The AJC’s new digital & iPad subscriptions: What you need to know
Q: What is new?
This fall, we began selling subscriptions to our digital products, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for iPad. We are also developing new digital products designed to work across all platforms, including Android devices.
Q: What is the Reader beta group?
A: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is developing a new app that will work with your gadget of choice. You're invited to offer feedback and suggestions on our new app. It's a great way to try new technology and share your ideas for our to-do list.
Q: How do I participate in the Reader beta group?
A: Join our Facebook group today at: www.facebook.com/groups/ajcinnovates
Q: What are the prices of your digital products?
If you are an existing print subscriber, the introductory prices are:
• Seven-day subscribers: iPad app and E-edition will be included as part of your existing subscription.
• Less than seven-day subscribers: Print plus Digital Combo (iPad app and E-edition every day): $2.99 monthly
• Sunday-only subscribers: Sunday print plus Digital Combo (iPad and E-edition every day): $15.98 monthly
If you are a new subscriber, the introductory prices are:
• For the iPad edition only: $9.99 monthly
• For the E-edition only: $9.99 monthly
• For a Sunday newspaper plus the Digital Combo (iPad and E-edition every day): $15.98 monthly
• For a print subscription: Visit ajcdelivers.com/combo today.
Q: What's the best deal?
Many new customers will find the Sunday newspaper plus iPad and E-edition to be an excellent value at $15.98. Subscribers get the Sunday newspaper delivered to their door, complete with all the sales circulars and weekly supplements such as Parade magazine. The other six days of the week customers may use their subscription to read the AJC using the E-edition on their desktop or laptop computers or the iPad edition on their iPads.
Q: What is the benefit of these new digital products and packages?
We’re offering customers a variety of options, as well as the convenience of viewing the AJC almost anywhere, at any time. Click here for a chart
Q: What can you tell me about your iPad app?
This app was developed for the AJC by Mercury Intermedia, the same company behind USA Today’s iPad app. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for iPad app carries news from the morning’s newspaper, plus updates throughout the day. We also provide a replica, which delivers eight days’ worth of page-by-page views of the newspaper, complete with advertisements. Most news organizations have chosen to offer one or the other -- our app offers both. Many of our current print customers are experimenting with tablet devices, but may still purchase a printed newspaper. We provide both options and let our customers decide which option fits their needs.
Q: I thought the iPad app was free. Why are you charging for it?
We announced a plan to sell subscriptions when we introduced the app in December 2010. However, after we launched, customers on our free trial told us the app needed improvements before they would consider buying a subscription. Since then, we’ve worked with our development team, as well as a focus group of readers, to add enhancements and features.
Q: What improvements have been made since the initial launch in December 2010?
• Push alerts for breaking news and weather.
• Full-size pictures
• Complete newspaper content via a replica edition. It's a page-by-page digital representation of that day's newspaper. The replica includes the previous seven days' editions.
• Video
• Traffic alerts
• Full-text email sharing of articles
• Weather report video from our partner, Channel 2 Action News
• Hot linking of story authors' names for emailing
• Pop-up overlay window so users are not taken off the app when they tap on an advertisement or links within articles
• Coming soon: an interactive crossword puzzle.
Q: Can I just purchase the iPad app in the Apple App Store?
Yes, you can purchase a subscription only to the AJC app. But you’ll find that the packages with the most value are available on our subscriber portal, ajcdelivers.com/combo.
Q: Does the AJC offer any free products for the iPad?
Yes, even though they aren't as complete as The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for iPad. Users can still download AJC Digest (formerly AJC Select), an iPhone app, from the Apple store and use it on their iPads. Also, they can visit www.ajc.com from their iPad browser. However, it’s important to note that the website and AJC Digest do not offer the complete newspaper.
Q: How will this work if I'm already using the AJC iPad app as a free product?
You’ll need to download a new version of the app. The existing app will continue to be updated until Tue., Nov. 22. After that, only the new version of the app will have current content. Starting Tuesday, Nov. 22, only the new Atlanta Journal-Constitution for iPad app will be available for purchase. To subscribe after the two-week countdown, visit ajcdelivers.com/combo.
Q: What is the E-edition?
