The News-Item will begin a new era Monday with two significant changes involving www.newsitem.com.
One is a "metered model" for the website and the other is the availability of an "e-edition" with the look of a newspaper, without the paper.
Metered model
First, The News-Item will begin charging a subscription fee to view most content on its website, www.newsitem.com. Using a fee structure known as the "metered model," the first nine stories viewed over a 30-day period will be free. After that, readers will be asked to subscribe to view more stories.
Visits to the home page, section fronts, obituaries, blogs, classified ads, photo galleries and paid "milestone" announcements like engagements, weddings and anniversaries will continue to be free.
Subscribers to the print edition of The News-Item may purchase unlimited access to stories, photos, videos, reader comments, databases and other content for only $1.99 a month or $14.99 annually. And at a special introductory price, those without print subscriptions may purchase unlimited access for $7.99 a month, $42.99 for six months or $74.99 annually.
Readers can continue using the website normally. Starting June 6, they will be prompted to subscribe after viewing nine free stories.
Industry trend
Charging for online access is an industry trend to gain revenue to support the expense of reporting the news around the state and nation at small and large newspapers alike. Newspaper websites from Scranton and Lancaster in Pennsylvania to The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times have started some form of online access fee, and other newspapers also are charging for content this year. "This is an important step in our effort to continue providing high-quality journalism," said Henry H. Nyce, publisher of The News-Item. "People subscribe to our print edition to get our news because they know it's valuable; it's the same with our web site, especially as we provide more breaking news and fresh content throughout the day.
"We're going to begin charging a very nominal price for the news, which costs us millions of dollars every year to produce," Nyce continued. "For pennies a day, web readers will be able to access the most complete news report possible for central and eastern Northumberland County, southern Columbia County and northern Schuylkill County."
Nyce said web readers can still get the gist of the news with free access to the newsitem.com home page as well as obituaries, classified ads and blogs, and any nine articles a month they choose to read. "We are the only local newspaper with a full-time bureau reporter in Harrisburg," he added. "Our efforts have paid off for readers with national and state journalism awards."
E-edition
The second change is the addition of an electronic edition for PCs, Macs, SmartPhones or tablets that offers an online version of the printed newspaper in its familiar "page" format or in an exciting, new, easy-to-share Smart version enhanced with a suite of digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking, blogging, audio and more. To begin an e-edition subscription, visit http://newsitem.newspaperdirect.com. Subscribers to the print edition of The News-Item may purchase the e-edition for only $1.99 a month or $14.99 annually. And at a special introductory price, those without print subscriptions may purchase access for $7.99 a month, $42.99 for six months or $74.99 annually.
With the e-edition, subscribers can read today's issue of The News-Item anytime, anywhere. It is the same as the print edition - including special sections - but available in digital format.
Content on the website includes the award-winning news and sports coverage, political coverage, breaking news and traffic alerts, weddings and engagements, Associated Press national and world news, videos, photo galleries, archives, searchable databases and more. Questions about the metered model website or the e-edition can be directed to David R. Sickle, director of circulation, at 644-5700 or dave_s@newsitem.com.
Q: What's changing on newsitem.com? A: The News-Item will be charging for unlimited access to newsitem.com beginning June 6. Online visitors may view nine articles free of charge every 30 days. A website subscription allows readers full and unlimited access to all stories and features on newsitem.com. Also, a new product - an online version of the printed newspaper - will be available by subscription separately. Q: How will the new website subscription system work? A: Effective Monday, June 6, readers accessing newsitem.com will be able to read up to nine complete articles every 30 days for free before they have to pay for content. They will have to subscribe to go beyond nine articles. Users will be prompted with a message about the subscription system.
Q. How do I subscribe to the website?
A. Simply continue using the website normally. Starting June 6, you will be prompted to subscribe after you view your nine free stories. Simply enter the required information to receive unlimited access to newsitem.com.
Q. How do I subscribe to the e-edition? Starting June 6, visit the e-edition site at http://newsitem.newspaperdirect.com. There you will be given the simple steps required to begin your new e-edition subscription. Q: I'm already a print subscriber to The News-Item. Do I get a discount to view the website? A: Yes, print subscribers can get unlimited access to the website for a greatly reduced rate: only $1.99 a month or $14.99 annually. Those without print subscriptions may purchase unlimited access at a special introductory prices of $7.99 a month, $42.99 for six months or $74.99 annually. Q: Will all content on the site be covered by this new metering system? A: No. The system counts articles only. It does not include such features as obituaries (which are hosted online by legacy.com), blogs, paid Lifestyle announcements, videos, photo galleries and classified ads. Users may also continue to browse the homepage and section pages for free. Q: Will the site look different starting June 6? A: It will look the same, except for the sign-up notices that will pop up from time to time, and The News-Item will continue to add new features to the site in the coming months. Q: How will the new electronic edition of The News-Item work?
A: The e-edition will be accessible for your PC, Mac, SmartPhone or tablet. It is an online version of the printed newspaper in its familiar printed format at http://newsitem.newspaperdirect.com. Q: Why do I have to pay for something I've always gotten for free? A: If you read nine or fewer stories every 30 days, the website will continue to be free for you. If you find enough value in reading more than nine stories per month, we ask that you support our work by purchasing a subscription for unlimited access to our website. In order to continue to provide our readers with the level of coverage they've come to expect, we need to explore new revenue models that support our online endeavors. The digital age has changed the way newspapers need to do business. Therefore our business has to adapt and continue to search for additional revenue streams so that coverage is uninterrupted. For pennies per day, our readers can have the convenience of reading stories on our website. In addition to the stories found in the print edition, our website readers have access to more photography, videos, reader comments, breaking news and all of our databases, as well as links to other interesting stories from around the world.
Finally, the e-edition is a different product altogether - an easy-to-use online version of the printed newspaper in its familiar printed format and unlike anything The News-Item has ever offered before. Q: What if I have other questions about the website or the e-edition? A: If you have other questions, call 644-5700 or email Director of Circulation David R. Sickle at dave_s@newsitem.com.