Ten days after I said the new online Portland Oregonian that replaces the print newspaper for screwed-over subscribers three days a week sucks, I am not pleased to report that... it still sucks!
Why my subscription price hasn't been reduced by 3/7, or thereabouts, baffles me. There is absolutely no way I can read the Oregonian on my Retina MacBook Pro laptop or iPhone 5.
At least, not without experiencing so much frustration, any interest I have in the newspaper's content vanishes within seconds.
Early in October, right after the dreadful digital rollout, I expressed my dissatisfaction to the powers-that-be at the Oregonian. So far I have gotten exactly zero response.
No "we're working on improving things." No "thank you for your feedback." Nothing. Nada.
Guess the "O" in MyDigitalO actually is a zero, not an O. Because that is both how much I'm able to use the site, and also how much Oregonian executives seemingly care about whether subscribers are able to read the newspaper online.
When I head to MyDigitalO, I'm presented with a facsimile of the newpaper that can't be navigated in any reasonably pleasant fashion by my not-exactly-rare MacBook Pro.
The arrow keys on my keyboard are non-functional. Scrolling on the trackpad is impossible to control. I can doubleclick on the first page headline and read it in a pop-up box, but reading other stories is absurdly difficult.
I was advised by an online Oregonian editor to click on View today’s digital edition using iPhone, iPad, tablet, Android.
Useless advice.
Doing that leaves me utterly frozen on my laptop. Pages won't scroll. Arrow keys don't work. I'm stuck staring on the top of the first page. Yet, as noted above, I'm still being charged for three newspaper editions a week that I can't read.
I keep waiting for the Oregonian to put up an online poll asking subscribers how they like MyDigitalO. I'd love to express my opinion. Whatever the lowest, crappiest rating is, I'd choose that.
Then add a comment: "multiply my distaste for your online newspaper ten fold, then double that hatred quotient for an accurate measure of my opinion."
Yesterday I was pleased to come across a Portland Mercury post, "Why Does the Oregonian's Digital-First Strategy Suck So Much?"
While they're cutting back on the thing they do well (printing newspapers and bringing them to people) they're adding more inept digital features. You can now get a look-alike edition of the paper at MyDigitalO.com. My. Digital. O. Have you guys never seen the Internet? The absolutely first test any product needs to pass is "does it sound like a porn site?" This sounds more like a porn site than Bang Bus, which one could possibly think was about driving to Hammer School.
But even if you can convince yourself it's okay to click on, you're rewarded with the paper in the least convenient format I've seen for anything on the web. It takes several minutes to load and then appears as if like they e-mailed you a .pdf of the paper but they thought Acrobat looked too nice and was too easy to navigate.
The title of that post is an excellent question. But I'm getting to the point where I barely care why the online Oregonian sucks so much. Until MyDigitalO changes its suckiness, the Oregonian is dead to me on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
Advertisers, take notice.
They reduced my subscription price when I called to cancel. The current offer is $1.99/ week if you pay upfront for 6 months or a year. They throw in a $20 grocery gift card (Safeway or Freddy's) for the 6 month and $50 for the year. When I calculate in the gift card, the effective rate is 80% less than the $5/ week I was paying. Not bad, considering we are only getting a fraction of the former paper. Btw, I am writing this while waiting for the digital edition to download. Just checked...no, not there yet. Looks like another Monday of reading the obscure sections of the Sunday paper.
Posted by: Heather | October 14, 2013 at 07:47 AM
I so agree that it sucks! I have been trying for over 2 hours and it still is not loaded. I am tempted to part ways with the Oregonian permanently!!
Posted by: Glen Marino | October 14, 2013 at 10:22 AM
I agree with all that has been posted even though I haven't had the issues with downloading as the other commenters have related. But it has taken 2 or 3 tries to learn to navigate the web site.
We all realize the traditional newspaper industry is changing as we know it and I would argue as a lot of folks would, not for the better. However, I also don't want to be the little Dutch boy with his finger in the hole in the dam trying to hold back the inevitable flood.
Having stated that here are a couple of my issues:
1) The Oregonian cut my delivery by 3 days and now gives me the privilege of buying the paper at $1 at over 2000 outlets. Thank you so very much. You cut my delivery by 3 days and then want me to pay for the privilge of getting it at an outlet that I have to get in the car and drive to, unless I live in the city and can walk some where. If the Oregonian really cared they would give the weekly subscribers some method of identifying themselves as subscribers, thus allowing us to pick up a paper at the 'newstand' and not charge us twice for it.
2) My second beef: My wife likes the crossword. After 3 tries I finally figured out how to print it out correctly. Ah, but guess what. you have to go find the answers and print them to as they aren't on the same printout as the crossword. REALLY!!! Come on guys, think about how this is going to be used.
