Today’s Daily State News: ‘In Print. Online. For You.’

By Andrew West

DOVER — You likely noticed the new flag on the front page of today’s edition – Daily State News at BaytoBayNews.com.

It calls attention to what our newspaper is today and sums up our current approach to giving you the news and information you need.

In Print. Online. For You.

Yes, we still put words on paper multiple days a week.

But every day, we gather and share news and opinions at BaytoBayNews.com and now 7 days a week in the form of an e-newspaper.

We’re always looking for ways to reach readers where they are.

Today’s world demands that people access news whenever and wherever they wish.

Many of our readers start their day with Daybreak, a newsletter we send to thousands of readers.

Others casually connect with us on social media.

It’s all good, of course. We’re enjoying growth of our digital audience – particularly as the costs of printing and delivery have added to demands on our industry.

Modern readers have so many ways to stay connected. That’s why the cartoon with today’s column is so wonderful.

Our means of delivery has evolved, but our mission has not changed.

Today’s newspaper, as a good example, leads with news about how recreational marijuana laws impact businesses and municipalities.

We hope this issue, like so many others, helps guide community discussions.

In our style, we do not take side or share our views, but we do welcome yours.

We will always strive to have news, information and opinions that we curate with your support and participation.

All of it is intended to bring communities together.

It has been a long time, but we still recall the late Tammy Brittingham’s words.

“What’s exciting about our business is that I think we’re perfectly poised to be in the driver’s seat as the ‘new media’ takes shape,’’ said Ms. Brittingham, a former editor and publisher, in 1999.

“The Internet is overloaded with information, and it’s going to become more so. We also have much more informed and intelligent consumers. Someone will be there to help make sense of it all, to be sort of a gatekeeper, to sift through and find out what’s important for Dover, or Seaford or Lewes.

“In the newspaper business, we’ve been doing that for years in an ink-on-paper form. We have the people who know how to digest information and present it in a meaningful way.”

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“In Print. Online. For You. #NewspapersYourWay” is the theme for this year’s National Newspaper Week.

This is the 83rd year that Newspaper Association Managers has promoted it.

By coincidence, it starts today, just as we’re revealing the new flag and launching Monday and Saturday e-newspapers to fill the gaps created by changes to our print schedule last year.

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We’re hoping our current home delivery subscribers have signed up for access to the e-newspaper.

It comes at no additional cost to our home delivery and digital subscribers.

For readers who already get the e-newspaper, you’re already set.

Home delivery customers who do not yet have access should go to baytobaynews.com/login.html.

See the information under “Need an Account” to get started. For current home delivery customers, enter your last name and street address. Then follow the steps.

If you run into a problem, email customerservice@iniusa.org or call our Customer Service team at (302) 741-8298 during business hours this week and one of our staffers will walk you through the process.

Readers interested in starting a digital subscription can sign up at baytobaynews.com/subscribe-today.

For $5 per month or $55 per year, you will have access to our e-newspapers and content at BaytoBayNews.com.

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Our lead story in Monday’s Daily State News e-newspaper will be on vaccine availability in Delaware, and what the latest concerns are across the country.

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Let’s finish this off with a riddle for the occasion. It is best read aloud.

What’s black and white and red all over?

Pardon the homophone above. This classic needs the word play that editors so enjoy.

Checking the archives, I found that I used this 10 years ago in a National Newspaper Week column. Then I started to wonder whether your children or grandchilden will get it.

If not, you might consider a twist this editor found in a 1953 edition. A little girl offered the same riddle to an elder.

“A newspaper,” he said.

“Oh no it isn’t,” the little girl said. “A newspaper is black and white and r-e-a-d all over. I asked you what is black and white and r-e-d all over.

“Give up?”

He had no idea. She straightened him out.

“An embarassed zebra!”

Andrew West is editor-in-chief of the Daily State News and its sister publications on Delmarva.