The sun came up this morning.
At least I hope it did. If not, you’re probably not reading this column and we’ve got bigger issues to deal with.
It’s been a week since the Aiken Standard announced it would switch delivery of our printed newspaper to the U.S. Postal Service. The world hasn’t come to an end.
In case you missed the news, here’s a brief recap: Starting Tuesday, June 4, the newspaper will be delivered directly to mailboxes via same day mail.
That means for those who get the print edition, no more worries about your paper being put in the wrong place or getting wet from rain or sprinklers. That happened to me one day earlier this week when my paper landed in a flower bed on a day the sprinklers went off.
The obvious problem with mail delivery is the delivery time. Most of us get our mail after noon, with many of us (including me) receiving it late in the day. I had a nice lady approach me at church last weekend and she told me she’d be reading her paper late at night.
Most of the hue and cry I’ve received from subscribers is of that nature. They want their paper first thing in the morning. I get it; I’ve made reading the paper part of my morning routine for years.
There’s an obvious solution: go digital.
You can still keep your print edition and benefit from the extras, including money-saving flyers, manufacturer’s coupons and the weekly TV book.
But with digital access you can reach the Aiken Standard’s content in many ways, including our website, app and social media channels. Yes, you can download puzzles and games and print them out.
We will continue to produce a print product five days per week — Tuesday through Saturday — and we will have a replica e-paper each day of the week.
Speaking of the e-paper, we recently switched up the way it is produced. If you haven’t done so already, you need to download our new app — look for the blue background with PC in the middle — and that will give you access.
Despite a marketing campaign and multiple reminders, many readers didn’t get the memo and were confused when the e-paper didn’t work properly. We’ve had many readers drop by our office or call for help, and we’re happy to help you navigate.
I picked up a pizza at one of our favorite local restaurants the other night, and ran into a couple who have been loyal subscribers for decades. The gentleman informed me there was an issue with navigating from page to page on the new app.
Sure enough, I tried it out the next morning and had the same problem. I contacted our folks in Charleston, and they assured me a “fix” is in the works. A new version of the app is waiting to be approved in the Apple store, she said.
Another longtime reader stopped by and was having difficulty downloading the new app to her Kindle. Unfortunately, I learned that we no longer support Kindle but the e-paper can be read via browser on your desktop, tablet or mobile devices.
I appreciate the feedback. Without it, we might not be aware of issues like the ones I described above. Readers who have any questions or need to speak with a customer service representative, please call Subscriber Services at 803-871-4412 or email us at circulation@aikenstandard.com. You are also welcome to visit us at our office on Rutland Drive during business hours.
As I mentioned last week, our mission of being the area’s trusted local source for news and information won’t change. We’ll still be telling stories that you won’t get anywhere else.
We will still have the latest news and information. If you can’t wait for your paper to arrive in the mail, check us out on your digital devices.
Thanks for reading.