All in all as noted in previous posts, so far this SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Terry | October 14, 2013 at 11:32 AM
The Oregonian changed hands a few years back. Ever since then it has been operated as if someone WANTS to drive it into the ground.
At that time, in the height of the recession, instead of lowering rates to their advertisers, they were charging exorbitant rates, yet trying to stick the advertisers into stupid little magazine style sections that no one reads. Also, the content started to really suck, for example, I remember seeing a front page article claiming "American Idol is Snarky." I have never once seen American Idol, and even I know it's snarky, so how is this Front Page news?
Since then, I've noticed many important, topical stories buried deep in the paper, rather than on the front page where these stories belong.
Another problem is that subscribers have been paying for their papers, but online readers have been getting their content free at oregonlive. Now online readers can still get free content at oregonlive, but those of us who actually read the paper are getting screwed out of it 3 days a week.
These changes, along with others that I have noticed add up to one thing: a conservative bought the so-called liberal Oregonian and is trying to drive it into the ground He's succeeding!
I miss Fred Stickel, et al!
Thanks for letting me rant.
Posted by: Joy | October 14, 2013 at 05:11 PM
I would just like to update what the Oregonian has done since I made that post earlier today. I have received the Oregonian at home for 20 years and if I have ever been behind on a bill they would send me a reminder in the mail. I received a rude voice message threatening to cut my service off if I did not pay right away. I have never in 20 years got a phone call unless it was a promotion for something. I called the Oregonian and I owe $32.24 as of today. Wow!! I called them back and told them to cancel my service. I was waiting to see if I liked the digital before I continued with it any longer which I do not and it sucks!! Still was not able to get it before I called them. So the Oregonian you have lost a 20 year customer and I feel bad for the carrier because I have always left a nice tip every Christmas!
Posted by: Glen Marino | October 14, 2013 at 07:33 PM
The first week the digital edition loaded fine, now we are no longer to download the paper and receive a message saying the plug-in is not supported, w h at the heck does that mean and how do you get it supported?
Posted by: Judie Kissinger | October 15, 2013 at 09:06 AM
I hate the new Oregonian format. Less papers, more money, poorly done digital format, which is laden with formatting errors, incorrect links and stories that just end before they reach the end.
I was going to give it a fair try, and it was passable until Monday 10/14/13. The digital edition wouldn't load. Went without the paper for 2 days, and finally called today. Apparently, for IPads, they changed something without telling anyone, and it requires cleaning out your browser history and cookies to make it work. Did that, still not working. Changed browser from Google to Safari, and it finally worked.
While I was on the phone with them today, I said I wanted a 2 day credit on my account since it was their fault I couldn't read the paper for 2 days. She told me that she'd ask, but couldn't promise anything, and that the digital version was provided as a COURTESY. Um, hello? I now pay $2.00 more per 8 weeks than before, and I get three fewer papers. How is providing the digital paper a courtesy?
I'm fed up, and am seriously considering cancelling and just buying the paper every day at Fred Meyer. Yes, it will be more expensive, but at least it will be reliable.
Hate, hate, hate it. Will follow up about the credit I requested. Probably won't get it. Stay tuned.
Posted by: M. Manley | October 16, 2013 at 02:23 PM
Oh, and to add to above. I had to spend another $1.00 at the store today to get yesterday's paper. You know, the one I already pay more for, even though I'm getting less. Yeah. What a deal.
Posted by: M. Manley | October 16, 2013 at 02:27 PM
I agree with all of the above. I am confused and irate, Please make it easier to get to. None of this headlinealley that is impossible.
Posted by: Marge | October 16, 2013 at 02:59 PM
Does anyone know of a good digital newspaper? I am thinking of dropping the Oregonian down to 2 days and getting news from other newspapers for the rest of the week. The Oregonian just does not know how to fix their computer issues. I am not fond of the Oregoni Live..
Posted by: R. Seda | October 16, 2013 at 06:13 PM
I like the online New York Times a lot. $15 a month for unlimited access. Worth it to me. You could supplement by visiting Oregon Live for free, and/or use Google News, perhaps with specific alerts for Oregon stories.
Posted by: Brian Hines | October 16, 2013 at 11:40 PM
My Digital O works ok. Not happy about having to sit even more in front of the computer screen. I am retired, and one of my pleasures is to open the door, get the paper, sit in a comfortable chair and read the paper like I have done all my life. If it weren't for the sports reporting, I think I would cut my subscription to Sundays only.
