Denver Post owner seeks to slash expenses by $20 million
Singleton asks unions for new talks a day after MediaNews debt downgraded
By Jeff Smith, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published December 12, 2008 at 6:59 p.m.
Singleton said he needs to trim expenses by $20 million.
The Denver Post Publisher William Dean Singleton on Friday asked unions at The Post and Denver Newspaper Agency to reopen their labor contracts immediately, saying he needs to slash expenses by $20 million.
"We all know the financial situation is not good in the newspaper industry - he referenced that and requested we begin bargaining (next week)," said Tony Mulligan, a spokesman for Denver Newspaper Guild Local 37074.
"It's definitely concessionary bargaining," Mulligan added, meaning wage, benefit and job cuts would be sought.
Singleton's request comes a day after Moody's Investors Services said his MediaNews Group faces an increased risk of defaulting on its loans, and a week after E.W. Scripps announced it was putting the Rocky up for sale and seeking an exit to the DNA's Joint Operating Agreement. Moody's downgraded almost $1 billion of MediaNews debt.
Sources familiar with the meeting provided the $20 million figure - $2 million from the Post and $18 million from newspaper agency.
According to one person who asked to remain anonymous, Singleton made it clear that he believes Cincinnati- based Scripps will close the Rocky, leaving him in total control of the Denver newspaper market. "Scripps is going home," the person recalled Singleton saying.
The Denver Newspaper Agency handles the business operations of The Post and the Rocky Mountain News as part of a joint operating agreement between MediaNews and Scripps.
People at the meeting said they were struck by the fact that agency CEO Harry Whipple didn't say a word, that there was no request in writing to reopen negotiations and no one from Scripps was represented.
"It was highly irregular," said a different person at the meeting.
Singleton declined to comment Friday.
"You need to talk to Harry Whipple," Singleton said.
Whipple confirmed Friday that he met with Singleton and the unions, but he declined to give details.
"It would be inappropriate to comment," Whipple said.
He said the meeting lasted about 30 minutes.
Mulligan said the local Guild is consulting with its national officials about Singleton's request. The Denver Newspaper Agency contracts are set to expire in October 2009, while The Post contract is due to expire in March 2010, he said.
The Newspaper Guild represents about 180 employees at The Post and 550 of the 1,050 employees at the agency, he said, while various other unions, including the Teamsters, represent the other agency union employees.
Because of the construction of a new press, the Denver Newspaper Agency debt totaled about $130 million as of Sept. 30, according to a regulatory filing. But the interest-only loan carries a very favorable annualized interest rate of less than 3 percent, depending on the formula being used. The loan, however, is due in full in October 2010, meaning the debt would need to be refinanced.
Plummeting advertising revenues because of the economy and the Internet are the major culprits at the Denver newspapers as well as the entire newspaper industry.
The Detroit News, which also is owned by MediaNews, and the Detroit Free Press, owned by Gannett Co., are leaning toward cutting home delivery to three days a week, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. Like the Rocky and The Post, the Detroit papers have separate newsrooms, but their business operations are combined under a joint operating agreement.
Last week, Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune publisher Tribune Co., which also owns 23 TV stations and the Chicago Cubs, filed for bankruptcy protection.
smithje@RockyMountainNews.com, or 303-954-5155. Staff writer John Rebchook contributed to this report.
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December 12, 2008
7:20 p.m.
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smith writes:
Karma's a b----, ain't it Singleton
December 12, 2008
7:38 p.m.
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Darwin writes:
I'm sure the union will make necessary concessions to save the paper and their job, yeah, when pigs learn to fly. Going to seem strange with no major paper in town.
December 12, 2008
7:53 p.m.
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HopiMedicineMan writes:
I’m in a state of seething, roiling, volcanic exhaust pipe anger about the Rocky Mountain News. If the Post goes under, the only emotion I can muster is “oops.”
Can I get porch delivery of the Springs Gazette? Funny, it’s a conservative paper, the only genre increasing circulation according to IRIS.org.
December 12, 2008
8:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
DakotaPlainsman writes:
Liberal slant is one of many factors that put papers at a disadvantage. Alienating roughly half of the audience can't help when you are swimming up stream against the internet during a bad economy when people have so many other choices. Over half of the paper is just landfill stuffing. But it is very unfortunate for the people whose jobs are at stake. Even the best buggy-whip makers had to adapt when the automobile came on the scene.
