As the New Zealand Herald enters its fourth week since launching Premium we remain deeply committed to producing the highest quality business, political and investigative journalism, and insightful analysis and commentary.

Herald journalists have provided searing accounts of failings in our health system, in-depth analysis of how our government is performing, insightful commentary on everything from politics to the economy - and much more.

These stories hold true to the New Zealand Herald's guiding principles of the past 156 years: speaking truth to power, giving a voice to those who need help, and making a difference for countless New Zealanders.

We're delighted with the response since we launched our digital subscriptions - welcome to all of our new subscribers: your support in our quest to find new revenue streams to help support the future of quality journalism is deeply appreciated.

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While many of the stories and videos on nzherald.co.nz remain free, we believe the very best journalism and commentary deserves a premium. And not just from the Herald, either.

As part of the new packages, digital subscribers have access to a selection of the very best journalism from some of the world's most famous mastheads – we've partnered up with the New York Times, the Financial Times, the Harvard Business Review and The Times, and renewed our commitments with the Washington Post, Daily Telegraph UK and South China Morning Post.

Premium means exclusive, unique, quality journalism. It's smart writing, indepth analysis, thought-provoking commentary and ground-breaking investigative work. Premium journalism applies across business, politics, news, sport, lifestyle and entertainment. It's the main centres and regional New Zealand. It's new voices, more diverse opinion, and journalism that explains and offers solutions.

Here are six frequently asked questions (and answers).

1. How much is a subscription?

For $5 a week - and $2.50 a week for the first eight weeks as a special introductory offer - our digital subscribers can access an incredible range of investigative stories, indepth analysis and commentary, and an expanded range of journalism from international mastheads including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph (UK) and The Times (UK).

Digital subscribers can also opt for an annual $199 subscription, saving $61. That's just 55 cents a day.

For new subscribers, it's easy - and cheap - to subscribe. Simply go here.

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2. Do print subscribers have access to Premium?

Our five-, six- and seven-day NZ Herald and regional newspaper subscribers have automatic, free access to Premium. Those with weekend or part-week newspaper subscriptions receive a discount.

Print subscribers have received emails explaining how to activate their subscription.

3. How do I find Premium stories?

While much of our journalism, including breaking and "commodity" news, will remain free on nzherald.co.nz, you'll be able to easily recognise a Premium story - it's tagged with a gold "Premium" label.

As well as the Premium articles highlighted on our nzherald.co.nz homepage, here's some easy bookmarks to delve into the brilliant range of articles:

• OUR PREMIUM LANDING PAGE, the gateway to all of our indepth content, across the board

• PREMIUM WORLD, including the New York Times, The Times (UK), Financial Times, Daily Telegraph (UK), Harvard Business Review and Washington Post

• PREMIUM BUSINESS

• PREMIUM POLITICS

• PREMIUM SPORT

Premium articles will also feature heavily on the homepages of our business, politics, news, world, sport, lifestyle and entertainment sections and on each of our five regional newspaper websites - the Northern Advocate, Bay of Plenty Times, Rotorua Daily Post, Whanganui Chronicle, and Hawke's Bay Today.

Once you've signed up as a subscriber, you can also receive the best news and business Premium content in your inbox each day - simply by going into your settings on the website, and ticking the Premium newsletters box.

4. Why have we launched Premium?

It's no secret that the media industry, the world over, is facing headwinds. It's no different in New Zealand.

Digital subscriptions open a new revenue stream for us to help fund the future of quality journalism.

While the majority of the content on nzherald.co.nz will remain free - this is critical as we also support a mass-market model for our readers and advertisers - we believe it is important that we place a stake in the ground to help support the very best, unique and exclusive journalism.

It's not cheap to fund quality journalism - it takes time, resource and effort to expose the truth, make a difference and fight for the public. Your digital subscription will help fund our newsrooms well into the future, just as our loyal print subscribers have done for the past century (and in the case of the NZ Herald, for the past 156 years).

5. Why can't I see Premium journalism on the Herald app?

When you become a signed-up subscriber - and activate your account - you'll also start seeing the Premium content on the NZ Herald app. For now, non-subscribers can't see or access Premium content on the app.


Nine premium articles - in case you missed them


- Political editor Audrey Young reveals the special crew that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern turns to most: Meet Jacinda Ardern's inner circle - the people she relies on most

- Business editor at large Liam Dann provides some insight into how New Zealand's economy is performing: Is NZ's economy in trouble? Here are the top five indicators

- Senior writer David Fisher takes a look at a fascinating slice of our secret history and the tensions of the nuclear-free movement: Project Doris: When France secretly built a beacon on NZ soil to target nukes

- Investigative reporter Carolyne Meng-Yee on the life of the man who allegedly stormed into two Christchurch mosques and killed 51 Muslim worshippers: The unremarkable town where Brenton Tarrant grew up: Accused Christchurch gunman's family, friends scared of retribution

- Health reporter Emma Russell kicked off a five-part series on how cancer patients are being failed by the health system with this article: Cancer sufferers wait up to six months for treatment - 'it's costing lives'

- Investigative report Nicholas Jones continued the NZ Herald Fair Care investigation with this article on rising amputation rates from diabetes: Our amputation shame: Thousands of NZers lose limbs to diabetes

- Sports reporter Dylan Cleaver's special investigation into contact sports: Special Herald investigation: Children under 12 should not play contact sport, warn top US experts, and reflections on the matter here: Why I've changed my mind about kids and contact sport

- Simon Wilson's analysis of John Tamihere's mayoral campaign thus far: The port, transport and Tamihere's promises

- Investigative reporter Kirsty Johnston's report on "ruthless" cuts to disability funding: Limited showers, no meal prep: 'Ruthless' plans to cut disabled care revealed