Since 1872, the Boston Globe has tackled demands, location shifts, elements, and technical snafus. Monday’s blizzard, though, which recorded 32 inches of snow in parts of Massachusetts’ Bristol County, where the Globe’s printing press in Taunton is located, was able to put a historic halt on the press. However, NFL reporter Albert Breer brought the financial factor to the table.

“This is really sad,” Breer noted. “News organizations are supposed to be at their best when things are at their worst for their consumers—that’s how you serve the public. Cost should not have been a consideration in this circumstance. Sucks, as a former Globe staffer, to see this.”

According to a survey, only seven percent of US citizens get their news from printed newspapers and magazines. As such, media houses have faced a lowered demand. However, while many publishing houses are lowering their output to just twice a week, the Globe has been able to sustain a seven-day print product while also being profitable. So while many, including Breer, might think that the decision was a money-saving tactic, it was actually made due to the state of emergency.

Considering that many workers commute but are held due to safety reasons by the government’s orders, the newspapers supposed to be delivered on Tuesday morning couldn’t be printed. Even if they were, Josh Russell, vice president of print operations at Boston Globe Media, knew they had another problem staring at their faces:

“We don’t take the decision lightly,” said Russell. “We’re not confident that even if we got a crew in tonight, that we could get the papers on our trucks safely. We weren’t confident that that last mile would be doable.”

Already, the blizzard had affected Monday’s delivery, with only 25 percent of papers delivered to subscribers.

The silver lining here, though, would be that even if the subscribers are unable to get their hands on printed editions, they can read them all online. Moreover, they will be receiving Tuesday’s edition on Wednesday. That, too, however, comes with its own conditions.

Jamie Nee, the Globe’s executive director of sales strategy and fulfillment, said that single copies of the paper will not be available in retail stores.

Historically, only labor strikes halted production on a few occasions in the 1950s and 1960s. In fact, even when Boston last saw a blizzard in 1978, the Globe printed a few thousand copies of the February 7, 1978, edition. But just like this time, its delivery trucks couldn’t get through the piles of snow around its old offices on Morrissey Boulevard. It didn’t spare the staff either.

The conditions, then, were so brutal that Globe staff weren’t able to leave the building until the next day, sleeping in the office. The next day, they were back to publishing as if nothing had happened.

It’s not hard to understand why Breer is disappointed with this sudden printing halt at The Boston Globe. Before working for Sports Illustrated, Breer covered the NFL at The Globe.

While Breer’s reaction reflects the emotional gravity of the moment, the team itself clarified that the decision was for safety reasons alone.

Meanwhile, other media outlets have faced recent closures or layoffs. Just weeks ago, Jeff Bezos oversaw the shutdown of The Washington Post’s sports section. In response, the Commanders and head coach Dan Quinn paid tribute to the reporters who were laid off as part of that decision.

Dan Quinn left three seats empty for former Washington Post reporters

Normally, when Dan Quinn steps to the podium, Barry Svrluga, Tashan Reed, and Tom Schad of The Washington Post would be in their usual spots. But all three are no longer with the paper after Jeff Bezos approved sweeping layoffs that effectively shut down its long-standing sports section.

That move drew significant criticism across media circles. So when the Commanders recently held a press conference with Quinn, the organization acknowledged the moment by leaving three front-row seats empty in tribute to the former Post’s former beat writers.

“First, a couple of empty seats over to my right,” Quinn said. “Was absolutely bummed to hear about the Washington Post sports section. The guys, Tashon, Barry, and Tom, like true pros, and, along with everyone else, I met there. Their presence is missed.”

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Svrluga later shared that Quinn had also texted the three reporters with a thoughtful message after the layoffs. It was a small gesture, but a telling one. It’s a reminder of how closely the league and its media ecosystem remain intertwined, even in difficult moments.