Dear Matangi Tonga Readers,

What a year 2006 was for us all! Now, as we enter 2007 there is a lot more work to do and much debate and discussion on how we are developing our country for the future generations of Tonga.

During the past months and in the process of rebuilding our own organisation, we have been trying to find ways to improve our news services to our many readers from all over the world. Just last week we have introduced a system whereby the content of the Matangi Tonga Online is divided into three categories: Premium Content, Delayed Premium Content and Free Content.

To access the Premium Content area registered members will be required to pay an annual subscription in order to open the articles. We also offer shorter term subscriptions for casual users. Our Photo News will be in the Premium area.

In the Delayed Premium Content area, there will be free access for the first three days but after three days you will be required to have an active subscription to access the articles in this area. Our News articles will be in the Delayed Premium area.

The Free content area, will allow you free access, and you may still register as a member, but registration is optional for the free areas. Our readers Letters and Comments forum will always remain free and open.

When we activated the Matangi Tonga Online news website in 2003, it was a natural shift, following the government's suspension of our licence to publish the 18 year old Matangi Tonga news magazine. The print magazine never recovered from the blow. But since then the Matangi Tonga Online news website has grown to be a popular means of delivery and our audience has expanded far beyond the reach of our print magazine. The Tongan community worldwide is internet savvy, online and clicking. During the past 12 months our monthly hits (clicks) average has been 12 million from readers in 125 countries. The highest number of hits that we have ever received in one month was 19 million in November 2006.

Since 2003 we have been providing a Free news service, and as the reader activity has grown we have had to develop and upgrade the level of our delivery to support that.

Our strength has been our dedication to provide continual news coverage as events unfold in Tonga, but now in order to meet an insatiable demand from our readers who are keeping up with the rapid changes in Tonga, we want to expand and improve on our news coverage and we have been unable to do that with advertising revenues and donations.

Our new subscriber service will come into effect today February 12 and we hope that you will spare a few minutes to register as member so that you can continue to keep up with the news from Tonga on Tonga's leading news website, the Matangi Tonga Online.

'Ofa atu,

Pesi Fonua

Publisher/Editor

Matangi Tonga Online