Since last week, WEHCO Media staff has been working with News-Times subscribers to hand out iPads that come with subscriptions to the newspaper and train readers on the News-Times app.
Earlier this month, the News-Times announced our conversion to a digital format, with continued daily coverage offered through our digital replica newspaper, along with the Sunday print edition.
The digital replica is available through the News-Times app, which is free in the Apple and Google Play stores and is available for any mobile device. Readers can also access the replica at eldoradonews.com.
On June 16, WEHCO staff made their way from Northwest Arkansas, where the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette also recently went digital, to El Dorado to show readers all the functionality of the News-Times app.
The El Dorado Conference Center had a steady trickle of readers coming for training and to pick up their iPad Tuesday afternoon. All trainings and pick-ups are by appointment to help promote public health as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Brad Bryan said he’d seen about 20 people an hour after the training opened at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Appointments generally last about 15 minutes before readers are walking out the door with their iPads.
“It’s going pretty good,” Bryan said. “We’ve also got a team door-knocking for those we haven’t been able to reach by phone yet.”
Decked out in face masks and bright orange gloves, the training team sat at tables six feet apart with no more than one or two subscribers, all members of the same households, to show them the interactive features of the newspaper’s app.
Jeff, from Little Rock, trained Jamie Gunter, who said she’s been a subscriber for years.
“I walk around with my phone in my hand all the time anyway, so digital is fine for me,” Gunter said. “It’s gotten to the point where I don’t read the paper newspaper anymore.”
He walked Gunter through the various interactive features of the digital replica, which include the ability to zoom into articles or increase the size of text; to watch videos or view photo galleries with just a click; to have articles read aloud; and interactive puzzles, which were introduced in Wednesday’s edition.
“I like that instead of cutting pictures and articles out, I can just copy and paste them,” Gunter said. “And I like being able to click the article and open it up.”
Bryan said home appointments can also be reserved for those who would rather not come to the Conference Center for their iPad and training. When they’re not providing training to WEHCO newspaper subscribers, Bryan said the training staff works from home to stay healthy.
He said the response from subscribers who have come to the Conference Center has been positive.
“Their original thinking a lot of times is that it’s going to be a website instead of a replica that’s interactive,” Bryan said. “Once they try it out, they usually like it.”
The News-Times will go digital at the start of August. At that time, subscription prices will increase to $28; for current subscribers, the price will only increase at $1 each month until they reach $28, starting when they renew their subscription for the first time post-conversion.
“We’re so excited to continue providing daily community news along with all the other features the replica offers,” said News-Times General Manager Rita Hamilton, who also attended a training session. “Those who have attended the trainings at the Conference Center so far have seemed to be pleased with all the replica can do. I hope all of our subscribers will give the replica a try and call our staff for a training appointment.”
To make an appointment at the Conference Center or request a home visit, call 870-444-4878. The WEHCO team will continue to offer trainings today from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday, as well as home visits through August.