The Rock Hill Herald is taking another bold step forward in its transformation to a digital-forward newsroom that meets the expectations and demands of today’s news consumers.
Starting Sept. 16, The Herald will publish the newspaper on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The papers will be delivered on the same day by the U.S. Postal Service, with the Sunday paper arriving on Saturdays.
In an age where print has become cost-prohibitive and is limited by early deadlines, The Herald must transform its business to thrive in 2024 and beyond, while continuing to prioritize essential and distinctive content.
To that end, we are moving full-speed ahead with the seven-day-a-week digital Edition featuring late-developing news, smartly-packaged local content, related links for deeper engagement, complementary multimedia and interactive puzzles and games.
If you’re like me, a cup of coffee to go along with the morning newspaper was a daily routine. Scanning headlines with ink-stained fingertips, studying box scores and comics or setting aside time to read significant stories are all part of newspaper nostalgia. Acknowledging the emotional connection we have to printed daily news is important.
However, the journalism itself is more salient than the medium. It’s journalism that impacts lives, corrects wrongs, celebrates achievements and helps us make sense of the community we live in is as central now as it has ever been.
The Rock Hill Herald has served that role for generations. Founded in 1872 as The Lantern, the Rock Hill Herald is a pillar in our community, leading consequential conversations and keeping people informed on everything from local government, politics, business and education to sports, the arts and entertainment.
Each week, the award-winning staff produces must-read content for York, Lancaster and Chester county residents.
Consider these recent stories as examples:
Public safety reporter Andrew Dys , who just marked his 24th year at The Herald, last week revisited one of the area’s most unforgettable murder cases in which former York County mayor and prominent businessman Melvin Roberts was allegedly killed by his then-girlfriend. Doubts have persisted about her ability to execute the crime alone.
He also recently wrote about the death of John Gaines , a prominent civil rights champion; covered the hotly-contested York County sheriff’s Republican runoff ; and chronicled the fear and concern of residents hit hard by a Rock Hill hail storm that caused $5 million in damage.
Growth and development reporter John Marks didn’t just wonder about what would come of the interchange constructed in preparation for the Carolina Panthers headquarters in Rock Hill that never materialized. He submitted public records requests, pored over documents and questioned officials on the state and local levels to find out whether Rock Hill’s new $90 million I-77 exit was “a bridge to nowhere.”
After 20 years of covering local news in the region, Marks is in constant pursuit of revelatory stories that take readers deeper and reveal unique qualities of the area. For instance, he went behind the scenes to report on what’s driving record growth in Fort Mill .
Whether it’s veteran photographer Tracy Kimball capturing once-in-a-lifetime memories or a sports reporter bringing Friday action to your digital devices, The Herald is unrivaled in the area.
None of these accomplishments were a result of the newspaper being on paper. Rather, they are because The Herald is a newsroom with dogged, curious and gifted journalists. And, importantly, we have the ability to get their work in front of thousands of people each day due to the digital advancements that have revolutionized the way we share information and connect. As a result, our digital readers generally see our content before print readers.
Still, the newspaper you’ll receive three days a week will be filled with our best local, state and regional content.
Admittedly, newspapers were slow to adapt to the changing world. Those days are long behind us. Today, we publish with urgency, many times a day and with greater context. Herald readers increasingly receive news on their phones, tablets and computers. And that’s where we are, with content on Heraldonline.com , the Herald app, in Edition , in our newsletters and on our social media platforms.
Because of your feedback, our website now features a revamped calendar that allows you to more easily scan and enter events, and we have improved commenting capability on stories. With an activated digital subscription, you also now have full access with the same login to all McClatchy papers in South Carolina and North Carolina, including The Charlotte Observer and The State in Columbia.
With Edition, you can share stories with family and friends, adjust type size, seamlessly navigate between pages and stories, play puzzles and games, scan sports statistics and read a wealth of content from The Herald and many other outlets across the nation.
These changes are necessary for sustainability. The Herald has been and will continue to be here. With these changes, we are stronger today and positioned to remain so because we’ve adapted to the habits of our readers.
Whether you are a new or longtime subscriber, thank you for your support and appreciation for the important role journalism plays in a healthy democracy and community.
If you are not a subscriber, I ask that you consider joining us as we press forward with our community top of mind each day.
In the coming days, subscribers will receive correspondence from our customer service team regarding next steps. That team can be reached at 877-421-6397.
Want to learn more? Join us for an exclusive subscriber event in which you’ll hear more about this transition, get one-on–one help to maximize use of Edition and have your customer service-related questions answered.
What : Looking To The Future and Demystifying Digital
When: Wednesday, July 17
Time: 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Where: Charlotte Observer at The Launch Factory, 2459 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28208, Suite 310
How to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/rock-hill-herald-events-3495179
Rana L. Cash, Executive Editor
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