A ROCKY MOUNTAIN OBITUARY

In recent months, the downward spiral of the economy has touched the lives of everyone I know. But for those of us who love journalism and aspire to work in the media, things have been bad for some time. Even with all the forewarning in the form of Joint Operating Agreements, buyouts and downsizing, the closing of the Rocky Mountain News hurts.

I have to admit that except for Mike Littwin's column, which I always looked forward to, I was not a Rocky reader. In fact, I was privileged enough to be an intern at the Denver Post, where I cultivated a good-natured suspicion of the "other" paper. We shared the Denver Newspaper Agency building on Colfax, and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world to be in the middle of everything exciting in Denver.

Sometimes stories overlapped and I found myself wincing when the Rocky reporter found something I missed or wondering why editors led with different stories. Colorado will lose that difference in perspective, the discord that gets to the heart of what a community actually sounds like.

This closure stuns because we all feel that it's just the first. The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle and smaller publications around the country seem to face the same future. Every newspaper that dies closes the door to the unique newsroom culture that buzzes with the build-up to deadline and ultimate dash to the finish.

It's not true that no one reads the paper anymore, but no one reads it in print. The demand for news has never been higher, yet the business side of newspapers can't come up with a working web model. This has surely been one of the biggest frustrations of my young career.

I read the final edition of the Rocky Mountain News online.

Many of the comments on the Rocky and Post websites expressed sincere loss for a publication that had been a part of their lives. Others blamed the paper's demise on its liberal bias and inability to adapt to new technologies.

Although I can't speak to the business of the Rocky, I do hope the bias allegations die with the paper. Newspapers are not blogs, the ravings of a radio talk-show host or a cable news talk-fest. Newspapers are news, unique in their reporting capabilities and roots in the community. The real bias is in favour of a good story with an interesting angle. (The most widely read story I ever wrote for the Post was about a dog that wandered onto thin ice and had to be rescued. Bias: cute.)

I hope the Rocky's newspaper writers stay in the game. I hope that newbies like me can keep writing. I hope that someone who values journalism claws to the head of a news organisation and figures out how to make this happen.

~ GABRIELA RESTO-MONTERO


 

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Comments

Rocky Mountain Snooze

March 2, 2009 - 21:25 — Larry Koats (not verified)

The Rocky Mountain Snooze is/was one of the most embarrassing city newspapers in the world. The Denver Post is also embarrassing, just not quite, as embarrassing. The truth is that the News hired all the cheerleaders from my high school and cannot now publish the name of one writer who made a difference or an impact. You mourn the collegiate excitement of the newsroom; it's a drag to live in an indifferent, television addicted America, but there was a time and there were times when the News could have made a difference and did nothing. They hired colorful columnists to spout and posture. Colorado will flourish when the Post rolls over and the country takes a look around. Colorado is a beautiful state, but culturally, intellectually, it is all Bibles and bullshit and mediocrity. Happy to be a long long way a way. Oops almost forgot, Jesus loves the Broncos. He tole me so himself.

Rockey Smocky Jocky

March 2, 2009 - 21:35 — Bond Jackson (not verified)

Gabriella, the paper sucked, always did. In the United states we spell organization organization not organisation. No wonder your paper failed.

Well, the Rocky did win four

March 2, 2009 - 23:30 — fish (not verified)

Well, the Rocky did win four Pulitzers since 2000. And one of those series became a book that was a National Book Award finalist, Final Salute.

Clearly not everyone wants reporting or storytelling (such as Final Salute) that doesn't confirm their beliefs one way or another. That's a sad thing for our country. If people aren't willing to listen to others, let alone consider their ideas, it's impossible to accomplish anything. And in the end, journalism is about empowering citizens in a democracy to make decisions.

News

March 3, 2009 - 11:58 — ADB Resto (not verified)

I would read the paper more if it was writen on a daily basis with such intellect and vision that you show on your articles. the cute dog one, I have not read that one but the "I think we're really an extension of the campus and we feel as much pain as anyone else." - A candle is lit for each life: Local alumni revere victims" that was a good one. I have read many of your articles. I think they are enough to keep one newspaper working but I am biased. I am not sure I agree to much on the bias of newspapers or lack of one but I understand what you are saying.

The importance of varying viewpoints, etc.

March 4, 2009 - 18:52 — New Yorker (not verified)

Say what you will about the quality of the Rocky, it was another voice in the community which has now been, sadly, silenced. I live in New York and while I skew more ideologically towards the NYTimes, I was deeply saddened to see the conservative New York Sun go under last year. Every community loses out when an alternate viewpoint is lost.

Rocky Smocky, MIL is a British publication where organization is spelled with an "s." However, in any country, the author's name is spelled with only one "l."

Newpapers die

August 13, 2009 - 16:43 — Rocky Patel (not verified)

Newspapers are out - the internet is in. This is a growing trend that we're going to see more and more of in the future. Embrace change.