Editorial: Three years of NZ Herald Premium subscriptions - journalism to be proud of

A Herald news conference in the NZME Central newsroom in Auckland. Photo / Michael Craig

EDITORIAL:

On this day in 2019, the New Zealand media landscape changed for the better.

It's been three years since the New Zealand Herald took the ambitious step of asking readers to pay for access to our best journalism by buying a Herald Premium digital subscription.

More than 140,000 people are now paying to read our expert reporting and commentary on national, business, sport, and political issues, along with engaging and informative entertainment and lifestyle features, as well as stories from leading global publishers such as the New York Times and Financial Times.

At the outset, managing editor Shayne Currie said: "We are the first of the major media businesses in New Zealand to launch digital subscriptions, and we are confident these will help fund quality journalism for many years to come."

We firmly believe that confidence has proved justified as we continue to deliver journalism we can all be proud of.

For two years, New Zealanders have been negotiating the uncharted paths of a global pandemic. The number of Kiwis struggling with poor mental well-being has risen sharply. In response to this, just last week we launched Great Minds, a major editorial project examining the state of our mental health.

This is only the latest in three years of groundbreaking reportage made possible by our business model. Much, much more is to come.

We are immensely grateful to you, our readers both online and of our newspapers, for your continued support and appreciation of our work.