ROANOKE, Va. – Welcome to a faster, more modern WSLS.com
Starting Tuesday, you’ll notice changes as we’ve made a series of updates, mostly behind the scenes, to get you news and weather wherever you are, faster than ever.
You’ll see a new, modern design created to reduce page load times 300% over our old design. The improved performance saves you time and battery life while checking your go-to source for local news and information.
The most exciting changes are ones you can’t see – at least, not yet. Our design team implemented a new system that allows for faster innovation, meaning we’ll be continuously improving WSLS.com to meet your needs. (Have an idea? We’d love to hear it.) Day to day, the news team now has more flexibility to report news, from breaking stories with livestreams to data-driven deep-dive reporting.
Our release notes on the new design are below. Do you have feedback on the changes? Share them here. The design team will read every submission, so please take a minute to offer your input.
In this update, we decreased load times, improved mobile display and laid the foundation for rapid improvements in the future. Here’s what exactly you can expect:
Faster load times
WSLS.com now loads 300% faster thanks to a refreshed design and a new back end system. Our team’s design experts worked through numerous iterations to reduce load times, saving you time and battery life.
Improved video
Our new video player improves quality, speed and reliability for livestreams and video on demand. You can watch WSLS newscasts live, or replays for stories on the site 24/7.
Easier-to-find stories
Our new site menus will help you find the local news that matters to you faster than ever. Navigation is one of the most common complaints we received. We hope this new site makes it easier to find news that’s important to you.
New weather page
We’re excited for our new weather page, which will help keep you safe during extreme weather, explain local conditions and help you plan for the hours and days ahead.
FAQs
Q: Why did you change your website?
A: We continuously make enhancements to give our readers a better experience. It’s our goal to provide you with the best possible journalism wherever you prefer.
Q: What looks different?
A: The entire site moved to a new font system, and article pages have a new design that better fit mobile devices.
Q: What else changed?
A: You may notice a design refresh across all pages, including the home page at: WSLS.com.
Q: Will everything from the site today still be available?
A: Yes. All stories, photos and video migrated over from our old site.
Q: What about my existing bookmarks and links? Will they still work?
A: Yes, your bookmarks and links should automatically redirect. If you find a link that’s not working, please let us know by emailing news@wsls.com
Q: Will I have to change my username and password?
A: No, you will continue to log in with your current user ID and password. The site should remember you
Q: Will the new site remember me or will I need to login again?
A: The site should remember you. Having trouble? You can contact us to help.