Left, The Rocky’s first issue on April 23, 1859. Right, its last issue Friday. Its owner, the E. W. Scripps Company, decided to close the paper after it lost $16 million last year.
Rocky kept swinging until the very end (click here)
Paper won four Pulitzers since 2000, but couldn't weather economic storm
Paper won four Pulitzers since 2000, but couldn't weather economic storm
It came into being on a dark night two years before the Civil War's first gunshots, survived a flood that washed away its press and countless threats to its very existence, then enjoyed, in the twilight of its life, recognition as one of the best newspapers in the country.
But today marks the final milestone in the storied history of the Rocky Mountain News, Colorado's first newspaper and oldest continually operated business.
This is the last edition of the paper of Damon Runyon and Harry Rhoads, of Mrs. Molly Mayfield and Al Nakkula, of Gene Amole and Dusty Saunders and scores of other characters. The paper whose reporters fancied themselves the "Wildcats of Welton Street" in an earlier era. The paper that shed the bawdy image of the tabloid to win four Pulitzer Prizes since 2000.
In the end, it was the economics - not the history nor the people nor the Pulitzers - that mattered....
But today marks the final milestone in the storied history of the Rocky Mountain News, Colorado's first newspaper and oldest continually operated business.
This is the last edition of the paper of Damon Runyon and Harry Rhoads, of Mrs. Molly Mayfield and Al Nakkula, of Gene Amole and Dusty Saunders and scores of other characters. The paper whose reporters fancied themselves the "Wildcats of Welton Street" in an earlier era. The paper that shed the bawdy image of the tabloid to win four Pulitzer Prizes since 2000.
In the end, it was the economics - not the history nor the people nor the Pulitzers - that mattered....
business
Rocky's last run (click here)
"People are in grief" at sudden end of longtime friend
By Steve Raabe The Denver Post
Rocky's last run (click here)
"People are in grief" at sudden end of longtime friend
By Steve Raabe The Denver Post
Posted: 02/27/2009 12:30:00 AM MST
Updated: 02/27/2009 10:17:36 PM MST
Updated: 02/27/2009 10:17:36 PM MST
The Rocky Mountain News is no more.
A publishing run spanning nearly 150 years came to an end in the early morning hours as the News delivered its final edition. The precarious economics of newspaper publishing forced Denver into the growing ranks of cities that no longer can support two major daily publications.
To a saddened and somber newsroom staff, executives of News owner E.W. Scripps Co. announced Thursday at noon that the paper was shutting down after efforts to find a buyer failed.
"People are in grief," News editor, publisher and president John Temple said at a Thursday afternoon news conference when asked how his 220-member staff was responding....
A publishing run spanning nearly 150 years came to an end in the early morning hours as the News delivered its final edition. The precarious economics of newspaper publishing forced Denver into the growing ranks of cities that no longer can support two major daily publications.
To a saddened and somber newsroom staff, executives of News owner E.W. Scripps Co. announced Thursday at noon that the paper was shutting down after efforts to find a buyer failed.
"People are in grief," News editor, publisher and president John Temple said at a Thursday afternoon news conference when asked how his 220-member staff was responding....