December 12, 2008
8:34 p.m.
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Chacmool writes:
Where will nutty liberals who have dedicated their careers to their cult go if main stream media fails? Few choices - teacher, lawyer, or government worker. Too bad the Internet provides an actual free press in this country. You can't control the message anymore.
December 12, 2008
8:39 p.m.
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jjez writes:
Wanna bet the bigwigs don't give anything back? They'll probably even get a pay raise out the whole thing.
December 12, 2008
8:41 p.m.
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skaj11 writes:
I work at the DNA and I hope the union does not do a UAW...
Liberal/conservative has nothing to do with it-it is declining revenues plain and simple...
December 12, 2008
8:58 p.m.
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The_Punnisher writes:
Karma IS a b!tch...
I left the ( COM ) POST because they played with censorship...
How about posting the salary and median wages at the Post? Then the READERS can decide who is worth the $$$ they are paid...
The same goes for the Rocky and other M$M celebs.
December 12, 2008
9:36 p.m.
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Jinnie writes:
After Singleton's smug memo re: Rocky's sale, I vowed to never give the Post another cent. This makes my day!
December 12, 2008
9:44 p.m.
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rock4ever writes:
It ain't liberal vs. conservative - it's craigslist and ebay vs. the classifieds, pure and simple.
Newspapers - in fact most media (there are a few exceptions) - do not make money selling their newspaper/magazine/tv show/web page to you. They make money selling your eyes to advertisers.
As a free-marketer, I won't argue with anyone's right to advertise wherever they choose.
But it is a fair question to ask yourself: the next time a President says "I am not a crook" or "I did not have sex with that woman" - will craigslist or ebay will do anything to check it out? And if they won't - who will?
December 12, 2008
10:08 p.m.
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Mark Brown writes:
Denver becomes a lesser city without two newspapers. Or even one. That's the bottom line.
December 12, 2008
10:18 p.m.
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rapelje writes:
I am partially responsible for the demise of the Denver Newspapers, as I stopped my subscription acouple of years ago. I realized that the newspapers, especially the Post had given up all of its objectivity when reporting and had become nothing more than a rag for whatever political interest they wanted to push. I realized after trying one time to contact them that they (newsroom) thought of themselves as "above the great unwashed" and had NO INTEREST whatsoever in what we thought, they were going to tell us what to think. It is evident again how they newspaper people blame everyone but themselves for the situation they now find themselves in. Frankly speaking they newspapers have become nothing more than a propaganda sheet for their pet political issues, and I haven't lost one minute of sleep or missed any news since I stopped taking the newspapers.
December 12, 2008
10:20 p.m.
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smith writes:
@rock4ever
If you want to bring up Monica Lewinsky, I think it's fair to point out that it was the Drudge Report that broke that story, not Newsweek or the rest of the old, liberal media. Bloggers also pushed Dan Rather into retirement and "swiftboated" John Kerry.
I'd rather trust the judgment of millions of fellow men than a single flawed journalist.
I agree with Mark Brown about the loss of a newspaper. Can't we just shutter Channels 2 & 31 and call it even :)
December 12, 2008
10:31 p.m.
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rapelje writes:
Mark Brown, you might want that to be the truth, but when a paper loses its direction and becomes nothing more than a mouthpiece for the interests of its reporters or editorial writers then it has ceased being an asset to the community. The blindness of the newspapers to this situation still exists today and no matter how much you might want to think otherwise that is happening. This is the free market system at work, people are speaking and they are looking elsewhere for their news. There is a place for a well run newspaper (or 2) in Denver and I bet you anything that something will come in its place and if it is an objective newspaper and doesn't try to manipulate opinion and just reports the news then it will succeed.
December 12, 2008
10:40 p.m.
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den2mke writes:
The term 'newspaper' is oxymoronic in a climate where real news couldn't possibly be in paper format. Even the Rocky's columns/news can be seen on the web up to 12 hours or more before you get it in print. And anyone who suggests this is an economic issue--not that advertising dips aren't exacerbating the problem--really doesn't get it. Virtually every major newspaper company is in SERIOUS trouble. Losing a few brands that we've known and loved is fait accompli. Denver will have a major newspaper, I suspect--but probably not two.
