The subscription model, rendered obsolete a couple of decades ago, is making a comeback. The New York Times reported in early February that the company added 157,000 net digital-only subscriptions in the fourth quarter of 2017, capping off a strong year in subscriptions. It appears to be part of a trend. CNN reported that the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) added over 305,000 subscriptions the year ending March 31, 2017.