AHOSKIE – For over 100 years, the pages of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald have included information that our readers have trusted to be fair, accurate, and timely.

Beginning in 1914, RCNH reporters have covered the news and offered insightful opinions that shape our little slice of heaven here in the northeastern North Carolina. In the decades to follow, we’ve invested time and money to keep abreast of the ever-changing face of the newspaper industry.

One of our most important investments is our online presence (www.r-cnews.com). Since its birth in 2005, we have witnessed a steady increase of online readers, leading us to invest even more time and dollars to keep our website as the number one source of local news and information to those who do not subscribe to our print product.

It is no secret that online news, while opening up a world of possibilities to reach a wider audience than we have before, does not bring in the same revenue publishers have traditionally received from their print output.

There is an expectation among some that online news should be completely free, but it costs money to produce and that attitude is unsustainable in the long run. Collectively, hundreds of hours of work go in to our print and online output every week.

Effective June 26, we will be asking you to pay a small fee (20 cents per article) to read some of our premium content online. Before you stop in your tracks and balk at this plan, please read on.

We have partnered with Axate, a world leader in paid online news sites. Please note that this is not a subscription service, rather a pay-as-you-go plan. And we’re making that plan more appealing by offering our online readers a special introductory offer. Pay 20 cents to read one  premium article, then read other premium articles on our site for free for the remainder of the day. Also, after registering where you will set up your Axate wallet, we will double the initial amount of money you place in your wallet ($3, $5 or $8) as another special offer for a limited time.

Registration is quick and easy, and required only once. Simply set up your Axate “wallet” and continue to enjoy the premium content on our website.

Please note that not all content on our website is considered premium. The obits, Community Calendar, classifieds, and public notices will remain free.

Additionally, our print subscribers will be given a code that will allow them free access to our entire website.

Thanks for considering the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald as your leading source of information for Bertie, Gates, Hertford, and Northampton counties.

To learn more, visit www.axate.com/roanokechowannewsherald-faqs