CNN launched an online paywall this week, asking readers to pay $3.99 a month to access its online news content. 

The company said in an announcement Tuesday that recurring users who read more than a few articles a month will be prompted to subscribe. It did not state how many articles a reader would have to access before being prompted to sign up for a subscription. 

Users who pay the monthly $3.99 subscription fee will have access to all of CNN’s online news content, curated news selections and fewer advertisements. 

The new subscription model is part of CNN CEO Mark Thompson’s strategy to bolster the organization’s digital footprint, shifting away from television news. Rumors of an incoming paid subscription service at CNN started circulating over the summer, with Mr. Thompson promising a “best-in-class” subscription service by the end of the year.

By launching a paid subscription service, CNN joins the ranks of legacy media outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, which have achieved varying levels of success with their subscription models. 

CNN’s shift to paid subscriptions comes at a desperate time for legacy media. Hundreds of staffers lost their jobs in January after Time Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and NBC instituted layoffs. Smaller publications such as The Messenger disbanded, affecting more than 300 workers.