If either paper has to go, I sure hope it's the Post. They've been horrible for years. At least the Rocky--from a sports perspective--has reasonable content. Every time I go to the Post's site, there's almost nothing I want to read.
December 12, 2008
10:48 p.m.
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forty5ford writes:
.... and how much wage and benefit concessions did Whipple, Singleton and the rest of the upper-crust permanently give back to initiate the cost-cutting efforts? I suspect the statements, "it was highly irregular" and "it would be inappropriate to comments" are indicative that management intends to remain mum and thereby think they are exempt in taking proportionate and symbolic cuts themselves. Instead I sense their intent is for the "lowly" workers to sacrifice and solely bare the $20MM in cuts being sought. That's truly the act of greedy 'n ungrateful executives and management. Ever heard of Karma?
December 12, 2008
11:03 p.m.
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MereMortal writes:
At this rate, we could soon be watching The Westword and La Voz fighting it out for top Denver newspaper! It's actually quite fitting.
December 12, 2008
11:13 p.m.
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AC writes:
rapelje writes: "There is a place for a well run newspaper (or 2) in Denver and I bet you anything that something will come in its place and if it is an objective newspaper and doesn't try to manipulate opinion and just reports the news then it will succeed."
I suspect the exact opposite is true. Almost everything in the papers is neutral, except the editorial page, and yet you and others here say people are choosing to get their news elsewhere, like online blogs and the like. But it is for precisely the OPPOSITE reason you claim. They are not abandoning MSM because of "liberal" bias, but rather seeking out the increasing number of *biased* blogs and other online sources that reinforce already-held political leanings. Look where people now claim they're getting their news, ostensibly because the MSM is "biased:" they're going to lefty or righty blogs that make them feel better by reporting things how the readers are predisposed to accept them. It's getting worse, not better, by relying on the internet for your news and fooling yourself into thinking it's *less* politically leaning... it's MORE leaning but in your favorite direction, right or left.
We're losing objective news by losing the News or the Post. We're losing touch with our own communities. Blogs won't cover local news except with a slant.
December 12, 2008
11:45 p.m.
Suggest removal
stewie_08 writes:
Talk all the politics you want, but I'm going to miss the sports section. The national media does a decent job of course, but no one gives you the daily happenings of the Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies and Avs like the local dailies. Plus, high school teams and athletes will be left out in the cold. No rankings, players of the week and so on.
December 13, 2008
12:20 a.m.
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jrhino writes:
Both papers have become editorial rags from front page to back. Like other aspects of industry a new well run paper will emerge here in the Denver metro area.
It is the inability for either paper to reinvent itself. When you are being scooped by blogs, and join the establishment and advertizers in coverup politically correct news, people figure it out and lose interest. The Rocky has tried to improve over the last year but too little too late.
December 13, 2008
12:50 a.m.
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rock4ever writes:
@smith - yep, you're right regarding Drudge and Monica.
Althought it can be argued that until a concensus developed across media of all stripes that there was a real story there, it wouldn't have had legs soley based on Drudge. Too easy to dismiss as a part of a "vast right-wing" (or in the case of Watergate, "vast left-wing") conspiracy.
But on the larger point, it's going to be interesting to see what new economic model develops for gathering and distributing news, especially local news.
December 13, 2008
6:02 a.m.
Suggest removal
windbourne writes:
To Singleton and RMN;
Really want to slash expenses? QUIT DELIVERING THE PAPER. Deliver the news on the web. You will make a profit. Your money maker is NOT the paper. It is NEWS. As it is, your costs are not your reporters. It is the paper and the printing of it. Your real product should be INTELLIGENT reporters. Keep the news.
And then focus on doing an e-reader. My suggestion is build a clone of ebookwise reader, but with changes. Drop the modem and put in ethernet and wifi (a will work). Change the smart memory to CF. It currently retails for 99. Do about the same and it will sell. To really help it sell, make it work with project gutenberg as well as some of the e-book formats. Do not use ebookwise's. Horrible format. By offering a a large number of e-books (25K at gutenberg) AND the news with a low cost reader, you will blow kindle out of the water.
