BackboneAmerica

E. W. Scripps has announced that Friday will be the last day of publication for the Rocky Mountain News. This is a sad day for Denver and Colorado, and given the state’s pivotal position in national
politics, it’s not too good for the country, either.

The Rocky always had longer articles, better coverage, and sharper
commentary than its surviving rival, the Denver Post. But a tabloid
format and a series of poor marketing and business decisions left it
unable to compete in the shrinking market for dead-tree-based news.

The Rocky was also one of the main reasons that the more liberal Post
didn’t become the utterly irresponsible caricature of a newspaper that
the Star-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times have turned into. With the
Rocky now gone, there will be less pressure on the Post to be a
responsible outlet, rather than a mouthpiece for the Democratic party
and its affiliates.

In past times, the Post would have picked up the important features and
much of the news staff of the Rocky. However, the Post, is facing
financial problems of its own, laying off some editorial and management
staff, and it’s unclear how long it will continue to function, even
without direct competition.

It’s tempting to say that bloggers and other alternative media can step
into the breach, and it may well be that a number of the reporters from
the Rocky will try to develop their own sites for a living. And
indeed, I’m sure we’ll be able to pick up some of the slack.

But there’s nothing like being on payroll to have the time to write and
develop sources and stories. The Denver Press Club still has a bias
against those who don’t have major media organizations behind them,
which limits credentialing and access to information and newsmakers.
There’s no question this is a serious loss for the area.