Two of Britain's top-selling newspapers will start charging for online content beginning in June.

The Times and The Sunday Times made the announcement Friday. Readers will be charged £2 for a week's subscription, or £1 for a day's access to two new sites, thetimes.co.uk and sundaytimes.co.uk. Existing subscribers to the print editions will be given free online access, according to Times Online.

Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive of News Corporation, parent company of The Times, announced in August plans to charge for online content on all of the company's newspaper Web sites.

Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of News International - a British division of News Corp. - said this of the announcement in a statement Friday: "This is a crucial step towards making the business of news an economically exciting proposition. We are proud of our journalism and unashamed to say that we believe it has value."

News International, which includes The Sun, The Times, The Sunday Times and News of the World, said in a statement that The Times and The Sunday Times would introduce new Web sites in early May, separating their online content from a combined site for the first time.

Brooks said News International's two other titles, The Sun and the News of the World, would charge for online content at a later date. Times Online -- which includes The Times and The Sunday Times -- has about 20 million monthly unique visitors. The print edition of The Times has 1.7 million readers and The Sunday Times has 3.2 million readers, according to Times Online.

Industry experts say newspapers are grappling to find news business models to compensate for declining advertising revenue and shrinking print circulation. The New York Times has announced it is working on plans to charge for access to its Web site. The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal (also owned by News Corp.) and Newsday already charge subscription for online content.

The move by News International would make it the first mass-market, consumer newspaper in the UK to charge people to read general interest news stories on the web, according to CNET News.

"This is just the start. The Times and The Sunday Times are the first of our four titles in the UK to move to this new approach. We will continue to develop our digital products and to invest and innovate for our customers," Brooks said in her statement, according to Times Online and The New York Times.

John Witherow, editor of The Sunday Times, said: "The launch of a dedicated Sunday Times Web site is a hugely significant moment for the paper. It will enable us to showcase our strengths in areas such as news, sport, business, style, travel and culture and display the breadth of Britain's biggest-selling quality newspaper.

"For the first time, readers will have access to all their favourite sections and writers. We will be introducing new digital features to enhance our coverage and encourage interactivity. Every day, readers will be able to talk to our writers and experts and view stunning photographs and graphics. Subscribers will be able to get this brand new site, plus the enhanced Times site, seven days of the week, all for the price of a cup of coffee."