If you build this, be sure to offer 2 version of the paper. The free version as well as the subscription. The free should have more ads. The subscription should have FEW TARGETED ads (you know who the person is; you can see what they want with a bit of feedback; this is EXACTLY what Google sells).
To Singleton, RMN,
you have an OPPORTUNITY to move forward. The internet will continue to eat your lunch. Take advantage of the situation.
December 13, 2008
6:59 a.m.
jacka writes:
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
December 13, 2008
7:02 a.m.
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Oh_Wise_One writes:
Mark Brown- thanks for your *cough* contribution to the discussion. You wouldn't have anything invested in the outcome no?
The fact is that you can't give me a free paper at Safeway. I feel bad for the old folks trying to hand those out so I don't laugh in their face.
skaj11- "nothing" That's like say man has no impact on Global Climate Change. There is at least some impact from the liberal bias, I stand before you boycotting the dead tree media.
December 13, 2008
7:19 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
I truly hate to see the Rocky go; I never cared for their liberal slant, but it was always great to read the articles and editorials that made me think, even if they were liberal. I don't think a buyer will step forward for the Rocky; even with concessions, I don't think the Post will be here in 5 to 10 years either. It has always been my opinion the Rocky was the better of the two papers. With the internet, I run stock market programs, read emails, and travel around the world to get news instantly from all parts of the world as it happens. I juggle several computers at one time in this modern age of electronics, with the help of a kid as I am not computer savvy at all. Other than editorials, print media has become a dinosaur that's outdated the moment it's printed. By the time it hits my door, it's contents are old and stale. We always advertised our many businesses throughout the years in both papers; but to date we are getting a much better response from our many ads in the free papers. Right after the Rocky announcement, I started getting cals from FOX, and other businesses soliticting my family's advertising dollar. The predators know when to strike. Also it wouldn't matter if the Rocky went right wing, the result would be the same. Sad to see this town lose another format of media that was able to draw out the community as being "our hometown paper". I am even going to miss the censor Mr. Boggert, said goodbye once to the man, but after the announcement here I am. Post isn't a paper I'd subscribe to, even if becomes the only paper in town. We'll still run our ads, but I won't be hearing the "THUD" at my door at 5am once the Rocky's gone.
December 13, 2008
8:18 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
Point in case, shooting at the Grizzly Rose last night leaving an employee dead, cops looking for the vehicle. Rocky? Nothing, even online. Girl involved in a serious hit and run. Rocky? Nothing. You'd think if you're a news oulet, and print had a lag time, the online edition would make up for that. Online can run up to the minute, let the print handle the editorial on subjects of the day. Make controversial subjects, politics, events that recently occured more indepth in print, but keep up to the minute in online reporting. Then I can say screw the money grubbing television media going digital, I could catch everything online. Just too many areas where print media is falling behind, but there is no reason to do so online.
December 13, 2008
8:22 a.m.
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LOUIE writes:
In a day where I can get up to the minute stock quotes, no reason the Rocky can't give up to the minute news online. I'd even pay to have it if the Rocky gave live video feeds online of breaking news 24/7.
December 13, 2008
9:18 a.m.
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Pulpvillerick writes:
Prediction: Denver will be a zero newspaper town for a year or two (Westword, Denver Daily News excluded.) However, another paper will rise from the ashes of the Post and the Rocky. There will be recognizable parts from both papers in the new version. It will report the NEWS, it won't be full of bland crap deemed digestible for only the elderly and little kids, it will be edgier, it won't be top heavy at management, it will have a viable sales and marketing approach appropriate for the 21st century, and all of the debt both businesses have accumulated will long be in the rear view mirror. It will still cover sports and business and the arts but there will be sections devoted to new technology and ways to cope in the neo-Depression. It won't have a political ideology but will pursue solid public interest. Or did I dream all that?
December 13, 2008
10:16 a.m.
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AC writes:
I checked the Denver Post website this morning and saw nothing about this. Will they have it in their Sunday edition?
Folks, doesn't this show you which is the better paper? The Rocky was upfront in reporting its internal financial problems, the Post won't tell you about theirs. The Rocky even posted video of their staff getting the news of their sale from their corporate bosses. Post? They liked reporting the Rocky's problems but covered up their own. You may be losing the better paper here.
December 13, 2008
10:47 a.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
Louie, I can juggle several SCREENS on ONE computer using LINUX ( Kubuntu 8.04 LTS )...
