New York Times digs deeper into data

The New York Times is requiring readers to give more details about their personal lives to access its online edition, a move aimed at creating more robust reader profiles and boosting advertising dollars. The information will help the company launch a new member center early this year that will let readers manage their online profiles and subscription services, according to New York Times Digital spokeswoman Christine Mohan. "We're working more toward a full customer relationship. This helps us develop materials for advertisers and target ad campaigns," she said. The online publisher updated its registration page two weeks ago with a host of new required questions, including household income, birth date, job function and title. The move comes little more than two months after the digital unit's parent, The New York Times, launched an electronic edition of the print newspaper for subscription. In partnership with NewStand, The New York Times sells an electronic replica of the paper in PDF format for six weeks at $26.80.