Rocky Mountain News folds

Since 1859, the Rocky Mountain News newspaper in Denver, Colorado has published an edition…until now.  As a number of newspapers across the country stand on the brink of failure, it is difficult to accept the demise of such an institution. My own paper, The Los Angeles Times, is in Chapter 11 proceedings. Other papers such as the Seattle PI and the San Francisco Chronicle have threatened to shutter their doors.  The end is near for many.

The most frightening thing about the loss of such news organizations is the silence from the public.  Do people not understand the role of newspaper journalism in America’s democratic society?  Maybe not.  Or maybe they know the time has come for something new and better to rise in place of these publications.

Regardless of what you think about individual newspapers or the industry as a whole, the losses will be felt far and wide.

The funeral for the Rocky will be short but emotional.  Others will follow.  Now, it is up to the journalists remaining in the business to figure out where we go from here.

Below is a video produced by the staff of the Rocky Mountain News that documents the paper’s final days.  It’s worth a watch.

Related posts:

1. The Great Newspaper Debate
2. Back to the future for newspaper delivery
3. Seattle Post-Intelligencer ceases publication
4. Tampa Trib Re-organizes
5. Documentary to be distributed via USA Today newspaper