The biggest-selling daily newspaper north of the border has launched a new subscription-based website, with the aim of providing readers with breaking news as it happens.

The Press and Journal website has been designed for optimum functionality across web, mobile, and tablet platforms, and will complement its print edition.

It will focus on providing instant news to readers via a real-time stream of breaking news in the form of a timeline.

The Press and Journal’s website will have five key areas; home, business, lifestyle, news and sport.

Customers will be given the opportunity to tailor their timeline to contain topics or specific geographic areas that they are most interested in. Other website features include a ‘trending topics’ section, and exclusive video content.

Press and Journal Editor-in-Chief, Damian Bates (pictured) explained: “The nature of online reporting has changed and social media is now a main source of breaking stories for many people.

“Nobody can touch The Press and Journal’s coverage of the north of Scotland, and our new website has fantastic immediacy, providing readers with up-to-the-minute stories from a trusted source.

“The newspaper is still a central focus at The Press and Journal, and we have more readers now than we did five years ago.  This website will complement the print offering, and has been designed to offer our tech savvy readers instant access to the latest news, as and when they want it.”

The Press and Journal’s editorial team will use web-based open source system, Word Press.  The system provides reporters with the flexibility to upload stories and multimedia content directly to the website, and post short-form stories via social media from the office or remotely.

DC Thomson Head of Digital, Kirsten Morrison, said: “Journalists can post direct for both online and print; this is the first time DC Thomson has used a ‘digital first’ system.

“www.pressandjournal.co.uk will be a hub for up-to-the-minute news on the north of Scotland. The live news stream offers short sound bites of news, perfect for mobile and tablet users.”

Damian Bates added: “Our editorial team will be working hard to provide readers with an enhanced experience, bringing them exclusive content available only on the paid for platform.  Readers will have access to all of The Press and Journal’s regular editorial – news, business, lifestyle and sport – but with the added bonus of access to stories as they’re breaking and developing.”

The Press and Journal’s website will operate on a metered paywall basis, offering readers access to 10  free articles per month, after which time three subscription packages will be available.