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07 Jun 2009 22:04

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Biz, Politics: The newspaper industry doesn’t know what it’s doing. Duh.

  • As someone who still loves newspapers and the possibilities of thriving local news organizations, I find the thinking of this industry group depressing. What does it say that these API white papers may represent the best ideas of the industry’s business leaders?
  • Former Rocky Mountain News editor John Temple • Discussing the nature of a recent closed-door summit of newspaper publishers as well as a whitepaper by the American Press Institute, both of which leaned on with all sorts of great ideas such as charging for news online, attacking copyright violators like the RIAA and taking market share from Craigslist. (Disclosure: We worked on a solution a couple months ago.) Temple (who, as the editor of a shuttered newspaper, has better insight than most) has a solid key point worth repeating: “How is the newspaper industry going to attract any of the best and brightest into its ranks if its ideas are stale, at best?” Smart stuff. • source

16 Mar 2009 22:32

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Biz, U.S.: The Rocky staffers’ new project, InDenverTimes, sets a lofty goal

  • 50,000 subscriptions by April to start out source

15 Mar 2009 23:59

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Biz, U.S.: This looks heartening for the Rocky Mountain News.

Some former staffers will make a big announcement tomorrow. Good luck, guys. *fingers crossed* source

03 Mar 2009 10:47

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Biz, U.S.: In Denver, the Rocky’s former staff goes all groupblog

Good for you guys! Need some help? We have some ideas. Tip 1: Get ads. Now. source

27 Feb 2009 10:22

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Biz, U.S.: This last Rocky cover is really sad. Like really. :(

You just want to give the staff a big hug and say everything will be OK. source

26 Feb 2009 22:38

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Biz, U.S.: OK, last newspaper article for now: Who killed the Rocky?

This site uses AJAX to pin blame on the death of the Rocky. Scripps is winning. source

26 Feb 2009 22:31

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Biz, U.S.: Are newspaper JOAs a dying breed? Denver hints at it.

  • What are JOAs? Joint operating agreements were implemented in the 1970s as a way to help two-newspaper towns retain multiple journalistic voices. More than two dozen cities across the country used JOAs as a way to separate the advertising from the journalism.
  • Failing left & right JOAs once helped Detroit, Denver and Seattle keep their newspapers alive. All three are struggling to stay afloat. Denver, obviously, just closed the Rocky. Detroit is cutting back deliveries to three days a week. And Seattle could lose the Post-Intelligencer.
  • Why it didn’t workSImple – the system eventually didn’t make economic sense. The advertisers would favor one paper over the other, and the stronger paper would eventually hold the weaker one up. E.W. Scripps, by they way, has been involved in half a dozen failed JOAs. source
 

26 Feb 2009 22:10

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Biz, U.S.: Key stats of the dying Rocky Mountain News

  • 150 years old, the age of the newspaper, the oldest in the state of Colorado. Well, almost – the Rocky died just before it could reach the mark.
  • 235 newsroom employees will lose their jobs, although a select few will go to the Denver Post. Production people will not be affected. source

26 Feb 2009 21:52

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Biz, U.S.: Scripps CEO on the Rocky’s death: Denver not a two-paper town

  • Denver can’t support two newspapers any longer. It’s certainly not good news for you, and it’s certainly not good news for Denver.
  • Rich Boehne • CEO of E.W. Scripps Co., on why the company that decided to close one of the city’s two daily newspapers. *Eyeroll* • source

26 Feb 2009 21:45

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Biz, U.S.: Hey Denver! You’re losing a newspaper. You should complain.

  • Here’s where to write your angry letters. The Rocky Mountain News, the oldest paper in Colorado is shutting down tomorrow. Like, that’s it. One day of notice. Because that’s the least-abrupt way to go. Call this number and jam up their lines: (513) 977-3000. Write the address here. And tell them how much you appreciate them removing the Rocky Mountain News from your life. Save the nicest words for E.W. Scripps president Richard A. Boehne. source