premium magazine articles from Time, Fortune, Money, Bloomberg Businessweek, Entrepreneur, Foreign Policy, Newsweek, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, and others. The inclusion of these articles supplements the company’s existing content, including both audio and traditional books and, of course, documents.

For $8.99 per month, users are able to get their fill of content and stories from multiple sources, with content rivaling that of Flipboard, Apple News, and even Amazon, to a certain degree. Scribd’s goal is to provide interesting reading to educated professionals through a model similar to what Netflix has done with subscription video, explained chief executive Trip Adler.

Through its app, the company provides access to articles that would ordinarily be featured only in the printed version of the magazines. While some will be “newsy real-time” pieces, Scribd is turning to longer form and even less time-sensitive articles as it seeks to differentiate itself from the news apps that have flooded the marketplace.

“We’ve always envisioned Scribd to be the reading destination that connects readers to the best written work, and magazine articles have been one of our most-requested features,” Adler said. “By connecting books, audio books, documents, and now articles, around areas of interest, our members are now free to skim what’s trending or dive deep into any subject.”

Available exclusively through the company’s subscription service, the offering will let users select articles they wish to read. What makes this interesting is that the articles are shown the same day the print magazine hits news stands. Scribd will not charge you more to read these stories, and publishers will be compensated either up front with a licensing fee or through a pay-per-read model — the exact payment model will vary by publisher.

Another thing that will vary based on the publisher is how Scribd will handle back issues. At launch, you’ll at least see the latest magazine edition, but not all of them will let you browse previous issues.

Scribd is also leveraging its interest-based algorithm to surface content for you. Its editorial team may highlight documents pertaining to this week’s email scandal concerning Secretary Hillary Clinton, but the service will also display pertinent books and even magazine articles centered around the issue, providing you more thought-provoking material to consume.

You’ll be able to digest these magazine articles across the web and on any mobile device.