Gaston Gazette to provide best data to paid subscribers

The following excerpt announcement was sent out from Gaston Gazette’s Bill Poteat:

Back in December, just a few days before Christmas, I sat down with World War II veteran Herman Beaty at his home in Cramerton and talked about another Christmas.

The Christmas of 1944. The Christmas he was a lonely, frightened foot soldier about to march into the Battle of the Bulge against the forces of Nazi Germany.

From that conversation came a story for The Gazette’s front page. A story that was crafted with care and with pride and with a sense of responsibility to properly recount Mr. Beaty’s service to our country.

Our faithful readers who subscribe to our print product paid to read that story. So too did those folks who have purchased an online subscription. But most people, either via our website or through shares on Facebook, read it for free.

Freely read also, by most people, have been our stories on the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the wounding of Gastonia police officers in a nightclub shooting, and our coverage of the candidates and the issues in the 2020 elections.

I could go on and on, but my point is this: no business can remain in business by giving away its best product for free, whether that product is shoes, fried chicken, or ladies’ dresses. A price must be paid.

And, beginning Monday, these are the types of stories — our best product — which will be available only to our paid subscribers.

Why the change? We need readers to subscribe. Your financial support is vital to sustaining local journalism.