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Rocky Mountain News Stops the Presses

One of the Nation's Top Newspapers Prints Last Edition

By CATHERINE TSAI
,
AP
posted: 273 DAYS 9 HOURS AGO
comments: 185
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DENVER (Feb. 27) - The newspaper crisis roiling the United States has claimed its biggest victim so far: The Rocky Mountain News, Colorado's oldest newspaper and a Denver fixture since 1859, published its last edition Friday.
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"Goodbye, Colorado," read the headline on a 52-page commemorative edition wrapping the regular newspaper. "STOP THE PRESSES," read the front-page headline inside.
The E.W. Scripps Co., which owns the News, said Thursday the newspaper lost $16 million last year and the company was unable to find a viable buyer since announcing a sale Dec. 4.
"Today the Rocky Mountain News, long the leading voice in Denver, becomes a victim of changing times in our industry and huge economic challenges," Scripps CEO Rich Boehne said Thursday.
The News is the latest - and largest - newspaper to fail in a recession that has been especially brutal for the industry amid falling ad revenue.
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Four owners of 33 U.S. daily newspapers have sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the past 2 1/2 months. A number of other newspapers are up for sale.
Dennis Schroeder, a photographer for 25 years, said some of his colleagues were angry but others were relieved that Scripps executives decided on the newspaper's fate after weeks of uncertainty.
"It's hard losing the best job in the world," he said.
The special section highlighted some of the newspaper's best work, including Pulitzer Prize-winning stories and photos. The final edition had a print run of about 350,000 copies, up from the regular daily circulation of 210,000 and 457,000 on Saturdays.
"It's very rare that you get to play the music at your own funeral, so you want to make sure you do it well," Publisher and Editor John Temple said.
The closure leaves the Denver Post as the only daily newspaper in town. Scripps' Boehne said the News' 230 editorial employees would be paid through April 28.
Scripps said only one potential buyer came forward for the News, "and that party was unable to present a viable plan."
Scripps has owned the News since 1926. The newspaper will close just two months short of its 150th anniversary.
Associated Press writers Judith Kohler, Ivan Moreno and Alysia Patterson and AP Business Writer Sandy Shore contributed to this report.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-02-27 05:20:33
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1 - 10 of 185
185 comments

VendelaVee 12:06:36 PM Feb 28 2009

People don't want NEWS anymore! Look at all the news TV show. They spend more time reporting on Hollywood, fashion trends, cooking recipes, vacation deals, who said what about who, gossip, etc. The news has gone on to becomed info-entertainment for lightweights. Nothing too serious or the reader might get bored and change the channel. People are not instested in REAL NEWS which newspapers report. Theywant the lightweight crap they get from television news.or the heavily biased internet sources which tell them what the want to hear.

HFPavon 11:38:08 PM Feb 27 2009

Na, Na,...Na Na Na Na,..Hey Hey Hey...Goodbye!!!!! One day people will actually report the news and then we will purchase "NEWS PAPERS" again.

Armenea 10:57:38 PM Feb 27 2009

The far left wing rag-the San Francisco Chronicle- has a few months left. However, maybe Obama will bail them out. The Chronicle was good for the bird cage and starting your fireplace. The contents were yellow far left tripe

SuzyQ807 10:53:00 PM Feb 27 2009

Paul Hawkins7 - Just read your post - both arrogant and foolish to claim that Walmart has not harmed small businesses in their vicinity. Time to educate yourselfand quit living in Lalaland.

SuzyQ807 10:49:05 PM Feb 27 2009

PaulHawkins7 - Talk about being close-minded! It is you who are wearing the blinders and living in LaLaland on steroids. Anybody who thinks that the Walmarts have been terrific for America and have done absolutely nothing to harm the small businesses in theirvicinity is either a fool or sadly misinformed. Hate to say it, but you sound like you are both (along with being arrogant- the worst kind of fool).

Drydenbyminor 10:33:05 PM Feb 27 2009

Don't cry to me Argentina!!

TDover3 10:23:42 PM Feb 27 2009

I hope we can work toward constructive dialog, and move away from the insults and name calling. Our country has serious problems, and we will need to work together to solve them. No one person or party has all the right answers. I think Obama is working on the things we elected him to address, including the economy, health care, the environment, education and energy. Lets help him, and help ourselves.

PBCivitan 10:07:28 PM Feb 27 2009

The RMN was a subway paper in a town without a subway. Go figure.

Mellorsqst 10:06:18 PM Feb 27 2009

good riddance to another leftist rag.... newspaper journalism, for the most part, has lost all of it's objectivity. they no longer report the news, but are an informercial arm of the dnc. they got their candidat in with yellow journalism, smear journalism and rhetoric that has never been seen in u.s. politics before. they deserved what they got.. their doors are now closed, and with that, the sucking noise is getting louder as more of these yellow sheets fold.

Rocky Mtn 1500 10:04:13 PM Feb 27 2009

The Rocky was one of the Wests greatest newspapers for almost 150 years. There are several reasons they went under but the main reason is the fact the paper became extremely liberal. The Rocky went so far left it was ready to tip over but they refused to change. This is the result.

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