The reaction from readers, bloggers and news critics was swift, fierce and overwhelming. Hundreds of comments piled up on The Register’s Web site — “absolutely sickening” and “remarkable idiocy” were typical remarks — and more in the e-mail in-boxes of Mr. Whicker and his editors.

One reader comment said, “Yes, Mark, I am sure that while being raped, tortured and held captive, and while her parents dealt with the unbelievable horror of grieving for their lost daughter and being the prime suspects, that what Jaycee was thinking was, ‘Darn, I’m missing free Beach Towel Night!’ ”

The day after it published the column, the paper published an apology by Mr. Whicker, who acknowledged that he had “clearly offended and outraged large portions of our readership.” But the next day, the Web site of the Poynter Institute, a school for journalists, reported that in an interview Mr. Whicker said, “I vehemently believe I wasn’t insensitive about the fact that she was kidnapped.”

The Register also published an apology by John Fabris, deputy editor for sports.