Online readers will not be able to access all content for free on WSJ.com, The Wall Street Journal's website , News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch confirmed on Thursday at the World Economic Forum.

Murdoch, whose acquisition of the US business title was completed last month, was quoted by the Journal as saying that WSJ.com would greatly expand and improve the section of the site that is available to non-paying subscribers. He went on to add that the really special things will still be a subscription service, and, sorry to tell you, probably more expensive.

Speculation over whether News Corp. would make WSJ.com a completely free site was sparked last September after Murdoch said he was leaning towards a free site. He estimated that its audience could grow from 1 million to 10 - 15 million and would offer advertisers access to an affluent and influential group of readers.

Other news sites, including the New York Times dropped access charges last year, while the Financial Times introduced a new model which allows online readers to access FT.com for free, but only for a limited amount of visits and will then be prompted to purchase a subscription.

Rupert murdoch