Rocky Mountain News all done

[buckeyemike]

I prefer a newspaper over reading it online. Kind of hard to balance a laptop while sitting on the toilet. Plus I've found articles in the paper, that I can't locate on my local papers webpage. I have noticed our paper shrunk alot in the past 6 months, not sure how much longer they may be around, if I remember right, they've raised their price twice in the last year.

 

I am betting that one of the NY papers will fold in the next year. My money's on the Daily News.

[Lori]

San Francisco Chronicle is also on the ropes.

 

Yup, I think it's going to be a race between them and the P-I to see which one turns out the lights first.

 

Good op-ed piece here, with the obligatory anti-"liberal bias" comments in response:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../EDFU164VIO.DTL

[Mr Info]

Walter Isaacson was on the Daily Show the other day discussing this. I pay for the music that I enjoy (downloading) from the Internet and I would be willing to pay for what I enjoy reading, be it a specific writer or paper. I may be in the minority on this but I believe that if artists/writers/musicians did not intend to give their stuff away, then it shouldn't be stolen or given away for free. I do not have an answer for this though the music industry has figured something out (iTunes & the like) - I just hope that the publishing industry finds an answer before good writers find another occupation.

[BuffaloBill]

Inside the newspaper industry, it's long been suspected that 2009 will be the year when multiple big-time newspapers start closing up shop.

 

So it begins:

 

 

 

What this means for us: no more Broncos news from Jeff Legwold (who also holds Denver's HOF vote) and Lee Rasizer, or columns from Dave Krieger or Bernie Lincicome. The Seattle P-I is in the same boat -- if no buyer steps forward by the middle of March, they're most likely gone as well. P-I Seahawks beat writer Clare Farnsworth has Seattle's HOF vote.

 

Sonuvabitch.

 

 

At some point all we will be left with is the WSJ, The NY Times and the USA today. I's only a matter of time. For what it is worth even my father in law a lifelong diehard newspaper (as in the real paper version) reader is now picking up stuff online and has let his subscription lapse. The model of a local published paper is just not one that can survive.

[sullim4]

Yup, I think it's going to be a race between them and the P-I to see which one turns out the lights first.

 

Good op-ed piece here, with the obligatory anti-"liberal bias" comments in response:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../EDFU164VIO.DTL

 

The P-I is a piece of trash. They've been in the back pocket of Ron Sims for ages.

 

OTOH, The Seattle Times is a solid paper and while I don't always agree with them, they lack the clear liberal slant that the P-I has. I would be sad to see them go. I can't speak for the sports reporting of either of the two dailies here because I just don't care about Seattle sports.

[Lori]

Commemorative wrap

The final A1

Stein cartoon

Litton cartoon

 

-30-

[KD in CA]

For cities that are carrying multiple dailies, eventually contraction is not that unexpected. However, it's really unbelievable to think we are getting close to cities being left without any daily newspaper.

 

I have always made a point of buying the local paper in whatever city am I in, but if you notice almost all hotels that still distribute free newspapers at your door now give you the USA Today. I think London is about the only place in the last ten years I've been where I got a local paper at the hotel room. Kinda sad but I guess it's easier/cheaper for a major hotel chain to manage one supplier for all its outlets.

[Lori]

The P-I is a piece of trash. They've been in the back pocket of Ron Sims for ages.

 

OTOH, The Seattle Times is a solid paper and while I don't always agree with them, they lack the clear liberal slant that the P-I has. I would be sad to see them go. I can't speak for the sports reporting of either of the two dailies here because I just don't care about Seattle sports.

 

I can, because a friend is covering the Mariners at spring training right now, fully expecting to be out of a job by Opening Day. I think he'd be insulted by hearing his newspaper called "a piece of trash." I know I am.

[Bullpen]

Commemorative wrap

The final A1

Stein cartoon

Litton cartoon

 

-30-

 

Bought two copies this morning at 5:45. One to actually read and one that I'll seal up and pack away with the other editions of papers I've kept over the years.

 

I won't miss the slant some of the writers and cartoonists presented from time to time, but like a part of my morning routine, I'll miss "my Rocky."

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyN...E51P71W20090226

[sullim4]

I can, because a friend is covering the Mariners at spring training right now, fully expecting to be out of a job by Opening Day. I think he'd be insulted by hearing his newspaper called "a piece of trash." I know I am.

 

I'm sorry to hear that your friend will be out of a job, but I stand behind my previous statement. Their political bias makes the NYT look non-partisan. I could cite numerous examples of this over the years, but since this isn't PPP, I'll leave it at that.

