Get ready, readers. Digital-only Saturdays kick off Jan. 25

It’s not a secret — news organizations have been in financial trouble since the advent of the internet, when Craigslist first offered free online classified ads, and now when behemoth tech companies such as Google and Facebook vacuum up most of the online advertising dollars.

Newspapers haven’t tried to keep that financial strain under wraps — I’ve been known to share our difficult situation with local organizations as well as unsuspecting people I meet at the grocery store. Still, you might be among those who still believe local news media are doing well financially.

Let me be clear: That’s not the case. While The Olympian isn’t going anywhere, we have had to work harder to continue serving this community as we have downsized, cut budgets, and found efficiencies.

Beginning Saturday, Jan. 25, we will no longer print and deliver copies of the Saturday paper. Instead, the Saturday “paper” will be available through our electronic edition, which replicates the experience of a printed newspaper on your computer, tablet or phone. Beyond that, we will continue to publish local news to theolympian.com, our app and our social media platforms.

This will happen every Saturday going forward — we are calling them Digital Saturdays. Every other day of the week, the newspaper will still be printed — and delivered, if you have home delivery. The eEdition, which we already create every day for digital readers, will continue to be created every day as well.

In the Saturday eEdition, you’ll find local news, sports, an opinion page, comics, puzzles, weather and TV listings, but no advertising.

You’ll also find expanded print papers on Fridays and Sundays.

On Fridays, you’ll get:

• A new themed section called “Uplift” with features stories that are inspirational or motivational.
• Both Friday’s and Saturday’s TV listings, so you can plan ahead.
• Many of the classified advertisements that would have appeared in the Saturday paper, including the Real Estate section.

In Sunday’s paper, you’ll get the Saturday comics and puzzles as well as the Sunday comics.

If you haven’t activated your digital account or viewed the eEdition yet, you may be surprised when you do. In the eEdition, you’ll find dozens of ExtraExtra pages full of sports scores, national and international news and more. I urge you to give it a try before Saturday.

We’re investing in the eEdition and our digital products so we can continue to provide the local news Thurston County needs, such as weather stories focused on South Sound, not Seattle; coverage of actions by your city council, county commission and state legislature; features about upcoming entertainment and community events right here in Olympia; and stories about homeless encampments, flu outbreaks, wildlife sightings, and business comings and goings that other media won’t provide.

Essential journalism shines light on problems in the community, such as housing affordability and homelessness. It keeps you informed when a snowstorm is shutting down roads and schools. It also provides context, perspective and background through editorials that focus a South Sound lens on local issues.

The Olympian is not the same as it was 20 years ago — but our lives are nothing like they were then either. For one thing, most of us now carry a powerful digital device in our pockets that easily connects us with unfathomable volumes of information. For good or bad, the digital age is here, and we are all adapting.

So here’s my plea: Stick with The Olympian. Give Digital Saturday a try, and see all the additional content we provide in our eEdition. (None of it needs to be recycled either.) Subscribe — either in print or online — and support local journalism, so we can continue to provide the information you need.

If you’re already a subscriber, thank you for supporting the work we do. Our growing community deserves a strong local news source, and The Olympian has been that source for nearly as long as Olympia has been on the map. Your support means we can continue to support this community.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns related to Digital Saturdays and the new delivery method, please give us a call at 800-905-0296 or email us at customerservice@theolympian.com. We will do everything possible to ensure your satisfaction.