Readers of The Gasconade County Republican will see some changes beginning with the March 11 edition as new print deadlines and an increased online reporting presence take effect.

Due to circumstances beyond local control, printing schedules have been moved to earlier in the week. As a result, The Republican will now operate on an earlier Tuesday print schedule, a policy that applies to all six publications within Warden Publishing.

While the earlier deadlines may limit how late-breaking content appears in print, the change also creates new opportunities to deliver news in a more timely manner through expanded online coverage. However, public submissions such as obituaries and advertisements are under new constraints as well. The new deadline for advertisements will be at the end of business on Friday and all obituaries will need to be submitted by 10 a.m. on Monday.

Jacob Warden, Warden Publishing manager, said the goal is to use the adjustment to move further into an emerging technology model while continuing to serve readers with accurate and relevant local news.

“This is a change that many area newspapers have already made, and I believe our staff is ready to take on this challenge,” Warden said. “Our website is already set up to allow us to post stories that only subscribers will be able to access until print editions come out. This is the future of smaller town media, and we will continue to work to make sure the information we provide our communities is relevant and timely.”

Under the new schedule, The Republican will be largely completed by Monday, with final proofing completed Tuesday morning. Stories that are not proofed and ready by 5 p.m. on Monday will not appear in that week’s print edition. Because of this, readers can expect to see more meeting coverage, event reporting, and community updates published online throughout the week rather than waiting for the weekly paper.

Although the earlier deadlines may limit how much current news can be included in each print edition, Warden said the overall result will be more consistent and frequent updates for subscribers.

In many cases, online articles will be available exclusively to subscribers until the print edition is released, providing earlier access to local news while preserving the value of the printed paper.

An online only subscription of The Gasconade County Republican is available for $25, while a print subscription for residents inside Gasconade County is $40 and includes all online access.