Wired is taking subscriptions to a whole new level with a $4,000 a year membership program called the Emerging Technology Council. WIRED says this council is a joint effort between WIRED Media Group (WIRED, Ars Technica and Backchannel) and Traction Technology Partners, which specializes in connecting enterprise leaders to the world’s most transformative technologies and start-ups.

WIRED explains the Council’s mission:

“The Emerging Tech Council is a membership organization for executives looking to future proof their business. Our mission is to connect our members to disruptors of the first order, prepare them for the upside of a rapidly evolving business landscape, and unite them with others who share the same basic philosophy – change is good and more change is better.”

Members will enjoy a host of benefits including:

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  Exclusive access to eight in-depth virtual events with emerging technology experts. Topics for 2017 include AI/Machine Learning, Self-Driving Cars, VR/AR, Predictive Data, Blockchain, Internet of Things, Redefining Work and Cyber Security.

• Two invitation-only, face-to-face meetings: March, San Francisco, The Future of the Internet and November, New York City, The Future of Media
• Peer-to-peer sharing and real-time problem solving with the member network through a 24/7 community
• Access to the business network, knowledge database and on-demand archives
• Key Insights through the WMG Newsletter
• Access and discounts to WIRED Media Group events, including the WIRED Business Conference, Café at CES and the Backchannel Breakfast Series.
• The Emerging Tech Series: A WMG Curated Book List
• Corporate subscription to WIRED magazine and access to ad-free versions of WIRED.com and Ars Technica

The cost is $4,000 a year for a corporate membership which includes one primary and five team members. As Digiday points out, this program is designed to appeal to C-suite employees who see enough value in the program to justify the program’s price tag.

Insider Take:

This is just the latest example of a publisher branching out beyond its traditional work to create new revenue streams for long-term sustainability. In this case, it seems like much more than adding an event or two though. WIRED Media Group, owned by Condé Nast, is building on an already successful product and subscriber base to get access to an elite audience that wants what it has to offer.

This seems like a great fit for WIRED who is always on the cutting edge of technology. Now they can build a true community of technology-hungry C-suite executives who can go far beyond networking under the umbrella of the exclusive Emerging Tech Council. This is an exciting opportunity that seems well planned and researched. If executed and marketed properly, this could be a whole new era for WIRED and its partners.