The Columbian

I travel a lot and enjoy reading home town news in the on line version. $10/ month is a bit much to have unlimited on line access. I pay for a Sunday only subscription at the Oregonian and get a daily online access with that.... cost line $24 for 8 weeks. What can you do?

For the last year the app continually freezes up after reading several articles. Back arrow quits working. Scrolling to the next article quits. All navigation does not respond. Forced to quit app and restart. That was annoying enough. Now with Apples last update to the OS I’m required to log into the app every time I use it. If I look at the paper several times a day I’m required to log in each time I go back to the app. Support was notified weeks ago, still no fix. I noticed this version of the app is over four months old. Obviously there is no maintenance done to the app on a regular basis. I have the same problem on my iPad, iPhone and my wife’s iPhone. The only way I can easily read the paper is to log into the website on my desktop computer.

I have been relying on the Columbian app for local news for years. The recent update with a revamped UI is OK but lacks any way to locate a past article: no History, no Search. But now when I go to read my “morning paper” I can’t; I get a dialog telling me that I have reached my limit on free articles. I’ve never seen this before, nor have I ever seen anything describing a limit. (Last week there was an annoying pop up every time I launched that said changes were coming that had a dead link to a “learn more” page; was this the change?) I might consider paying for the content depending on the rate, but there is no way to do this through the app. I can log in but I can’t create an account. Maybe I’ll try the Columbian website, if that is listed in the app.

While I have been trying to give the new update some time for the kinks to be worked out, it doesn’t appear that things are being fixed quick enough. The app takes forever to load and sometimes doesn’t load at all, also feels like if you want the latest news you have to go to the website. For individuals who have to pay monthly for the online subscription this is starting to get a little ridiculous.

I am a second generation Columbian subscriber and I want to say I am so grateful to have The Columbian as my local newspaper! They do a great job! Not only do they provide the only detailed local news we get, but they have great interest stories and support local business. I hope we always have The Columbian as our local news source!!

Clark county is fortunate to have the Columbian! As a transplant here in 2008- I’ve depended on the Columbian to provide unbiased local, state and national coverage and they’ve come through. The media is not the enemy - but instead they are the guardian!

I believe in supporting our local paper. And they generally do a good job of covering Clark County and the PNW. But on occasion they are slow to cover stories such as the Labor Day waterfront prayer demonstration that attracted 1000s of maskless, non-social distancing white people. It was days before the paper posted any sort of article. Were it not for such an egregious lapse, I would give them 5 stars.

Dear editors of The Columbian, We are recent citizens of Vancouver, Washington, for just under three years. Your local reporting has been most helpful to keep abreast of what’s happening in our neighborhood and city and county. Your use of Associated Press is discouraging as the seem always biasing their reporting and their headlines are often misleading seeming to induce fear. Please consider other sources.

I have to walk to the end of my driveway to get the newspaper from the box, when it is actually put in the box and not dropped on the sidewalk next to the box and then there is the times when it is not delivered at all and the is no redelivery of the (news)Paper. Or I can read the paper online if I really want to read the paper, which is kind of like a waste of time.

I love The Columbian and have an online subscription. A lot of times I just read their website because on the app the articles seem to have minds of their own and close themselves while I am still reading them. :(

After we moved from Hockinson to Vancouver, our subscription lapsed. So glad to be getting the news locally again. Love your editorial staff. Stephen Mickey

The paper is good. Online access used to be nice, until limited. This app was very nice, until there was a cost. With so many other local and national news apps that provide similar to higher quality reporting, why would I pay for this one? I guess thanks for the time that we did spend together Columbian.

Why do all local news apps look like this? They are difficult to navigate have only a couple of articles on the front page and make it difficult to find anything else. Clearly the company that makes this app and sells it to local papers doesn’t have much competition because it is garbage, but they all look the same.

I would gladly pay to not have advertisements bouncing all over the page while I try to read an article.

Very good reporting. Local and national, but the key value is local news. You can’t get that anywhere else!

Love the new design and interface. More responsive. Would like to be able to see readers comments.

This app is constantly freezing up on IPad. That doesn’t happen if I use the browser. Need to fix the bugs.

Ads are all over this clunky app AND the articles are limited if you don’t pay?? The app became more difficult to navigate and now they want money for it. It’s not even quality reporting.. I get the national news for free - I don’t mind being hit with ads for local news... but i am not paying for this garbage.

The paper remembers where its subscribers live. They pay attention to commuter issues! Thank you!

I was to find out about an accident quickly. Also like the weather update.

Good local coverage, and well balanced. Also does a good job in other areas: National and International news

I’ve tried everything and signing in keeps failing. I don’t know why I’m bothering subscribing when I can’t access the content I’m paying for.

Excellent newspaper. Outstanding coverage and journalists. They do a great job of picking just the right amount and variety of coverage to keep Clark County informed. The Columbian deserves our support.

Sometimes the verbiage gets a little strange but the basic content is good and mostly local.

Great locally focused news just replaced major national news app on my phone, and I couldn't be happier!

I am very happy to be able to read it on line as I have been ill & confine to bed, it is so convenient & I thank you.

This local news app is now a pay to use. You get a few “free” articles to read per week, but then are required to pay after your limit is reached. $9.99/mo. Sorry, not worth it. You just lost a subscriber.

Local journalism is critical to staying in the know locally and also to keep an eye on our politicians.

My work partner occasionally sends me links to articles of interest. The app will not take you directly to a link so I have to hunt for the story. It would be nice if there was at least a search engine.

We love the app, but app has flaws. Quits working boots us off. This is not our network but connectivity with app. Not happy!

Love the variety of articles, comics, and local news!

If your revenue stream is from advertising then why do you also need to pay for a subscription? One or the other, people!

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I find the columbian app difficult and awkward to use. The Oregonian app is far superior.

This is a very good newspaper

They are so awesome. Such positive energy and the art on your body is wonderful

So far so good

Need to hear something else than the liberal hive mind. National sports coverage needs some work. Trump is actually doing a pretty good job running the country, so just put aside your bias.

Good update for the app but the comment capabilities were removed. Bummer.

I downloaded the app but you only let me read four articles a month.

Reach my Limit. Not a word they wanted money from me too with all the advertising on the new app. Guess it is time to Delete this app.

Maybe I’ll get used to it but the update is not to my taste. I’ll read in my browser

Terribly written reporting is the hallmark of this paper.

I just reached my “free article limit”. This app will now be deleted. I’ll go elsewhere for local news.

Helllooooo! Want to look for keywords, can’t. Useless.

While I understand the need to pay, that’s really steep!