Readers of The Straits Times will now enjoy more exclusive, award-winning content - from in-depth commentaries to first-hand reporting by ST correspondents in Asia and around the world - when they take up a subscription.

They can also choose from new subscription plans being offered from today. Depending on the package they sign up for, they can enjoy unlimited access to stories delivered by the newsroom round the clock on the ST website, mobile and tablet apps, and in print.

As part of the changes which are aimed at serving subscribers better, the best and most exclusive content produced by the newsroom will be saved for ST subscribers.

These articles will be marked "Premium" on the ST website and apps. They include exclusive interviews with key newsmakers, opinion pieces by ST's senior writers and network of contributors, and reports on Asia and the world by ST's growing network of 23 correspondents in 10 overseas bureaus.

But breaking news reports - which do not carry the Premium logo - will continue to be made available in full online to all readers, including non-subscribers.

In fact, all readers can now enjoy unlimited access to these reports, up from the previous monthly quota of 30 free articles.

"Delivering good journalism demands sheer hard work - old fashioned legwork to seek out information and cross-check facts, as well as tapping today's communications tools to tell stories in new, creative and more visual ways. Doing so takes time, effort and resources, which are costly," said Mr Warren Fernandez, ST editor and editor-in-chief of Singapore Press Holdings' English/Malay/Tamil Media group.

"This is why we hope you, our readers, will support these efforts through a subscription to our products.

"We will continue to deliver breaking news reports on our website and apps to all who visit these platforms. But our best and most exclusive content will be saved for our subscribers," he said in a note to readers.

For time-starved readers who want to stay on top of developments, ST remains the go-to source for live coverage of breaking news from Singapore, Asia and around the world. But beyond that, sharp analyses and an objective interpretation of the news will increasingly play a big part in helping readers make the right decisions, from figuring out where the jobs are to what to invest in.

Given the prevalence of fake news, having a trusted source of information has become all the more important, said Mr Fernandez.

"Quite simply, you need a source of information that you can trust. You need a reliable companion that can make sense of that information and show how it affects you," he added.

"The Straits Times has been serving readers in Singapore since 1845. Right from day one, our editors were committed to providing a 'correct record' of the day's events."

Besides enjoying unlimited access to ST content, subscribers also get special invitations to ST events, including talks featuring ST journalists and guest speakers, movie nights and concerts. On top of that, they enjoy dining and leisure perks under the ST+ News With Benefits programme.