Editor Carlos Sanchez’s column in the Sunday paper announced a change in the way your hometown newspaper does business in cyberspace. Now it’s time to answer some frequently asked questions.

As of Sept. 15, the full-service menu of the Tribune-Herald ’s online edition, wacotrib.com, will be accessible to paying readers only. In the past, readers of our print edition have paid for the privilege, while online-only readers received all Trib content free of charge.

In the early days of the Internet, managers of the Trib and most other newspapers assumed this was a feasible business model. The thinking was that advertising dollars would be sufficient to fund our limited online efforts.

As the Internet has evolved and become more sophisticated, readers’ expectations for the medium have increased, however. No longer is it acceptable for a newspaper to merely post its print content. Now an Internet news site is expected to be updated constantly and to have additional content that amplifies and expands upon our print editions.

All this means increased costs for producing and packaging our news and features. No longer can we — or should we — expect our loyal print subscribers to buy a ticket while online-only readers ride for free.

So, what will our readers receive through the Trib’s new OnlinePlus edition as of Sept. 15?

* Complete access to all locally produced news stories.

* Complete access to The Data Source, our growing one-stop shop of public data and other useful records for McLennan County.

* Our enhanced sports package, including text alerts for sports scores should you opt in to that feature.

* Complete access to e-Trib, our digital replica edition that brings to you the look and feel of the Waco Tribune-Herald in a digital format, viewable from anywhere you travel and usable on many electronic tablets such as Kindle®.

* Complete access to our mobile wacotrib.com application for smart phones.

What if I’m not a print subscriber?

You can subscribe and become a seven-day-a-week online-only subscriber for $9.95 a month. You will not receive print delivery but will have full access to OnlinePlus. Just click Subscribe in the navigation bar and follow the instructions.

Do I need a regular subscription to gain access to OnlinePlus?

No. We also offer day passes for the casual or occasional reader for $1.99 per day. When you click on content that requires a subscription, you’ll be directed to a page that will give you the option of selecting a day pass.

Will everything on wacotrib.com be a part of OnlinePlus?

Nonsubscribers will continue to have free access to some online features at wacotrib.com, including:

* All locally produced obituaries.

* All state, national and world stories produced by the Associated Press.

* All photo slide shows.

* All advertising content.

How do I find my account number?

All current subscribers should receive a letter with their account number and registration instructions by Thursday. Your account number also can be found in the lower left corner of your billing statement, or you can request your account number be e-mailed to you by accessing Subscriber Services from the Customer Service pull-down menu in our navigation bar.

How do I register/access OnlinePlus?

For seven-day-a-week print subscribers: Simply click the Register button in the upper right corner of the home page, enter your account number on the registration page, then enter your e-mail address and choose a password for your login and you will be registered and logged in. Once registered, for future visits all you’ll have to do is log in using the e-mail and password that you provided.

For less than seven-day-a-week print subscribers: Click the Register button in the upper right corner of the home page and enter your account number on the registration page. You’ll be redirected to a page that will give you an option to upgrade (no payment is required at this time). Click upgrade, fill out the upgrade form on the next page and click upgrade again.

Then enter your e-mail address and choose a password for your login and you’ll be registered and logged in. Once registered, for future visits all you’ll have to do is log in using the e-mail and password that you provided.

For wacotrib.com readers who are not print subscribers: Simply click Subscribe in the navigation bar, then choose a subscription package (online only is an option) and follow the instructions. After completing the payment process, you will be logged in and have immediate access to OnlinePlus. Once registered, for future visits all you’ll have to do is log in using the e-mail and password that you provided.

If you only wish to have access for a day, click on the OnlinePlus content and you’ll be directed to a page that will give you the option of selecting a day pass. After completing the payment process, you will be logged in and have immediate access to OnlinePlus for a full 24-hour period.

How can I make a payment online?

You will need to log in and must be registered first. After registering, you can follow on-screen instructions if provided, or access the Make a Payment screen from the Customer Service pull-down menu in our navigation bar. You’ll need to log in to make future payments.

How can I access online content if I don’t want to receive print delivery?

You can subscribe monthly online only or buy a day pass for 24-hour access. For a monthly subscription, simply click Subscribe in the navigation bar, then choose a subscription package (online only is an option) and follow the instructions. After completing the payment process, you will be logged in and have immediate access to OnlinePlus.

If you only wish to have access for one day, click on the OnlinePlus content and you’ll be directed to a page that will give you the option of selecting a day pass. After completing the payment process, you’ll be logged in and have immediate access to OnlinePlus for a 24-hour period.

If you have any other questions, please call our customer service department at 254-757-5800.

The Trib family is proud of its role as the primary source for news and information for Waco. We look forward to covering our community and being an important part of its growth and success in the years ahead. And we look forward to your continued readership — both in print and online.

Thank you for your support.

Donnis Baggett is publisher of the Waco Tribune-Herald.

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