Assertion Supported AI assessment confidence: 95% certainty 4/5 debate potential 1/5

Himler: Consulting on NYT's First Paywall Led to Founding Flatiron

Peter Himler · He Helped Invent NYT Paywall in 2005, Predicts Future of Content, EP 278: Peter Himler · Jun 11, 2016 · at 1:50

Peter Himler, founder of Flatiron Communications, discusses leaving large PR agencies to start his own boutique firm around The New York Times's 2005 digital paywall launch.

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“One of which was one of my clients at Burson Marcello was the New York times. And they were launching something very significant in their in their realm. It was their first paywall and they wanted to work with me and they wanted to work with me by myself. And so I was able to you know, start my company. Then by the way, it was in 2005.”

quote is from the automated transcript, cleaned for reading: filler sounds and stutters are removed, nothing is rephrased. names can be misheard (the analysis reads context, assessments check outside sources). how →

The claim, plainly

The New York Times launched its first digital paywall in 2005 and hired Peter Himler independently, allowing him to found Flatiron Communications.

a quote alone can be ambiguous, so this restates it with the references and context of the conversation around it resolved. AI-written; the tape below the player is the source.

Assessment

Historical records and industry profiles confirm both elements of the claim: The New York Times rolled out its first digital paywall service (TimesSelect) on September 19, 2005, and Peter Himler founded Flatiron Communications LLC in May 2005 with The New York Times Company as the consultancy's inaugural client.

The New York Times launched its first digital paywall subscription model, TimesSelect, on September 19, 2005.
Peter Himler established Flatiron Communications LLC in May 2005 after leaving Burson-Marsteller, with The New York Times Company as its first client.

Checked against

[1] columbia.edu [2] editorandpublisher.com [3] mediapost.com [4] cbc.ca [5] digiday.com [6] me.sh [7] medium.com [8] muckrack.com

"Peter Himler" "Burson-Marsteller" left 2005 OR "Edelman" 2005 Flatiron "TimesSelect" launch date 2005 "New York Times" "Flatiron Communications" "Peter Himler" founded 2005 "TimesSelect" OR "New York Times" "Peter Himler" "Flatiron Communications" "first client" "Peter Himler" "Flatiron Communications" "New York Times" 2005

assessed as of 2026-09-02

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Mentioned

Burson-Marsteller Flatiron Communications The New York Times Peter Himler

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More from Peter Himler

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Himler: NYT's 2005 TimesSelect Paywall Failed Because Consumers Weren't Ready

“The first paywall that the Times introduced was called Times Select, and it was not successful. It came at a time when people were not ready to pay for content. It was about, no, no, it was later. Yeah, it was about 2005.”

Peter Himler Jun 11, 2016 ▶ 5:06 He Helped Invent NYT Paywall in 2005, Predicts Future of Content, EP 278: Peter Himler

Assertion Partly supported

Himler: Twitter Acquired Influencer Startup Niche for $20 Million

“He started a company called Niche out of New York, N-I-C-H-E dot C-O. And basically he matched Brands with those that have big influence, a lot of followers on Vine, on Twitter, on Instagram, and he built this business, and then Twitter bought his company, he'…”

Peter Himler Jun 11, 2016 ▶ 13:32 He Helped Invent NYT Paywall in 2005, Predicts Future of Content, EP 278: Peter Himler

Disclosure

Himler: Flatiron Pays Its PR Contractors $100 to $150 Per Hour

“A hundred to a 150 an hour.”

Peter Himler Jun 11, 2016 ▶ 14:33 He Helped Invent NYT Paywall in 2005, Predicts Future of Content, EP 278: Peter Himler

Disclosure

Himler: Flatiron Communications Charges $7,500 to $12,500 Monthly Retainers

“My retainers, unlike some of the bigger agencies, which 15, 20, 30,000 a month, you know, I go from 7500 to 1205 a month.”

Peter Himler Jun 11, 2016 ▶ 15:32 He Helped Invent NYT Paywall in 2005, Predicts Future of Content, EP 278: Peter Himler

Disclosure

Himler: Flatiron Communications Operates as a Four-Person Virtual Agency

“I have four, I have a team of four, and I have a virtual agency, so I pay them on an hourly, and I pay very well, and I keep.”

Peter Himler Jun 11, 2016 ▶ 14:23 He Helped Invent NYT Paywall in 2005, Predicts Future of Content, EP 278: Peter Himler

Himler: Consulting on NYT's First Paywall Led to Founding Flatiron

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