Editorial: Covering the electronic frontier

July 13, 2007

Frontiersman Editorial

As with most industries, technology has transformed journalism. Newspapering in the 21st century is farther reaching, more immediate and interactive with readers. Most newspapers, regardless of circulation, have an Internet presence that puts them in constant 24/7 contact with their readers.

At the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, readers enjoy our thrice weekly print edition, and are finding our Internet publication, www.frontiers-man.com, more and more useful to their everyday lives. We can maintain a daily news presence in the Mat-Su Valley online and bring added value and depth to our print edition - and more of you are figuring this out.

In June, some 73,472 unique visitors found www.frontiersman.com and viewed more than 261,500 pages. That's more than the 72,431 unique visitors who viewed 215,690 pages in 2006. What's drawing more to the Frontiersman online now is frequent updates of breaking news, meaning you can follow up with greater detail on the latest Valley top news every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, but don't have to wait on the printed edition when important news happens in the Valley.

When Rep. Vic Kohring announced his resignation from the state House of Representatives last month, those visitors learned the latest as it happened as the story was updated repeatedly during the afternoon. What's broadening the horizons for newspapers is how the Internet now gives us opportunities to use video, which is not possible in a print newspaper.

In addition to reading about Kohring's resignation, visitors to www.frontiersman.com could also watch a video of his resignation speech. We were able to use this same video feature to bring you coverage of the Matanuska Electric Association's board meeting where heated discussions took place over its proposed coal-fired power plant.

As technology continues to progress, the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman will continue to grow how we serve our readers interactively through our print and online products.

A major overhaul of our Web design is in the works that will make it easier for you to navigate the site. You'll want to continue to read us Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, and visit online daily for what's breaking.

While we relish the opportunity to use our Web product to round out your overall Mat-Su Valley news experience, our focus remains the same - local, local, local.

Whether you get ink on your fingers from the newsprint or cramps from the keyboard, we're your hometown newspaper and the best source for local news.