Next week, all Williams Lake Tribune subscribers will enjoy full access to the newspaper's premium online content at no additional cost.
This is an important step as part of a growing industry trend to reward our loyal readers with free unlimited access to all the local coverage you expect from your community newspaper.
That means all website content, including our eEditions (a digital replica of the paper), is now included in the cost of your paid subscription.
On May 1, the first day for subscribers to activate their digital account, the Tribune will publish details about the premium content plan and how it will work.
Starting May 1, print subscribers can go to www.wltribune.com to sign up for digital access.
May 1, new clients can subscribe for an average cost of $6.16 a month for an all-access package, which includes the print edition and premium online content. Discounts are offered for seniors or office pick-up.
Readers who want to forgo the print edition, or who live outside the Tribune's delivery area, will still be able to access digital-only premium content with a subscription.
With this step, the Williams Lake Tribune joins scores of paid-circulation community newspapers in cities large and small across the country which are recognizing the value of their online content, Williams Lake Tribune publisher Lisa Bowering said.
"Our next-generation products, such as our online content and e-editions, play an important part of our future," Bowering said.
"We will deliver the news and information to readers when they want it, where they want it and, most importantly, how they want it."
While recognizing the value of the unique, local content created by the newsroom staff at the Williams Lake Tribune, Bowering also appreciates the realities of a free-access internet.
"We understand that news outside of what our local reporters generate can be had elsewhere and for free, but there are literally thousands of such stories each day," she said.
"The stories written by our staff are uniquely Williams Lake and the Cariboo-Chilcotin; there is an inherent value in that — we appreciate it, our print subscribers appreciate it — and it should be recognized in all facets of our industry, including the emerging online component."
Subscribers will enjoy privileges that include ability to forward stories via e-mail or social media accounts, participate in online discussions and access all content.
Non-subscribers still will have free digital access to limited areas, such as provincial news, our web site's front page and section fronts, breaking news, and calendar, Bowering said.
And when breaking news happens locally, that too will be available to all site visitors at no charge.
The Tribune's all-access paid premium print and online model represents next-generation thinking for the newspaper industry, Bowering said.
"Frankly, our industry could have adopted this paid-premium online approach years ago, but the thinking was always on page views and unique site visits," she said.
"We all thought that the more circulation you had — in this case, page views — the more desirable for advertisers. But people utilize advertising on the Internet differently."
She said the evolution to valuing online content is "simply another tool in our kit. We have always been a media company."
Bowering has been reticent to charge for online content, considering it may impact page views. However, she is confident the hyper-local nature of content created by the Williams Lake Tribune staff will win the day.
"If we have something that no one else can produce, readers might be willing to pay for it," she said.
"We have that audience through the Williams Lake Tribune — and we owe it to our print readers to share the same respect for them with our online product."
Bowering expects there may be an initial decline in page views during the transition to e-subscriptions. However, she knows it will be minimal and short-lived as the products value gains traction.
"What's encouraging is we will show our advertisers a dedicated readership that is committed to the Williams Lake Tribune brand — in print and online."