Walter E. Hussman Jr., publisher of The Sentinel-Record, announced today that the hometown newspaper plans to convert all home-delivery print subscribers to a digital replica edition by May.
The Sentinel-Record will continue seven-day-a-week publication digitally, with a print edition on Sunday. Monday through Saturday print delivery will end on May 3.
"The Hot Springs Sentinel-Record dates back to 1887. Our family has owned the newspaper for 91 years," Hussman said in a letter to print subscribers published in today's edition.
"Both my grandfather and father were publishers of the newspaper, and my daughter was the editor. Our family is committed to both Hot Springs and The Sentinel-Record. We now believe we have found a way to perpetuate the newspaper well into the 21st century," Hussman said.
"With financial backing of others in the community, we are planning to provide an iPad to all home delivery subscribers so we can continue a seven-day-a-week publication. All Sentinel-Record home delivery subscribers will receive their digital replica newspaper seven days a week on their iPad in addition to a Sunday print edition delivered to their home. The digital replica newspaper will be in the same format as the print edition with the same content but with new enhancements," Hussman said.
The digital replica edition is also available as either a mobile app or through a web browser on a personal computer.
"We refer to the iPad delivery as our digital replica, because it's an exact replica of the newspaper, with the same headlines, photos, articles, and ads in the exact same position on the same pages," Hussman said.
The iPad will be included with a subscription at no additional cost to use as long as the subscription remains active.
Other newspapers owned by The Sentinel-Record's parent company, WEHCO Media, in Little Rock, northwest Arkansas, Pine Bluff, El Dorado, and Texarkana have all made this transition.
"Readers told us at first, they were dubious and reluctant, but after reading the newspaper on the iPad, most liked it better than the print edition," Hussman said.
Key reasons that readers have embraced the replica edition include the following:
• Readers can place two fingers on an article, spread them apart, and the whole article becomes much larger. The type is easier to read, often without reading glasses.
• With many of the photos in the replica newspaper, one touch allows readers to see multiple photos of the same event, and some even have videos. And on the replica, all photos are now in color.
• Readers can easily share articles with friends and family, either by email or social media.
• The iPad will hold up to 60 previous editions, allowing readers to go back and see an article they might have missed earlier.
• If readers see a particular article they want to save, all it takes is a simple touch to save it to their own personal library for future reference.
• The newspaper digital replica is delivered straight to the iPad, so no more going out in the rain or cold mornings to get the print edition. Each morning, the digital replica newspaper is downloaded, and readers can take it with them anywhere to read anytime.
• The editions can also be downloaded while readers are traveling, so that when they return home, there's no need to go through a stack of printed editions to catch up on the news.
"We are convinced the only way for The Sentinel-Record to continue daily publication is with a digital replica edition delivered to tablets like iPads seven days a week, along with delivering the Sunday print edition. Given our subscriber base, we can only make this work economically at higher subscription rates. We believe we can be sustainable at a rate of $29.99 per subscriber per month, assuming we retain the vast majority of our subscribers," according to an FAQ that will accompany a copy of Hussman's letter mailed to subscribers.
"Since this is higher than our existing rates, we will phase in this increase at a dollar a month until each subscriber gets to $29.99. This dollar a month increase was recently implemented for subscribers at the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Texarkana Gazette, the El Dorado News-Times, and the Pine Bluff Commercial. Subscribers there, realizing the importance of having a daily newspaper, embraced this program."
The iPad is included in the subscription price, but there is no discount for not taking the iPad.
" ... What we need is the annual recurring revenues to sustain the cost of reporters, photographers, editors, and other costs in order to be sustainable. To do that, we need $29.99 per month from subscribers whether or not we provide the iPads," the FAQ said.
Anyone with questions about the iPad program can call 501-623-2510.