Your approach may be as outdated as the way the newspapers distribute the news...
The news is undergoing a DARWIN type change; a comparison to DINOSAURS is not unrealistic. Up to date, sometimes immediate projection of the news is possible and the INTERNET is what made it possible.
For a comparison; How long did it take a stockbroker to execute a buy/sell transaction 20 years ago? ONE A DAY if you were lucky! I worked with a consortium of brokerage houses to develop 15 MINUTE transaction times using the Internet and Windows NT ( a NEW technology! ) at the time!!
Newsprint CEOs should have seen this EVOLUTION coming. ( they make bucks & may even play the market! ).
YourHUB may be the future of the DNA. I use it to get LOCAL NEWS
http://denver.yourhub.com/Evergreen/S...
And the YourHub could be expanded to add the local coverage of sports.
IMHO, this type of media works...and is more suited for the job of communicating NEWS instead of the INFOTAINMENT M$M gives people now..
( as long as OPINIONS and SLANTED " JOURNALISM " stay on the editorial page...)
December 13, 2008
10:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
slocatch writes:
I watched poster after poster drop out after Tina's 'border street' and the left, hollow voice of Mike Littwin. They thought that they were above it all. Every one was telling them to get out of the cubical and look at what you write about prior to writing about it. As if arrogance manifested arrogance.
December 13, 2008
11:44 a.m.
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rapelje writes:
It is obvious AC that you have a dog in the hunt as your posts exude a great deal of denial and defensiveness. I can't believe anyone with could say with a straight face, "Almost everything in the papers is neutral,..." Have you not read the papers? If you had you would have seen the anti-police bias by some of the reporters that have covered some so called "human interest" stories and these did NOT appear on the editorial pages. You must have missed the many political articles and how they would paint one side or the other (mainly conservative) as somehow being bad in the way that they would couch their questions or commentary in the article. Point in particular, for so long if a Republican politician was being investigated for something bad they would say "Republican or R" by his name. If there was a Democrat being investigated, they would simply say that he was being investigated WITHOUT the label of his political affiliation, this has been shown to happen many times, this is why I had to assume you were trying to be funny when you said that, "Almost everything in the papers is neutral,..." Denial is a very long river and it will take you a long time to get off of it.
December 13, 2008
12:20 p.m.
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gary writes:
skaj11 writes:
I work at the DNA and I hope the union does not do a UAW...
Liberal/conservative has nothing to do with it-it is declining revenues plain and simple...
Well, I quit renewing two years ago. Got tired of the liberal format and illegal loving print day after day. I take my local newspaper and will be happy to see both of the Denver papers or DNA, they are both one and the same, go down and out for the count. Check how the counties of Colorado voted. There is more red than blue. The newspapers can not survive on Denver, Boulder, and a few other red areas.
Goodby and Good riddance to both of them!
Nuff Said!
December 13, 2008
12:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
TheDenverB writes:
lol. way to be completely off topic crtf.
"The Final Report: Columbine" was the worst documentary ever done on Columbine. Although it appeared to be fairly well researched, the presentation had nothing new to offer, and got the generaltheory wrong. What an awful project for National Geographic to have been involved in.
I participated in the show, and I was so disappointed in the end result that I am almost at a loss of words.
I expected more.
A horrible documentary with very little to offer.
Randy Brown
A Columbine Parent
THAT is what i pulled up when i googled 'national geographic columbine"
December 13, 2008
1:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
skaj11 writes:
I find it funny that all you Post/News bashers who say you "canceled your subscription years ago" and hate the bias/slants etc blah blah still must read the web sites everyday to see what we're reporting just so you can hate us more. Whatever....
So Gary-you would love nothing more than to see 1000 people lose their jobs? Merry Xmas to you too!
December 13, 2008
1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
TheDenverB writes:
trust me gary, your $8-per-year subscription meant nothing to them.
in fact, you probably generate more revenue for both papers NOW by simply clicking on their websites -- and we ALL know you troll around here plenty often.
Beyond that, you STILL read and comment on the paper you claim to be oh so against and oh so tired of reading. Get over it, clown, and either own up to the fact that it really isn't that biased or walk your talk and simply quit reading the paper -- either in print or online.
because you come off as a complete joke bashing something day in and day out that NOBODY is forcing you to read.