The E-edition is a page-by-page newspaper replica that can be read on almost any desktop or laptop with an Internet connection. It also has breaking news updates during the day. Because it’s built in a programming language called Flash, the E-edition does not work on the iPad.
The E-edition makes it very simple to print out, e-mail or save articles.
Some of our print customers already may be familiar with the E-edition. During the ice storm earlier this year, we provided free access to people who could not get a newspaper delivered to their doorstep.
Q: Does this change suggest that you plan to cut back print to certain days of the week?
Absolutely not. Like many of our subscribers, we love the printed paper. Our goal is to present customers with a variety of ways to get an AJC subscription.
Q: What about your websites? Some newspapers are erecting pay walls or restricting the number of stories a non-paying user can see. Is that what’s happening here?
No. Right now, www.ajc.com and www.accessatlanta.com remain free. However, they do not offer all content from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, nor will they in the future. We intend to serve our free and paying customers, but we believe it's only fair to serve them differently.
Q: Where do you see this moving over the next few years?
We will continue to offer stories, photos and information to our readers in the ways they want it. For now, that means print, digital and print-digital subscription bundles.
Q: Where can I learn more or give the AJC my feedback?
We’ve been having a conversation about the iPad app with our customers for several months, and we welcome your feedback.
• Facebook: Go to the ajc.com Facebook page and click on the iPad in the left rail on the page, or follow this URL: http://www.facebook.com/#!/ajc.com?v=app_4949752878
• Email: Send an email to ipad@ajc.com
• To subscribe: Visit ajcdelivers.com/combo today.
Q: Who can I contact if I have a complaint or issue with the iPad app, E-edition or other digital products?
• AJC readers/subscribers: Contact Customer Care at 404-522-4141 or send an e-mail to digitalproducts@ajc.com.
• AJC advertisers: Contact BJ Sweeney at bjsweeney@ajc.com or 404-526-2815.
Q: What digital products are available for purchase?
New customers (those without an existing print subscription) can purchase:
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for iPad
• The E-edition
• A Sunday print + Digital Combo package that includes both the iPad and E-edition.
Existing print customers can add to their subscription:
• A Digital Bundle that includes both The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for iPad and The E-edition.
Q: Why can't non-print customers buy the Digital Combo being offered to print subscribers?
They can, with a Sunday printed newspaper. Non-print customers also can buy iPad or E-Edition individually for $9.99, respectively. To subscribe: Visit ajcdelivers.com/combo today.
Q: I’m already a print subscriber, why do I have to pay?
A benefit to our seven-day subscribers, the Digital Combo is included with the existing subscription. Subscribers who receive the paper less than seven days a week can add the Digital Combo for an additional $2.99 a month by visiting ajcdelivers.com/combo.
Q: As a current print subscriber, can I just buy the iPad OR E-edition?
As a courtesy to our seven-day subscribers, the Digital Combo is included with your subscription. For those who subscribe less than seven days a week, we offer a bundled discount for the Digital Combo (iPad and E-edition) at $2.99 a month. The stand-alone price of each item is $9.99. This pricing is intended to give the best deal to our existing print subscribers and make it easy for them to transition to digital options that best suit their schedules.
Q: Is the AJC planning any new products for other devices?
The AJC plans to make sure subscribers have options. With a development partner, we are in the initial stages of testing a web application intended to function on all tablet devices (iPads and Android tablets), and eventually desktops and laptops that use the most modern browsers.
This web app will combine the best of both worlds. In the app view, users can choose to read news from that morning’s printed newspaper or news updates as they are filed by reporters. In future iterations of this product, there will also be a newspaper replica view, should users want to see the morning paper, exactly as it appeared in print.
We intend to have this product available for subscribers by the New Year. It will be aimed at tablets with 7 and 10-inch screens initially.
On a tablet, it will function much like a dedicated app. All the smooth swiping and touch navigation features that users love will be available. The web app will not be downloaded from a web store, however. It will be available for download and purchase directly from the AJC on its own website. The Financial Times and Slate each have similar web applications.
This initiative takes advantage of a couple of the hottest trends in digital development: HTML5 and responsive design. In essence, the design "knows" what kind of device is being used and adjusts itself accordingly.
