New e-Paper to debut Monday

Starting Monday, the latest issue of the Portales News-Tribune is a mouse-click away.

Freedom New Mexico is debuting its e-Paper feature, and is giving readers a 30-day free trial to test the online version of Freedom New Mexico’s three publications — the News-Tribune, the Clovis News Journal and the Quay County Sun.

A link to the e-Paper and registration is available at http://www.pntonline.com.

FNM New Media Director Daren Estrada said the e-Paper is a replica of the paper delivered to customers and available on newsstands, accessible via http://www.pntonline.com.

The e-Paper can be viewed and downloaded as a PDF, or Portable Document Format. The PDF format also allows readers to enter search terms for specific stories (i.e. “Portales Rams” or “Eastern New Mexico University”). Adobe Acrobat is required to view PDFs, but the program can be downloaded for free at the Web site.

Estrada said after the 30-day trial the e-Paper will be available to existing print subscribers for free.

“If someone just wants the e-Paper and nothing else, there are different subscription offers,” he said.

The e-Paper is not a replacement for the PNT Web site, which will still include breaking news, Web exclusives, discussion boards and other features.

“The purpose of the e-Paper is to better serve our readers,” Estrada said. “If there’s a weather delay and the papers are going out late, you can still access the e-Paper. It’s exactly what you get delivered to your doorstep.”

Estrada said the e-Paper also allows customers to cut and copy individual items for printing or e-mailing. For example, an engagement announcement or obituary could be printed onto card stock or photo paper for a higher quality reproduction than newsprint.