This year, The Syracuse New Times turns 50, and soon, you’ll have to pay to see what’s inside the city’s alternative news weekly.

"We're asking them to cover the printing and the delivery costs,” said Publisher Bill Brod.

The New Times started in 1969 at Syracuse University as The Orange Pennysaver. In the early 70s, the newly named Syracuse New Times was charging 25 cents at newsstands. Only a couple of years later did the paper become the one we know today — a free source of fringe local news coverage.

Now the paper will move to a subscription model.

"We're facing our disruption now and the digital world has come in and done two things that are massively disruptive to us,” Brod said.

Brod says social media and Google have taken away many of the advertising dollars that come to small publications like the New Times. Secondly, he says internet retailers like Amazon Prime and Walmart.com have hurt local businesses, making them less likely to advertise with the New Times.

"A number of other spots on our website will be open and available on our website for free but the stories and the content will be behind the subscription wall,” Brod said.

Starting today, the subscription portal is open. It's not until April 24 that the subscription model will go into effect.

Get a subscription between now and May 16 and you'll be paying a buck a week — a total of $52 a year. By May 16, the weekly price will shoot up to $1.50 for a total of $78 a year.

Brod would like to see a minimum of 10,000 subscribers.

"I think within a month, we're going to know whether we're on a path for success or whether the community has made a decision that this kind of a product is no longer relevant. I think we'll know crystal clear in a month,” Brod said.

With 26 employees at the publication, as well as freelancers, Brod says he doesn't anticipate any job cuts.