Salon to add subscription service

Internet magazine Salon.com says it has launched larger advertising units but plans to unveil a subscription service, dubbed Salon Premium, which lets customers choose an ad-free format. The Salon Premium paid service, scheduled to begin in April, also will let readers view exclusive content--with or without the advertising banners and pop-ups, depending on the individual's preference.

Chipmaker Intel and automaker Lexus will be the first to deploy Salon's new "Messaging Plus" ad units, the online magazine said. They feature a large rectangle format that was recently adopted by the Internet Advertising Bureau after CNET Networks, publisher of News.com, launched a new, larger advertising format that incorporates Flash animation.

The new services come a week after Salon shaved its employee salaries and postponed some audio plans in an effort to survive the dot-com shakeout.