Print, online offer variety of ways to view the news

Online readers at Frontiersman.com got a special treat on Wednesday when a viral video appeared of a moose browsing through a local grocery store. The video (which was submitted by reader Ema Kate) captured the kind of “only in Alaska” moments that we all cherish as part of life here in the 49th state.

It goes without saying that the video won’t appear in these pages today, as the wizards at Apple and Microsoft have yet to figure out how to embed videos in print newspapers.

The placement of the video is just one example of where our products differ and provide different content for different reasons. Along with the ability to upload videos, the website is also a great place to find picture galleries, longer versions of our “Around the Valley” calendar briefs and other things that are just too cumbersome to get into the paper. It’s also the best place to go for breaking news, which we try to get up in as timely manner as possible while also making sure we’ve got the facts.

Several readers in recent weeks have inquired as to why content on the website and newspaper aren’t always the same. Some stories show up online much sooner than in print, while others seems to make the print version before they go online. That’s not an accident, but a function of both our desire to provide an immediate news product online while also giving our print readers something distinct for their money.

Often, we’ll hold off on posting a story online for a day or so after it’s shown up in print. This lets us give the story more “play” online when it eventually is published. This typically happens with feature stories that aren’t immediate or “breaking.” It also enables us to hold certain stories in order to give our online readers more fresh content throughout the day.

Readers of the print product, of course, get to see these stories immediately, which is one of the many advantages of subscribing to the paper. For readers who want the best of both worlds, there’s also our e-edition, which is a full version of the print paper that’s available to subscribers and can be found at frontiersman.com. The e-edition has everything you’ll see in that day’s hard copy of the paper. Anyone interested in home delivery of the Frontiersman, or in a subscription to the e-edition, can call Christy at 352-2251 to take advantage of our PFD special, which runs through the end of this month.

We feel that by using both the print and online products in different ways, we are able to better serve our readers and provide a wealth of unique content that’s always changing and offering new and exciting news about the Valley. Hopefully this editorial has helped explain a little bit about the hows and whys of what we do.