According to Ken Doctor, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times are not taking part in the subscriptions feature that Facebook is expected to launch soon. Among the participants are the Washington Post, the Economist, and the publishers Tronc Inc. and Hears Newspapers.

Overall, publishers seem sceptical about Facebook’s program, Doctor reports, but many are still willing to give the new program a try in an effort to boost their digital subscriptions. However, the launch is described by the participants as a “test”, with a Phase 2 following in the first half of 2018.

The formal launch of the initiative is expected "this week", according to Doctor.

As Nieman Lab points out, the subscriptions feature represents an opportunity for Facebook to improve its image, as the calls for more clarity on its role in recent elections intensify.