• by Ray Schultz , December 27, 2022

Newspapers, responding to the catastrophic storm that has killed dozens of people, dropped their paywalls or otherwise  tried to guide readers to their digital coverage. 

For example, The Oregonian reported that “The winter storm that hit Oregon overnight is affecting Saturday deliveries of The Oregonian so we’re making our digital newspaper available to all as a public service. 

Iowa’s Creston New Advertiser ran a similar piece.  

“Because of the forecast winter weather through the remainder of the week, The Creston News Advertiser will suspend its online paywall so subscribers and readers can still access content,” it wrote. “The free access will be available the afternoon of Dec. 21 through Monday, Dec. 26 at www.crestonnews.com.

Then there was The Lima News, of Lima, Ohio 

“Snowy conditions and limited visibility may delay the delivery of your newspaper today,” it reported. 

“Readers are encouraged to take advantage of the Digital Newspaper, an electronic replica of the printed newspaper, by visiting LimaOhio.com/today.

“The Digital Newspaper will remain free and open to the public all weekend.” 

Other papers also tried to steer readers to their digital editions. The Duluth News Tribune wrote, “News print subscribers may find themselves waiting an extra day for their Wednesday newspaper,” it informed Duluth residents. 

“The United States Postal Service expects delivery service interruptions Wednesday due to weather conditions.

“In the meantime, subscribers can find a digital replica of the print edition at epaper.duluthnewstribune.com, or read all of that news and more here at duluthnewstribune.com.”

The Buffalo News offered “Complete coverage: WNY continues to dig out following blizzard; more deaths reported.” It informed readers that this story was “Just In” and invited them to “Follow This.”

In an episode that must have been repeated many times throughout the country, reporter Bryce Dole and photographer Dean Guernsey of Indiana’s Bulletin helped a local woman who was “in bad shape” due to paper-thin walls and lack of proper clothes for the frigid conditions. Briefly debating if they could drop the wall of journalistic objectivity, they hooked up with two local Samaritans who were helping out by providing warm clothes and snacks, and also supplied the affected woman with a propone heater.