'nuff said.
December 13, 2008
2:01 p.m.
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TheDenverB writes:
and if any of you really think a "liberal slant" is to blame for either paper's collapse, you are out of your minds.
if that was the case, then news networks like MSNBC and FauxNews would be out of business.
no, it's simply newspapers not being able to compete with other, more effective forms of advertising AND (in large part) due to heavily declining classified sales thanks to FREE online sites like craigslist.
Because, as gary proves, whether or not you thnk the paper is too lib or too conservative... you're still reading it in some form or another.
December 13, 2008
2:07 p.m.
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TheDenverB writes:
if anything, it's that the paper isn't biased enough for today's polarized audience.
it is because people like Gary LIKE their news unabashedly biased that true news sources like this are failing. AS someone said above, they'd rather get the C.Springs paper because they think it is 'conservative'. People are looking for a bias that supports theirs in their media...
and honestly, this one just doesn't give it too you. It's too much down the line and commonsensical -- which, to you, is 'lib'. so, you bash it, while you continue to read it, while at the same time blowing it off as fake news or biased because it doesn't jive with the uber-conservative (or liberal, whateer your flavor is) drivel you would RATHER consider news.
so, instead of picking up the newspaper, or coming to the website... people go to biased blogs and "news" sources that tell them what they think they already know, but won't admit it.
December 13, 2008
2:09 p.m.
Suggest removal
forty5ford writes:
AC... your comments, "I checked the Denver Post website this morning and saw nothing about this. Will they have it in their Sunday edition?" are spot on.
Publicly, the news broke on Friday afternoon about the DP seeking $20MM in expense reductions. Their inaction to report their own "news" are gross and negligent actions to their readership and community. Clearly it signals how they take their readership and business for granted.
Reporting this story does not get any simpler and convenient than having the source of info directly within the confines of their own operations. Their failure to report it is truly beyond pitiful. And here it is some 24 hours since the news broke yet there still is not peep about it on their website. Isn't clear, concise, responsible, factual, reliable, informative, unbiased and timely reporting and in a friendly format the bread 'n butter of their work? Frankly, the opposite has become commonplace which clearly signals to the community that the DP is unreliable, incapable and/or unwilling to execute its professional, civic, financial and environmental responsibilities. Ultimately, it tells the citizen community to seek their information from other sources.
Oh the rewards of driving away one's own readers and business.
December 13, 2008
4:17 p.m.
Suggest removal
The_Punnisher writes:
Totally OT, but what the heck...
Randy, seeing it LIVE and having an interest beyond the motives and WHY it came to be, we need much more perspective than what you talk about.
http://m.rockymountainnews.com/news/2...
I think if the Rocky and others REALLY used the FOIA, we might have more of a scope on the whole thing.
I also had kids at Jeffco and they were being bullied to the point that I pointed out that a Columbine type incident WOULD BE HAPPENING SOON TO MS. STEVENSON BEFORE IT HAPPENED!! When Columbine happened, I offered to testify that the school district was WILLFULLY NEGLIGENT and CULPABLE to the different attorneys involved.... I got NO return calls or correspondence....
I also had an inner view into the workings of the JCSO. I had worked there as a contractor in high tech at the Taj...and had already seen some of the politics behind the scenes.
What I am sure of is that we do not have the whole story of HOW and WHY ( two good words a REPORTER uses ) Columbine came to be...maybe Russ Cook knew....and couldn't handle the truth...
December 13, 2008
7:27 p.m.
Suggest removal
whazzamattau writes:
Liberal news media types have over played their hands and alienated the thinking man from their subscription base. Only non-thinkers that believe what they are told to by the liberal elite still inhabit the subscription rolls of the Post and the Rocky. It's too bad neither of these two newspapers can take a cue from conservative talk radio and see the handwriting on the wall. Air America is dead while conservative voices across the dial are thriving and adding listenership. Maybe this is a good time for investors to take over one of these failing papers and show the rest of the country that a true conservative voice will be widely read, and attract the needed advertizing dollars to support its mission.
December 13, 2008
8:40 p.m.
