All the News that's fit to delay!

Note: Stories online will be posted two days after they are available in
print. To have a subcription delivered to you daily, call 250-624-6781. -- An advisory posted on the Daily News website on Saturday evening...
.
The grand experiment of Internet publishing at the Daily News has been given a revision it seems, with the announcement posted on their newly created and much trumpeted website that as of today, all news stories posted on the Daily News site will be on a two day delay, two days after the stories have first appeared in the print version.
.
While we're quite sure that they aren't too concerned with our thoughts on their decision, we do find the whole idea of putting the news of the day on the back burner a tad strange.
.
Clearly it seems, that paper isn't yet comfortable with the idea of the Internet and it's place in the world of newspapers, but their decision to delay their material seems to be a minority opinion in the world of journalism these days.
.
Whether it's the largest papers of the world, or some of the smaller of the weekly variety, most if not all refrain from the idea of post dating the news. Perhaps the best example locally of a print publication that has embraced the Internet without fear and made good use of it, is the Daily News competition in town the Northern View.
.
Rather that wait to put the news out in their paper, they instead have frequently been breaking news on their website, offering up the details of the story and promising further information in the print edition when it comes out on its weekly schedule.
.
The important thing there is that more and more people are finding their website to be perhaps one of the best reference points when something of importance happens in town, they gain a foothold on the story with their Web Extras and frequent updates to their website.
.
The problem with the idea of delaying the news by two days is that in a number of past cases the Daily, with the need for a fixed deadline for publication, has been behind the news curve already. Sometimes with delays of two or three days before an item of interest in town has made it to their pages, with a further delay of two days for the Internet version, you have to wonder just how relevant their website will really be now and whether anyone will be inclined to take the time to read those stories.
.
Even more interesting will be if we notice that their sister publication in Prince George, The Citizen continues to feature their stories on their on line service. That paper in the very competitive Prince George media market has no qualms about providing the news of the day on the day it happens. In fact in recent days, the Prince George site has been better at updating the Rupert news (through the Daily News reporters) than the local website has been.
.
Beyond the occasional review of the Citizen's website, or the Northern View's efforts, a handy use of the Google News feature can sometimes provide Rupertites with the details on some of the items that they may be seeking, a habit that could very well make waiting for the paper and then its Internet version unnecessary, leaving it to the online options to take the lead in the information flow.
.
Many in the newspaper business fear the Internet and where it may be leading newspapers, perhaps to its demise, maybe that's what is at the root of the decision at the Daily News. But you have to think that maybe their missing an opportunity here, not only to increase the circulation of their print product but to improve their relevance in the community, a strong online product that makes readers want to seek it out could go a long way to helping cushion the blows of declining print fortunes.
.
Offering up a presence that offers up news well after it's importance has passed just seems like a strange way of showcasing your strengths.