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Registration FAQs

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I'm having trouble registering. What do I do?

If you're having trouble signing up, please review these Frequently Asked Questions. If you don't find an answer to your particular problem, please contact us at registration@newsobserver.com.

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Is registration free?

Yes. Registration is free of charge and gives you access to most areas of newsobserver.com.

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Why is newsobserver.com requiring registration to access the site?

The News & Observer moved to a registered site for a few reasons. Like many other publishers, we are collecting visitor information in order to gain the capability to deliver targeted news content as well as advertising content that is likely to be of interest to you. The more information we have about your interests and preferences, the better we can make decisions as to what additional news and services to provide.

Our one-time registration process means you won't have to remember your password every time you come to the site. With your registration, you'll still get all of the excellent news and sports coverage you've come to expect from The News & Observer.

Many of you may see this as an inconvenience, but we hope you'll also see the benefits of creating a personalized information service that you can trust as an unbiased, professional news source covering your world. We also realize that Internet privacy is a real concern, but the information you share with us will not be sold or given to other companies. It will only be used to improve the services we provide. If you have questions or concerns, please consult our privacy policy or send us an e-mail.

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Why register?

By requiring registration, we are able to offer free-of-charge access around the world and are better able to determine which areas of the site are of greatest interest to our users. Please read our privacy policy if you are concerned about entering your personal information.

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What are the benefits of registration?

There are many benefits associated with registering on newsobserver.com:

  • Chances to win great prizes such as travel getaways, tickets to movies and sporting events, or gift certificates to restaurants and shopping malls.
  • Search stories from the News & Observer from the preceding week for free.
  • Subscribe to any or all e-mail newsletters offered on newsobserver.com.

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How do I register?

To register, please fill out all of the fields on the registration form and click the "Click to Register" button at the bottom of the page. Instructions for each item on the registration page are below. When you have successfully completed the registration form, the registration will be confirmed and you will be allowed into the site.

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I've already registered. How do I log on?

If you've already registered, simply enter your email address and password in the section at the top of the screen labeled Log in or Register. If you've forgotten your password click here, then follow the instructions and your password will be sent to you via e-mail.

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It says my account is inactive. What do I do?

Once you have submitted your registration form you should receive an email, in the email account you entered, that contains an "activation link". You must click on this link to fully activate your account. Click to request an activation link, if you did not receive one or accidently discarded it.

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Having trouble registering?

If you're having difficulty registering, please read the registration form field descriptions below, for registration. If you have further questions about registration or the site in general, contact registration@newsobserver.com.

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I have to sign in each time I return to your site. Why?

There are a number of possible explanations for this, most of which are related to cookies and browser behavior. Please review the list of troubleshooting suggestions below and if none address your problem, let us know.

  1. Your browser may not be set to accept cookies. You must accept cookies, or else you will have to sign in for each story. Your cookie settings should be set at Medium or lower. Find out how to enable cookies.
  2. You may have un-checked the box which keeps you signed in when you return. This box must be checked so that you don’t have to sign in each time you return to the site.
  3. Are you trying to access this site from WebTV? If so, we don’t support WebTV.
  4. Are you signing out of our site when you leave? If so, this will wipe out our ability to recognize you when you return, so you will be asked to sign in again.
  5. Are you clearing your cookies regularly? If so, this will wipe out our ability to recognize you when you return, so you will be asked to sign in again.

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My email is not recognized when I try to log in. What should I do?

Member names are case sensitive, meaning they have to be typed in exactly the same way every single time. Upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols have to be the same as when you typed them in the first time. Your member name cannot contain spaces or punctuation.

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I've forgotten my password. How can I get this information?

You do NOT need to re-register. You may retrieve your password by clicking here. Please follow the instructions and your password will be sent to you via e-mail.

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How do I change my password?

You will need to know the email address you used when you registered with us and your current password to change your password. Please click here and follow the steps indicated.

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Is my password secure from other web sites or individuals?

Your password is stored in a secure database that is inaccessible to outside parties. No outside party, Web site or individual will be able to steal your password.

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What is a cookie?

A "cookie" is a small data text file that gets entered into the memory of your browser and allows our site to recognize you each time you visit this site. Cookies are used to help web sites determine past preferences, for example, sections read during your visit.

In addition, the cookie will allow us to identify you as a registered user each time you visit the site, eliminating the need for you to type in your password each time you visit.

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How do I change my browser settings to accept cookies?

Depending on which browser you use the instructions to change your cookie settings vary. See below for specific details on the most common browser. You can also find out more about cookies online. If you use Internet Explorer, visit the Microsoft Web site. If you use a Netscape browser, visit the Netscape Web site. For other browsers, please consult the browsers' "Help" menu.


How do I enable cookies on Netscape Navigator?

