STATUS: I awoke this morning with what must be the start of a cold. My head feels like it’s stuffed with cotton.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? GRACELAND by Paul Simon
Every day on Media Bistro, I read some new tidbit on the problems in the newspaper industry. Lay-offs, new advertising on the front page, struggling papers trying to find ways to become more viable in this changing economy and evolving reading medium.
Today it hit home particularly. I awoke to the radio news that The Rocky Mountain Newspaper, publishing since 1859, is running its last edition this morning. Officially as of today, the paper is no more. They closed the doors.
The Denver Post is now the only newspaper in town.
I heard this yesterday and it REALLY upset me. I lived in Denver for many years, and my family’s still there. I always preferred the RMN to the DP – liked the “book” format better than the section format. In fact, it’s the only newspaper I’ve ever read on a regular basis in my entire life, and always look forward to reading it (especially the entertainment pull-out) when I go “home.” When will the bad news end? 🙁
With a husband in journalism school, this sort of thing makes me sick to my stomach on so many levels.
This was on the front page of CNN.com this morning. I was sad to hear it–I remember when the Houston Post died some years ago, back when I still lived in Texas. The end of an era….
I’m bummed because I prefer RMN politics to Denver Post. My parents are mourning, I think, but they’re weird like that.
That is sad. I went to high school out in Denver and remember reading both during journalism class. Over 100 years, and they shut down. I wonder how many more we’ll lose.
I work for the Post, but I grew up with the Rocky on the breakfast table every morning. So I have a fondness for both papers. Most Post staffers are in mourning today. Denver has lost a great institution.
Yeah I heard that too. I have family in Denver. Do they have an online version or is this really the end of their road?
People keep predicting books will follow newsapers. Do you guys think that’s true or are there differences between books and newspapers?
I know it’s been asked before, but I heard this news on the same day my Kindle arrived, so I started thinking about it again.
Very difficult for Rocky employees – tough to produce the last issue, leave the office and know there’s no paper tomorrow. However, I do believe that this is part of transforming journalism for the new era. Those publications that survive will be stronger and more in tune with how people want their news delivered. The writing’s been on the wall for a while.
PS: Some Kick-Ass Immune activator (yes, it’s really called that) by WishGarden should stop that cold in it’s tracks. Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods sells it.
It is soooo sad. This recession is hitting everyone.
Here in Portland, the courts are going to be closed on Fridays. The court staff has to take a 20% cut in pay.
🙁
Aw, Ms. Nelson, I hope you feel better soon! And I hate that newspaper closed their doors. That’s always sad to hear.
I was very sad to hear about the Rocky Mountain News. An important part of Denver history is gone and I mourn the loss.
It’s hard to watch newspapers shut their doors and/or declare bankruptcy…I wrote for the Chicago Trib and while they’re still around, it’s not the same and the section I wrote for was nixed. I grew up in Philadelphia and both Philly papers have declared bankruptcy. It’s a spiral that’s on the verge of being out of control.
It’s a virus. I went to buy my local paper last week, THE NEW HOPE GAZETTE, and they told me it went out of business. No warning; nothing.
I live between Phila. and NY. I can get all the best papers there are. But I liked my small town paper the best. Ah well…
That’s sad. The media industry, especially newspapers, have been hit hard with the economy. Advertising is drying up and companies are looking more to Internet and word-of-mouth type of grassroots public relations. Let’s hope there’s a turnaround.
Wow, that’s incredibly sad to lose such an institution. When something has been around for that long, it’s really hard to see it end.
Does anyone know what will become of the archives? The loss of newspapers is also a threat to history.
I mourned when the Houston Post shut down after it was bought by the company that owns the Houston Chronicle. And now I see the Chronicle struggling with fewer ads and commensurate news pages.
I used to place direct-response ads in the Denver papers for a client in my advertising days and got more response from the RMN than the Post. I also liked the format and editorial more.
I hate to say it but the handwriting is clear: printed newspapers are going extinct. I’ll miss reading my paper, holding it in my hands, etc. I suppose it will morph like others have into an online rag (an expression that, too, will soon end up on the ‘archaic’ terms list).
I’m waiting (read cynical prediction here) for someone to come out with what will perhaps be the norm: an entire novel written with the typical shortcut words of texting.
I think I need a nap.
I’m a reporter for a small regional paper, and it’s very hard for us to stay in business. The sad thing is that if we go under, that only leaves the big city papers, and they don’t cover news from outlying, more rural areas. I’ve stayed at the paper for so many years, choosing not to go to one of the bigger papers, because I feel so passionately about it: we need our small papers that report on local school news, businesses, etc. It just makes me very, very sad.
I blame the internet. People don’t need newspapers like they once did. They can just google.
I will miss the Rocky. We in Denver are poorer for only having one major daily. Perhaps the Rocky should have differentiated its coverage more and picked up markets segments the Post can not. The primary reason I subscibe to the Post is for the sports. It’s the most objective reporting in the paper, as it is in most newspapers.
I hate the news when something that has been in business forever is shutting their doors. I know most new businesses fail, but old-timers are supposed to be able to weather the highs and lows.
Don’t feel bad. Houston, the 4th largest US city, has had only one paper now for about 10 years now…and it’s getting worse every month. One of our biggest malls doesn’t even have a bookstore. Many of us do read books in Houston and we even voted for Obama! Sigh…