Editorial

Textcaster Comes To Town

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Recently, I noted that this newspaper is, and will be under going changes within the pages.

One of the new things that is taking place now is the addition of the new Textcaster Alert System.

Ever since the 2009 Ice Storm, I felt kind of useless in not being able is alert folks of the latest news. With all the latest technology, I should have been able to do something. Now we can. And, No, I do not want an Ice Storm to come so I can use it.

This is a Free service now available for cell phone users and other digital devises that you can receive your email.

You now can be added to a growing list of options for residents who wish to be kept informed of events through a newly-developed system called Textcaster.

By utilizing a user-friendly registration process on the Portageville Missourian-News' website at pymonews.com, residents have an opportunity to register, at no charge, to receive text messages on their cell phones in a number of categories that include breaking news, headline news, sports scores and now, emergency situations, and eventually school situations. Once a user signs up to receive text messages relating to school emergency situations, such as weather-forced closings, altered bus routes due to high water or weather-related conditions, or any situation deemed to be serious in nature that would merit community notification, they will receive these messages in a timely fashion as details are released to the Portageville Missourian-News.

The Portageville School District currently utilizes a parent notification system, whereby parents are notified by phone of scheduled days off for students, and other special events and this system will remain in use by the school system. The Textcaster system will additionally inform parents who perhaps cannot take a phone call at work, but have access to a text message on their cell phones.

By logging onto the website and choosing any category for which users wish to receive notice, residents will instantly be included on this state-of-the-art notifications system.

Cell phone numbers will not be released for any purpose and the Portageville Missourian-News will be the sole user of these numbers.

Textcaster is offered as a free service to users. There is no charge to register and there is no charge from the newspaper to receive messages. Users should be aware, however, that their cell phone provider may charge a nominal fee for text messages received, unless they have a text package included in their cell phone contract.

Any questions regarding the use of Textcaster should be directed to the Portageville Missourian-News at 573-379-5355 and not the local school system, since the operation of the system is the responsibility of the newspaper and not the schools.

The other item is new advertising deadlines for classified ads and display ads. It is now 10 AM Mondays!

The reasoning behind this, our printing department is now printing the Portageville Missourian-News at night time Tuesday or early Wednesday morning. It is also delivered to the Portageville Post Office early Wednesday morning for delivery.

Additionally, with the ad composing and billing systems in place, we MUST have all display advertising copy in by 10 AM Monday, so we may log the correct ad sizes and amounts to our billing department no later than 12 NOON Mondays.

This is a new policy handed down and will need to be strictly enforced. We can no longer takes notices or ads after 10 AM Monday for that week's publication. It will have to go in the following week's.

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