The web without deep linking would be pointless. Period.
If you are limited to providing links to only the top level page of a site, then people will stop hyperlinking across sites. Why? Because the user will become confused as to where they are, and why the link they have just clicked has dumped them on a non-relevant page. I think everyone is becoming aware that content is king, and with that you are burdened with the expectations of your reader. If you cross reference an article elsewhere on the Internet, the reader will expect the reference (hyperlink) to take them to a relevant page.
If I were writing a book, I wouldn’t cross reference an encyclopaedia, I would reference a page or heading within that book. Otherwise the reference is useless.
DallasNews.com is biting it’s nose off to spite it’s face. Rendering it’s useful content useless. Plain and simple, and very stupid.