Suggest removal
AC writes:
rapelje,
Your comments reveal much much more about your own personal biases than any in either of the papers. Yes, most news is neutral. What I will miss is finding out about my local politicians, decision-making that affects me as a property owner that these papers now cover but later won't. Blogs? Online commentators? Man, if you think the news pages have a slant, wait until you have to start hearing your local news from a blogger!!
Get real.
December 13, 2008
8:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
SFCPAUL writes:
Hey maybe the Universal Church would buy the Post and use U.P.I. instead of A.P. They bought U.P.I. for a buck several years ago.
I live in Elbert County. We have several poorly written rags out here for free. I quit paying for the Post as I became fed up with the pap it was printing.
December 13, 2008
11:18 p.m.
Suggest removal
Daffodils333 writes:
When I was a little girl many years ago, my photo was in the RMN. I still have that picture today, and it may seem like a small thing, but I was proud to be in the newspaper. I will save that photo for the rest of my life.
When newspapers are extinct and we are forced to rely on online forms of media it will be a sad day.
I believe most news from RMN is neutral and valuable. There is a place for non-biased news in newspapers and a place for knowingly biased news in blogs and editorials. No reporter is completely non-biased--reporters are just people, but saying this entire publication leans one way or the other is silly. One person will say this publication is liberal, another will say it is conservative--probably neither is correct.
Save a journalist. Buy a newspaper.
December 13, 2008
11:47 p.m.
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rapelje writes:
AC, unlike the so called news writers of the Post and News I will freely admit my bias', maybe you should admit yours for a change. But I am also not trying to fool people like the newspapers are into trying to appear to be neutral when they are far from it. You make it sound like nothing will cover the items the News or the Post cover now if they both go. Get real yourself, there will be coverage and if it is truly politically neutral (unlike the Post and News) then it will be successful. I would imagine right now there are numerous business people thinking about how to take over after the News and Post are gone. This is what really scares you the most, you won't have a job anymore. The last thing I counted on was getting unbiased news from the Denver newspapers, I learned a long time ago to take them with a real grain of salt. What you should do is to ask yourself truly and honestly why the newspapers failed and what you and the other employees could have done better or different to make the newspapers better, but I am sure you won't as you appear to be very contented to live on the River of Denial.
December 14, 2008
3:53 p.m.
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MikeMF writes:
I hope something can be worked out so both newspapers can be saved. Newspapers have been a major part of the nation's history since the Boston Tea Party. It would be unforgivable if we let newspaper across the country go under
December 15, 2008
9:44 a.m.
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Romanesco writes:
I couldn't find this story on the Denver Post...odd, considering it's one of Singleton's papers...
December 15, 2008
2:27 p.m.
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spot writes:
Good thinking, usesubliminals! Everybody knows the Internet's fact-checking policy is very stringent. No lies to be found there...
The claim that liberal bias is responsible for newspapers' troubles is just another right-wing delusion. That's not to deny the existence of bias in the media, but that bias cuts both ways sometimes. And by its nature, journalism tends to attract more liberals than conservatives. Ever hear the axiom "The business of a newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable"? Doesn't sound like a conservative mission. Further, if the public can't abide daily newspapers' "left-wing" coverage, then why are so many of the most popular political websites far more liberal than any mainstream paper?
The newspaper industry has generally failed to come up with a way to make money from its product -- journalism -- on the Internet, and it may be too late now. Flawed as they are, though, newspapers are the foundation of public information in this country. Do you think the TV stations -- or some free website -- will pick up the dailies' in-depth city hall and statehouse reporting? How about local arts coverage? "I'll just read it for free on the web," you say? Without the print product to bring in real ad money, the newspapers' websites won't have the money to pay for any of that stuff.
Bloggers -- including Drudge -- don't have the resources to do serious investigative journalism on a national level. Even the best ones depend largely on the mainstream media's reporting.
There is some great original journalism online, and the future is likely to bring more, but the death of newspapers will be a grim event for democracy.
December 15, 2008
3:24 p.m.
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spot writes:
Hey, usesubliminals, I just checked out rense.com. Amid lots of links to wingnut conspiracy theories, UFO stories and anti-semitic rantings are such "unbiased" headlines as "Snake Rahm Refuses Questions About Blago" and "Coming Showdown - Zionism Vs Western Civilization." Yet many of the links are to dreaded "mainstream media" sites. So this is your idea of "better news"? Enjoy!