[KD in CA]

I'm sorry to hear that your friend will be out of a job, but I stand behind my previous statement. Their political bias makes the NYT look non-partisan. I could cite numerous examples of this over the years, but since this isn't PPP, I'll leave it at that.

 

I think there is something to that. I think these papers have harmed themselves by presenting such extremely one-sided political viewpoints, thus dumbing down the quality of the product and alienating large segments of the population. And it's bad enough when they have a completely one sided Op-Ed page, but the bias in the NYT for example extends throughout the entire paper. I'm guessing that's also the case in other places.

[erynthered]

I think there is something to that. I think these papers have harmed themselves by presenting such extremely one-sided political viewpoints, thus dumbing down the quality of the product and alienating large segments of the population. And it's bad enough when they have a completely one sided Op-Ed page, but the bias in the NYT for example extends throughout the entire paper. I'm guessing that's also the case in other places.

 

 

Great points, KD. Thats exactly why I cancelled my subscription of the St Pete Times. After 20 year's I just couldn't take their one sided reporting and op-ed pieces anymore.

 

Fish wraps.

[Lori]

Bought two copies this morning at 5:45. One to actually read and one that I'll seal up and pack away with the other editions of papers I've kept over the years.

 

I won't miss the slant some of the writers and cartoonists presented from time to time, but like a part of my morning routine, I'll miss "my Rocky."

 

Think I've got one coming. The sports copy chief said he got a ton of extras so he could send them out to people -- and what's wrong with that picture, when they can put on an extra run to print their own obit?

 

By the way: if I didn't mention it before, they had 12 hours' notice that last night was ... well, the last night. F* you, Scripps.

 

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyN...E51P71W20090226

 

Honestly? I hope it works, because nothing else is.

[Just Jack]

I have always made a point of buying the local paper in whatever city am I in, but if you notice almost all hotels that still distribute free newspapers at your door now give you the USA Today.

I can think of two in Buffalo where you can pick up either the Buffalo News or USA Today in their breakfast area. One is the Garden Place, the other is the Quality Inn near RWS.

[Lori]

FWIW ... newspaper people all over the country raised a toast to the RMN at 10:45 MST last night, when deadline hit for the final replate. I was already at work by then, so I'm making up for it tonight.

 

And getting a head start for the earlier editions.

 

*raises glass*

 

The Rocky.

[el Tigre]

At some point all we will be left with is the WSJ, The NY Times and the USA today. I's only a matter of time. For what it is worth even my father in law a lifelong diehard newspaper (as in the real paper version) reader is now picking up stuff online and has let his subscription lapse. The model of a local published paper is just not one that can survive.

Damn,I hope your wrong bro. I love waking up in the morning and reading the paper with a cup of coffee. Staring at the computer just wouldn't feel the same.

[Buftex]

They were talking about the demise of newspapers on Bill Maher tonight... there was a great quote from Jackie Mason, it went something like this:

 

"Damn... nothing to plug in, don't need to re-boot, I can sit on the can and read the newspaper, it costs .50, and I can just toss it when I am done".

 

 

It seems like everyone gets their news from "bloggers" now... and they aren't are just getting their opinions from the work of others... these are going to be very strange times....

[Buftex]

I think there is something to that. I think these papers have harmed themselves by presenting such extremely one-sided political viewpoints, thus dumbing down the quality of the product and alienating large segments of the population. And it's bad enough when they have a completely one sided Op-Ed page, but the bias in the NYT for example extends throughout the entire paper. I'm guessing that's also the case in other places.

 

KD, normally I agree with you...but I don't think politics have anything to do with the death of newspapers. It is technology, pure and simple. First it was television, and now it is the internet. Most everyone gets their news on line now. And you can't tell me that the on-line news sources are any less slanted, or biased than any newspaper ever was. Most people, if they are smart enough to read a newspaper, can detect bias. A bias doesn't necessarily make a story inaccurate. There are still good journalists out there.

[Mr Info]

They were talking about the demise of newspapers on Bill Maher tonight... there was a great quote from Jackie Mason, it went something like this:

 

"Damn... nothing to plug in, don't need to re-boot, I can sit on the can and read the newspaper, it costs .50, and I can just toss it when I am done".

 

It seems that technology may be changing this perspective. I know that a number of those where I work, who are just out of school, will download the paper to their phone/pda. It's very portable and convenient - they can read it when they're on the can. And delete it when they're done - no trash...no recycling. If more and more younger people accept that as the norm, eventually the printed copy becomes unnecessary because it's only the "old-timers" that want it. I am not saying this is something right around the corner. But, those papers/companies/people that have a plan to address this change might end up surviving. Take the wayback clock 20-25 years ago - whoever thought they we would all be walking around with our phones?