A guide to your new State newspaper
Dear reader,
You will notice important changes today to The State and how we present the newspaper to you.
It’s part of a fresh initiative to sharpen and organize our content in the printed newspaper even as we enhance written and visual storytelling across our digital platforms, from desktops to smart phones to laptops and tablets. Upgrades to the digital experience are under way and will be introduced throughout the year. As always, you can find online coverage at thestate.com and gogamecocks.com.
Overall, we are improving navigation of the newspaper while emphasizing the content you value most: local and state news, analysis, sports, entertainment and things to do.
Among the changes:
News comes first. All local, state, nation and world news is consolidated in the first section of the newspaper. We continue to emphasize local and S.C. news on Page A1, and we’ve moved the Metro page to Page A3, where it will appear daily and Sunday. You will continue to find information and news about lotteries and celebrities on Page A2.
Sports and Business, together. Starting today, you will find the Business page nearest the back of the daily and Sunday Sports section. This delivers Business in a consistent location, which had not been the practice in the past.
A new section: “Palmetto.” Starting today, the daily “Palmetto” section debuts, giving extra attention to the stories that make South Carolina a special place. You’ll find a range of S.C.-centric topics, from personality profiles to history to food, and more. The Palmetto section will feature work from The State’s best storytellers, as well as articles from newspapers across the state: Myrtle Beach, Greenville, Spartanburg, Hilton Head, Rock Hill, Florence, Anderson and Sumter. No other publication offers such a one-stop shop for S.C. news and information.
You’ll find our Editorial page in the Palmetto section each Tuesday through Friday, an expanded package of letters and opinions on Monday, and two pages of editorials and commentary on Sunday.
Inside the Palmetto section Monday through Saturday, you’ll find two pages dedicated to comics, puzzles, advice columnists and daily TV listings. (Our normal comics section will be included separately on Sunday.)
In addition, Palmetto’s back page is home to the daily “Go Columbia” entertainment guide and the Weather package. Finally, the Palmetto section includes daily obituaries and notices that commemorate the lives of our families, neighbors and loved ones.
A second new section: “Go Columbia.” Our new “Go Columbia” section – available on Thursdays – gives you a jump-start on the weekend, providing stories and calendars to plan your entertainment in Columbia and the Midlands. We introduced the section last week, and the second issue can be found in today’s newspaper and at selected racks and locations. The State no longer will produce the Weekend section, previously delivered on Friday. Ongoing, urgent coverage of things to do and entertainment can be found at GoColumbia.com.
Sunday News and Sports “Extras.” Our Sunday edition will include an additional section for News and an additional section for Sports. In each, our reporters and editors will provide a “deeper dive” into the news through analysis and enterprise reporting.
That’s a summary.
We will keep you posted about upcoming changes and improvements.
Thank you for being loyal and engaged readers. As always, your opinions are welcome.
Email feedback to Executive Editor Mark E. Lett at mlett@thestate.com
This story was originally published February 11, 2015 at 8:51 PM with the headline "A guide to your new State newspaper."