Posted by: Joyce | October 21, 2013 at 11:27 AM
I very much dislike Digital O. Today it won't load and I've tried numerous times. Not only big problems with the digital paper, but my delivery sucks. Every day it has been late. Sometimes up to an hour & a half! Is this service? Your representative didn't want to lodge my complaint, but I insisted. Don't want to bother calling every day. Wise up!
Posted by: Marilyn | October 27, 2013 at 07:14 AM
Update: I called the Oregonian today to cancel because I never heard back from anyone regarding my credit (see post above). I talked to a very nice woman, who wanted to know why I was canceling. I told her, and she offered a two week credit if I'd stay. She also said that some of their customer service is out of Texas, and that that's who I'd talked to. Lesson: try to talk to the people here in Portland. Anyhoo, I agreed to the credit, and kept the subscription.
If you have trouble loading the digital O, try clearing your cookies, and/or using a different browser. Google won't load it for me, but Safari will.
Posted by: M. Manley | October 28, 2013 at 10:22 AM
To add to above: The woman I talked to was Cecelia. She was very nice, and proactive. Call her at 503-221-8240 if you have problems.
Posted by: M. Manley | October 28, 2013 at 10:25 AM
I called them to change my seven day a week subscription to Sunday only. Found out they havent offered that option for years. I wasnt going to keep paying the same price for three fewer papers so I told them to cancel my subscription. Then she said just a miniue let me see if we have any deals. After a few minutes later she said they just happen to have a deal for 28 dollars rather than what I I was paying, 42. I would have never been offered that deal if I hadnt asked to cancel.
Posted by: Martin Burrows | November 03, 2013 at 08:45 AM
just would like to read my paper dammit .family time is coming to an end,,,, Digital air is here good job .....
Posted by: dan opoka | November 03, 2013 at 09:58 AM
What a whiner. It's fixed now. Your just have to be patient until they fix a few bugs, which are unavoidable with new applications.
Posted by: Paul | November 04, 2013 at 09:30 PM
Paul, here's a news flash -- that you won't get by reading the unreadable Oregonian:
I just checked MyDigitalO. It is just as unusable on my retina MacBook Pro as it was before. Nothing has changed.
It is impossible to scroll using the trackpad. The arrow keys on my laptop are non-functional on MyDigitalO. Clicking on the iPhone digital option results in an utterly frozen page. No ability to navigate using my laptop.
So everything is just as screwed up now as it was before. The Oregonian had done nothing, so far as I can tell, to improve its digital edition. And I still have gotten no response from my email to corporate managers.
Posted by: Brian Hines | November 04, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Another newsflash (sarcasm works for me too)... Works fine on my MacBook Pro. Trackpad works fine on mine, just need to get used to the sudden movements. I suppose you have a right to complain, but your experience isn't everyone's experience with the Oregonian. As with any review that is posted on the net, I just take it with a grain of salt. The whole experience is new and I am sure that a few bugs will be done away with as soon as they can.
Posted by: Paul | November 06, 2013 at 04:55 PM
THANK YOU HEATHER!! I just called and they gave me the same deal. 52 weeks for $103.00 and the $50 gift card! WOO HOO! Although I am not thrilled with the digital edition and the lack of delivery, I am happier with the price. I actually had to ask. There is a promo and if you don't mention it, they won't either! Be nervy, it works.
Posted by: Marta Shirley | November 07, 2013 at 08:43 AM
I appreciated the information and experiences related in the post and comments but everyone seems to not be aware of a basic fact that may help it all make more sense: You and I, the subscribers and readers, are not the customers of "The Oregonion"; the advertisers are the customers. We are the product. They deliver our attention to the advertisers for a price.
Posted by: Pete | November 14, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Called twice to customer service this week and both calls routed to Texas call center and they were clueless on all my questions asked. Today a Portland service rep answered (hooray) and explained overcalls were routed to Texas. I inquired on above promo and it is $1.99 per week if prepay one year. No gift card extra though. Couldn't explain why promo wasn't noted on website or advertised. I had to ask. Explained to her that website wasn't working for entering new subscription (I put in my 97212 zipcode twice and it came back twice as undefined and to verify zipcode again!) Nothing is working well for Oregonian right now. I too hate MyDigitalO.
Posted by: sarah | November 20, 2013 at 03:05 PM
I hate it too. I've tried to read it on my Kindle Fire so I don't have to go into my office to read the news. It freezes on the first page. I can read magazines from the Fire (Android) but not this. Also, they recently added banners at the top and I cannot get a full screen view. I also note a LOT of editing missteps -- misspelled words and words used inappropriately. I am starting to think it's not worth reading at any price. I do miss sitting at the table and reading with my spouse in the morning. Looking for an alternative!
