Why it matters: For outlets with huge audiences online, there's little downside to asking their most loyal readers to pay.

Reality check: A slowdown in the ad market for traditional media publishers has made it harder for news sites to sell out their inventory.

By the numbers: CNN averaged 159 million monthly unique visitors worldwide in 2023 across mobile and desktop, making it one of the most trafficked news websites globally.

Zoom in: Both companies will allow users to access a certain number of articles before being confronted with a paywall. CNN's subscription will cost $3.99 monthly. Reuters' will cost $1 per week to start.

The big picture: The tempered subscription strategy of offering readers cheaper packages compared to premium sites like The New York Times is part of a broader pivot within the news industry to more flexible paywalls and membership programs.