Weekly Subscription News: Learning, Lingerie and Luminary

Featuring BBC, Coursera, Rihanna, Netflix and Birchbox

This week’s subscription headlines cover everything from annual learning subscriptions by Coursera and potentially deceptive business practices by Rihanna’s lingerie line to testing subscription bundles and offering free content to nonsubscribers. In addition, Birchbox lays off workers (could this be a trend?); Luminary is expanding globally, which could create podcasting wars; and Downing Street wants BBC to switch to a subscription model.

Downing Street Wants BBC to Switch to Subscription Model
Broadband TV News

Coursera Intros an Annual Subscription Plan for Learners Similar to Business and Campus Offering
IBL News

Google Could Soon Start Paying Publishers for Their Content, After Years of Saying It Wouldn’t
Inc.

Rihanna’s Lingerie Line Accused of Duping Customers into Registering for Subscription Service
KTLA

The Information Is Testing a Subscription Bundle with Bloomberg Media
Digiday

Netflix Offering Free Content to Non-Subscribers
Media Play News

Luminary’s Global Expansion Could Heat Up the Podcast Subscription Wars
Axios

Birchbox’s Latest Sweeping Layoffs Show Early Digital Brands Struggling to Survive
Modern Retail

Filed in Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Freemium, Learning and Training, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscription Apps, Subscription Boxes

Dana E. Neuts

Dana Neuts is Subscription Insider's Editorial Director, covering our daily subscription news as well as member features, case studies, premium content, and reports. Dana is also a writer, editor, marketer and communications professional. Her work has appeared in AARP Bulletin, The Seattle Times, Seattle Business, 425 Business, 425 Magazine, South Sound Magazine, Northwest Travel and more. Her specialties include business writing, community news, senior issues, travel and, of course, subscriptions!