Miami Herald reimposes paywall on most coronavirus coverage

The Miami Herald reimposed its paywall on most of its coronavirus coverage Monday after previously providing the content for free.

The newspaper announced that it will reinstitute its paywall after local business partners “can no longer afford” to spend on advertisements, due to the economic impacts of the pandemic. 

“We provided all of this coronavirus coverage for free,” Aminda Marqués González, the executive editor and publisher of the Herald, said in a statement. “Now, we simply can’t afford to do that anymore.”

The Herald will still allow free access to stories that “address critical health and safety information,” in addition to its coronavirus blog, she said. The email newsletter covering the coronavirus and its effects on South Florida will also remain free. 

The newspaper encouraged readers to purchase subscriptions that amount to about the same as a monthly subscription to Netflix. Digital readership has increased by more than 100 percent during the past month.

“Our readers are relying on us for credible, fact-based news and information,” González said. “Now we must rely on reader support to continue our unrelenting commitment to public service journalism.”

The Herald is also requesting donations to support two new staff members that were hired because of a matching grant from Report for America. 

Local news outlets have struggled in recent decades, but the coronavirus has taken a new toll on the industry, with journalists at a number of media outlets being laid off or furloughed during the pandemic.