News organizations drop paywall for coronavirus information

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

David Bauder, Ap Media Writer
Updated 11:48 pm CDT, Thursday, March 19, 202011:48 pm CDT, Thursday, March 19, 2020

NEW YORK (AP) — News organizations across the United States are lifting paywalls to share coverage of the coronavirus pandemic, a public service many hope will convince more readers to eventually become paying customers.

At the same time, the societal shutdown caused by the virus is exacerbating a decline in advertising revenue that has slowly choked many publications, already resulting in layoffs and furloughs.

Media outlets big and small, from The New York Times to the Telegraph-Forum in Bucyrus, Ohio, are letting people read their coronavirus coverage without a subscription.

Financial concerns shouldn't keep anyone away from news and information that could be a matter of life or death, David Yonke, Telegraph-Forum editor, wrote to readers explaining the move.

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/News-organizations-drop-paywall-for-coronavirus-15144016.php

[SunSeeker]

1. Good. They ALL need to do that. And be eligible for subsidies. nt

[2naSalit]

2. They should make all news free right now

even online. I don't get the subscription fad for everything now, I don't like the idea of having to sign up for everything I look at.

[Dem2theMax]

3. I can usually get behind a paywall with a private browser page.

But when it comes to the Coronavirus, all of the information on it should be free at all times. I have noticed some sites doing that, but not all of them at this point.