By Ezra Salkin
Savannah Morning News debuted an electronic edition–a paperless replica of the daily printed paper April 1.
This transition furthers the trend of environmentally friendly initiatives throughout the Savannah region.
According to Susan Catron, executive editor for Savannah Morning News, green thinking wasn’t the only reason for the eEdition. It’s a way to provide readers with more ways to get the news.
Unlike District, which eliminated its own paper version, Savannah Morning News is still available in print.
“This is just another way,” Catron said. “Those who like the tangible feel of the crisp sleeves of the paper in their hands continue to do so, while those who live outside of the typical delivery boundaries don’t have to pay an extra $20 dollars, per every 13 issues or so, to get their news mailed to them.”
Furthermore, seven-day home delivery subscribers get the service free. This feature is advantageous when readers are on vacation and need their Savannah news fix. The Bryan and Effingham county papers are also included.
Although the cost of paper is lower now, Catron stresses that the move is in no way related to the frail economy.
“We now have a specific staff on the payroll to run the new eEdition, so the cost difference is negligible,” she said.
When other newspapers made similar overhauls, Catron says the result is usually only a meager five percent acceptance rate. Although the paper won’t know for approximately nine months how successful this initiative actually is, Catron feels there have already been promising signs in the days since the launch.
This has mostly been felt in the reception by Savannah-area schools. The service was offered to them January 1, while the paper was still working out the bugs on the site.
“Exultant educators immediately jumped all over this new opportunity, as the service facilitates critical analysis of the world, by making current events more immediate and accessible to students. There are already about 75 student subscribers,” Catron said.
Catron believes electronic news is a part of the future of journalism.
“There’s always a new incarnation of news. Right now, it’s this. I don’t know what the next one will be. Savannah Morning News is multi-platform, and every day there is something new. Innovation never sleeps,” Catron said.
“Sometimes it takes imposing looming outside pressures like an ailing economy or a precarious environment to give it a kick start, but when people need to do something, they do it,” she added.
She compares the process of adapting to maintaining a house. “Sometimes you need to learn to recycle, sometimes you need to redistribute chores or find new ways to cut in some areas while augmenting others. Every household is different,” she said.
In the meantime, Catron said she and the rest of the Savannah Morning News staff will remain devoted to presenting readers with the most informative and credible news in the most immediate ways possible.
