In response to continued shifts toward digital news consumption, the Kitsap Sun is announcing a change in print delivery frequency beginning March 26.
The Kitsap Sun will cease home delivery of a print edition of the newspaper on Saturdays and instead provide subscribers with a full digital replica of the Sun’s Saturday edition, including local news, sports and advertising, as well as the daily comics, television listings and puzzles. The new model means print subscribers will get newspapers delivered to their home six days a week, with a digital newspaper available every day through www.kitsapsun.com or the Kitsap Sun e-Edition app on your smartphone or tablet.
“I’ve written columns regularly explaining changes at the Sun for readers, and one constant has been the development of the digital side of our news business over the past decade,” David Nelson, editor of the Kitsap Sun, said. “Our present and our future is focused on reaching readers through different platforms, including a website, mobile app, e-edition and social media, in addition to the traditional paper. While the printed newspaper remains important to our strategy and to readers who prefer their news that way, we are making this change in response to subscriber and advertising trends to give us the best chance to grow the interest in local journalism.”
The Saturday digital replica, or e-Edition, will have the same look and news as the printed newspaper, just as each day’s e-Edition currently features. The digital format also has some additional features, such as the ability to clip and share articles with friends and family and adjust the text size.
In addition, subscribers of the Sun will now have access to the USA TODAY Network’s full suite of e-Editions from communities across the country, as well as ad-free access to the USA TODAY Crossword puzzle. The Kitsap Sun is part of the USA TODAY Network, and the change being announced today also is taking place at numerous other publications in the network.
All print subscribers of the Kitsap Sun have full digital access, meaning they can read news updates throughout the day, subscriber-only stories and video and audio features, as well as obituaries, legal notices, and classifieds in the e-Edition.
News and sales staffing at the Kitsap Sun will not change as a result. Delivery times for the other days of the week will remain unchanged.
“This move is the latest in the evolution of the Sun’s business model, which keeps the focus on this community, its readers and the journalism only we can provide. Readers of the e-Edition in December roughly equated our print circulation, and we appreciate the readers who enjoy that format and hope more of you will give it a try on Saturdays this year,” Nelson said. “The Sun survives due to the support of readers and advertisers, and we’re thankful for the loyalty and interest you’ve shown over the past 86 years of our history.”
Anyone with questions about the change can access their account at www.kitsapsun.com or call customer service at 1-844-900-7160. The e-Edition is available now to all subscribers, and more information and tutorials about accessing that format will be shared in the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Kitsap Sun changing schedule of production with Saturday e-Edition
