A Rocky farewell: recession KO's Colorado’s oldest paper

DENVER — Months of hints the Rocky Mountain News might close shop didn't soften the blow when it landed Thursday.

The Rocky, just shy of reaching the 150-year mark, published its final edition today. It was Colorado's oldest newspaper, but, said E.W. Scripps CEO Richard Boehne, the recession spelled its doom.

The paper lost $16 million in 2008 and could not find a buyer, the Associated Press reported.

Rocky employees were informed of the closure at noon Thursday. They will be paid through April 28.

As a former reporter, Debbie Frazier was not in the newsroom when the closure was announced, but said she felt the loss keenly.

"I worked at the Rocky Mountain News for 26 years. My heart goes out to the many fine reporters, excellent photographers and truly talented editors," she said.

"I believe that democracy depends on good newspapers and this is truly a loss. ... The Rocky was an institution for Colorado residents and other media for so long."

The newspaper industry nationwide is faltering, with the Internet most often fingered as the culprit. A recent Time magazine report, however, faulted papers for giving away their content for free online. Many online news stories, too, originate from a print version.

"I think it's a tragedy to see a newspaper with that history and that kind of importance to Colorado to cease. We'll be the poorer for it. This is not an unusual occurrence," Jim Spehar of Grand Junction said of the Rocky's closure.

Spehar, a former Grand Junction mayor, worked with the Associated Press for 15 of his 30 years in journalism.

He pointed to ongoing financial problems at major newspapers — including the the Denver Post, which operated under a partnership, not always friendly, with the Rocky since 2001.

The Post laid off six higher-ranking employees just last week.

The Chicago Tribune filed for bankruptcy late last year. The San Francisco Chronicle made the news just one day before the Rocky's closure was announced — it may also shut down.

Spehar said changing technology is taking a toll on print products. "Most of us are getting our news in a variety of ways. It's pretty hard not to be able to get news through a variety of technology each day," he said.

The Associated Press assembles content from numerous media to provide wire stories to subscribers, including smaller papers like the Daily Press. Spehar, expressing a personal opinion, said the loss of the Rocky couldn't help but impact the wire.

"It is a real tragedy to see original, on-the-ground resources go away, because it diminishes the ultimate news product," he said.

The AP's Colorado bureau referred calls to its New York office. "The Associated Press will continue to provide a robust state news report for all its member newspapers in Colorado," Paul Colford, AP director of media relations, said.

News of the Rocky's demise was met with sadness at the Daily Press, but publisher Stephen Woody said smaller, community newspapers, like the Press, and larger metro newspapers function differently.

Woody said larger media companies are tanking in part because of crushing expansion debt.

"Community newspapers are healthy because we don't have the same issues, like labor and long-term contracts with vendors. Community newspapers are more nimble. They can adjust to the economy more quickly than the metropolitan papers," he said.

"You sort of look at the Rocky Mountain News like a big brother, the gold standard in the state, and to see this happen is a shame," Managing Editor Bill Swaim said.

"However, I don't believe this is the death of the newspaper industry. With the advent of radio, it was said newspapers would become irrelevant — they didn't. With the invention of TV, it was said newspapers would become obsolete — they didn't," he said.

"Small papers like ours have certainly felt the recession too, but not in the way the major metropolitan newspapers have. The saving grace with community journalism is that people still come to us for their Montrose news."

‘Democracy depends on good, reliable, accurate, balanced information. Without that high quality of information from reliable, credible news outlets, citizens face a challenge in making decisions when they vote.’

— Debbie Frazier, former Rocky Mountain News reporter

‘The Denver Post seems in worse shape than us. They need to borrow money to meet payroll. Why didn't they close?’

— Unidentified Rocky Mountain News employee (From the Rocky's online blog of the meeting)

‘This is a really sad end to a beautiful thing. ... people outside could not tell from looking at it the personal struggles. We have one last shot at producing a great newspaper. It's like being given the chance to play the music at your own funeral.’

— Rocky Mountain News Editor John Temple (From the Rocky's online blog of the meeting)