For Netscape 6.2x:

  1. Go to the Edit menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Cookies under "Privacy & Security"
  4. Ensure "Enable all cookies" is selected
  5. Click OK button to register changes

For Netscape 4.77:

  1. Go to the Edit menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Select Advanced
  4. Ensure "Accept all cookies" is selected
  5. Uncheck "Warn me before accepting cookies"
  6. Click OK to register changes

For(Mac users) Netscape 7:

  1. Go to the Netscape menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Under "Privacy and Security" select cookies
  4. Select radio button for either "Enable cookies based on privacy settings" or "Enable all cookies"


How do I enable cookies on Internet Explorer?

For Internet Explorer 5.0 and below:

  1. Go to the Tools menu
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Select the Security tab
  4. Click the "Custom Level..." button
  5. Scroll down until you see "Cookies"
  6. Make sure both selections under "Cookies" are marked "enabled"

For Internet Explorer 6.0:

  1. Go to the Tools menu
  2. Select Internet Options
  3. Select the Privacy tab
  4. Click on the "Advanced" button
  5. Click the box next to "Override automatic cookie handling"
  6. Click Accept
  7. Check the box next to "Always allow session cookies"
  8. Click OK
  9. Click OK again

For (Mac users) Internet Explorer 5.2:

  1. Go to the Explorer menu
  2. Select Preferences
  3. Under "Receiving Files" select cookies
  4. "When receiving cookies" select either "Ask for each site" or "Never Ask"


I am an AOL user. How do I enable cookies?

  1. Click on the Start menu in your task bar
  2. Select Settings
  3. Select Advanced
  4. Click on Control Panel
  5. Double click on Internet Options
  6. Click on Security Tab
  7. Click the "Custom Level" button
  8. Scroll down until you see "Cookies"
  9. Make sure both selections under "Cookies" are marked "enabled"

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Why does newsobserver.com use cookies?

Cookies help identify you and your access privileges on our site. Cookies do not contain or collect any personal information that you have not already given us. Instead, they allow us to see which parts of our site you have used so that we can better serve you when you return to our site. Cookies may be used to provide you with information and special opportunities tailored to your interests.

If you choose the option to "Remember me on this computer until I sign out"we use a cookie to allow you to log in to newsobserver.com automatically without entering your email and password each time you visit the site. This cookie remains on your hard disk indefinitely or until you delete your cookie file.

If you use a shared computer in a library, or Internet café for example, you might want to un-check this box for privacy reasons.

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What happens if I do not accept your cookies?

If you do not accept the cookie set by newsobserver.com, we will not have a way of identifying you as a registered user. As a result, you will have to login each time you revisit. Please note that we will not give out your personally identifiable information. For more information, please read our privacy policy.

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What information will you be tracking with my cookie?

The cookie will be used to authenticate you as a registered user. In addition, the cookie will track the date and time you were on the site and the pages you visit. We will be using this information to determine which areas of our site are of most interest to our readers as well as our advertisers. We will use your basic account information and site preferences in order to offer more news and information that matches your interests. We will not share any data with advertisers that is not in aggregate form. For example, we may tell an advertiser that 50 percent of our readers read stories about mobile phones last month, but nothing that personally identifies you as an individual.

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If I register/accept cookies, will I receive unsolicited e-mail from you or any third party?

You will not receive e-mail from The News & Observer or our partners unless you indicated that this is your preference.

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What are you doing to protect my privacy and why is some information required on the registration form and some information optional?

The News & Observer has a strict privacy policy and we are committed to respecting your privacy rights as our guests. We realize that you are entrusting us with personal information and we will not share this with any third party. Information about our site visitors as a whole may be aggregated and shared, but not individual information. For example, we may share with an advertiser that 65 percent of our registered users are male, 70 percent of our female users enjoy reading books or 50 percent of our visitors read news stories about weight loss last month. If you have any additional concerns, please consult our privacy policy or contact us directly.

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If you plan on customizing your content for me, does this mean that I will not see some of your site?

Your registration grants you full access to all free content on the site. Customizations will allow information that may be of interest to you more easily accessible. In addition, instead of advertising that is unrelated to your interests, we will strive to deliver messages that match your indicated preferences.

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Registration Form Field Descriptions

  • Email - Your email address will be used as your user name. Remember that email addresses do not contain any spaces. Make sure that your address is valid and adheres to the following format: user@service.com It must end with .com, .net or similar suffix.
  • Choose a Password - Your password is case sensitive and must be between 6 and 20 characters and contain only letters and numbers.
  • Confirm Password - To confirm the password you chose in step 2, please reenter it here.
  • Password Reminder Question - Please select
  • Answer - Enter the answer to your chosen password reminder question.
  • Preferred Format - Which e-mail format do you prefer? Please select Plain Text or HTML.
  • Prefix
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Suffix
  • Address
  • City
  • State
  • Country - Choose the country from which you are connecting to The News & Observer on the Web.
  • Zip Code - If you are a United States subscriber, you'll need to enter the 5 digit postal zip code of the primary location from which you'll be connecting to the service.
  • Gender
  • Birth Month, Date, Year - If you're concerned about providing this information, please read our privacy policy.
  • Phone - Please enter your home telephone number including area code (this is an optional field).
  • Subscriber Status - Do you subscribe to the print edition of The News & Observer? From the drop-down menu, select the description that best reflects your newspaper usage.

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