Posted by: ginny | November 25, 2013 at 07:40 AM
You have taken away the joy of enjoying the morning paper for retired people who now have time to be a reader. The digital paper is not working well and having morning coffee with a computer is not the same as the printed paper.
I am a senior but yes I have and know how to operate a computer.
Its just lousy service trying to maneuver thru it 3 days a week.
I now get my news on the 5pm TV broadcast.
Posted by: Peggy Champagne | November 25, 2013 at 02:51 PM
Can’t receive the Digital Oregonian tried every day since Thanksgiving. . Called the paper at least 5 times didn't help. Had my own technician here for a whole day and he talked with the Oregonian support staff nothing. My subscription runs out the 14 th guess what I am going to do? Even called Comcast. . Any one else having same problem? Hope you can help me.I have a hearing problem and almost impossible talking on phone and they have hardly any email answers. That is why I had to hire a technician.
No Data received message Anyone else have this problem?
Thanking you in advance Bill Keefer
Posted by: William Keefer | December 10, 2013 at 10:00 AM
I have read and then subscribed to The Oregonian since I moved to Portland in 2007 on retiring. I hated the whole idea of the digital edition and the cutback on home delivery. I hate that the current ownership of the paper has dumped a lot of good reporters and columnists and loaded the opinion pages down with conservative crazies (OK, George Will isn't crazy, just misguided). I hate that the subscription rate wasn't reduced enough to reflect three missing days.
That said, the experience online has been okay for me. I was away most of October, so started on MyDigitalO when maybe some of the bugs were eliminated. I have an iMac desktop with Mozilla/Firefox browser, and have no trouble accessing the site, scrolling, clicking to get enlarged section of page, double-clicking to get retyped complete article, etc. The most annoying thing is the difficulty of doing the NYT crossword. I don't have a working printer, so I have to scribble out the day's grid pattern on scrap paper. Grrr. I much prefer a physical newspaper on paper (as its name implies!), but MyD.O is a reasonable substitute. By the way, I have found and still find Oregon Live almost unusable, even though they claim it has been improved. Count the number of clicks and false leads to access the daily TV listings!
Some of the problem readers are having may be due to modern computer technology. Microsoft and Apple and the rest are forever reinventing the wheel so one can buy, buy, buy the newest gadget. My six-year-old iMac works fine(so far), and MyDigitalO works fine on it. If you have a desktop, try accessing MyD.O on that instead of on a pad or tablet or phone. Also, I recommend Firefox.
Posted by: Elaine C. | December 12, 2013 at 09:32 AM
as usual, first page comes up, can.t scroll, can,t do any thing.another day without a croddword. thinking it is about time to dump the Orgonian.
Posted by: jim meegan | January 21, 2014 at 07:40 AM
I have been an Oregonian reader since I was a little kid--raised in a family for which reading the newspaper was part of the necessary daily routine.
When the paper changed to digital last year, I managed to figure out how to navigate the digital version--on my iPad it was okay. Not great but okay. However, neither my mom nor my father-in-law,in their 80s can do it. And they're subscribers.
But at the beginning of this week, I hit a really irritating roadblock. I tried to go to the Monday digital edition and I could not access the paper because I have NOT JOINED. I could not find a way to get to my newspaper without filling out a form giving them my email and other information and signing up for 'special' stuff. So I closed the app and went my way. The last thing I want is something other than just reliable well-written news and related features. Astonishing. And they still manage to throw one of the physical versions of the paper under my car at least every other week--I can't get the paper without moving the car or crawling under it. Nope, not wanting to join.
Posted by: David Porter | January 23, 2014 at 01:16 PM
I am once again having trouble printing my puzzles. I was told the difficult was with Mozilla. I was pleased with the help telling me to press CTRL and P. It worked fine but today I was told to connect to a fax server.I am becoming more frustrated and unhappy with paying the full price and getting less and less. Please fix the printing situation.
Posted by: Marge Logsdon | February 10, 2014 at 09:54 AM
I hate the digital O. There need to be an index so i/ don't have to scroll it page by page ti find what I want. The site really needs some tuning up.
Posted by: Ken.stine56 | February 25, 2014 at 11:10 AM
Can't stand the 4 day a week delivery! Love the crosswords, but 3 days a week have to print them out on computer and size is reduced too small to read. Will cancel very soon!
Posted by: Roy Grover | March 27, 2014 at 08:39 AM
You can add my name to this list. I cannot believe how much time I have wasted trying to access this so called Digital Rag.
Posted by: ROBERT WISHER | July 28, 2014 at 07:49 AM
Couldn't agree more. I've pretty much given up. This software must have been written by pre-school coders.
Posted by: John Pierce | August 18, 2019 at 12:53 PM