Published 1/31/09 in
the Longmont Times-Call
T-C LINE CALLERS SHOULD NOT BE
ALLOWED TO BREAK THE RULES
The Times-Call’s rules for the T-C Line say that calls that are highly critical of local individuals or organizations or that disagree with opinions stated in signed letters to the editor will not be used. But what about using calls that AGREE with the derogatory opinions expressed in a signed letter that were personally directed at another letter writer?
Such seems to be the fate of Ida Mae Ray, whose letter stating some of her religious beliefs was published on 1/23/09. On 1/25/09, a rebuttal letter extremely critical of Ray from Vicki Mead appeared.
What adds salt to the wound in this episode is the cleverly devised attack on Ray, without even mentioning her name, that followed in Monday’s (1/26/09) T-C Line, “Hear, Hear, to Letter Writer” -- four responses which seem to have turned the signed-letters limitation on its head. Either that, or maybe the T-C rules need tightening to assure fairness to all open-forum contributors. Any discussion on this?
Disclosure: I do not know either person named here.
P.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
LETTERS SUBMITTED THAT DO NOT
GET PRINTED IN THE NEWSPAPER
Reference: "American Tale," p. 19, 1/24/09 Rocky Mountain News.
By devoting nearly two broadsheet pages (a whopping 164.5 col. Inches of news space) to glorify Gov. Bill Ritter’s appointment to the U.S. Senate, the Rocky Mountain News confirms that Denver may need only one major newspaper, after all.
Two supposedly opposing publications with both using their news columns to further the new liberal Progressive political machine in Colorado is one too many. About the only distinction now between the News and The Denver Post is in their editorial pages, but that too at the News is being overrun with Progressive-minded columnists, e.g. instead of Tom Sowell, we get a C.U. professor of law.
That Michael Bennet comes from a notable background is touching, but what he does not know about Colorado would probably fill a book. This handicap was made embarrassingly clear when Ritter had to take him around the state to introduce him. At whose expense will he gain experience?
Promoting political ideology in the news columns is not an honorable journalistic mission. Small wonder the press is going down the tubes.
(s) Percy Conarroe
GET PRINTED IN THE NEWSPAPER
Reference: "American Tale," p. 19, 1/24/09 Rocky Mountain News.
By devoting nearly two broadsheet pages (a whopping 164.5 col. Inches of news space) to glorify Gov. Bill Ritter’s appointment to the U.S. Senate, the Rocky Mountain News confirms that Denver may need only one major newspaper, after all.
Two supposedly opposing publications with both using their news columns to further the new liberal Progressive political machine in Colorado is one too many. About the only distinction now between the News and The Denver Post is in their editorial pages, but that too at the News is being overrun with Progressive-minded columnists, e.g. instead of Tom Sowell, we get a C.U. professor of law.
That Michael Bennet comes from a notable background is touching, but what he does not know about Colorado would probably fill a book. This handicap was made embarrassingly clear when Ritter had to take him around the state to introduce him. At whose expense will he gain experience?
Promoting political ideology in the news columns is not an honorable journalistic mission. Small wonder the press is going down the tubes.
(s) Percy Conarroe
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
NEIGHBOR HELPED LOUISVILLE (COLO.) RESIDENTS ENJOY LIBRARY SERVICE
IN EARLY DAYS, IS IT TIME NOW TO RECIPROCATE AND SHARE WITH SUPERIOR?
Typical of small mining towns, Louisville had to struggle for its economic sustenance during its heyday and even more so, after the coal mines closed down in the 1950s. There were not many amenities, such as a well-stocked public library, that these settlements could afford.
Having lived there while publishing the Louisville Times for 33 years (1965-98), I watched the Louisville Public Library evolve from a meager collection of mostly resident-contributed books in a backroom at City Hall, into a wing of Leon Wurl’s renovated on-site structure in the mid-1970s, then into the spacious two-story Fischer Building a half-block down the street in 1989, purchased for $660,000 through the same $5.3 million bond issue that built the Louisville Recreation Center. Thanks to a recent bond issue, the library has expanded into custom-built quarters just across the street -- a splendid achievement.
A long time before the Conarroes came to town, the Saturday Study Club, a plucky group of local women, helped fund the Louisville Public Library to keep it operating. Vera Taylor was a mainstay of this group. Townspeople I recall who served as librarians at a very modest salary included Marian Thirlaway, Larella Stout, Emmajane Enrietto, Pam Ferris, Eileen Schmidt, and my wife Carolyn.
The point here is that, for decades, had it not been for dedicated volunteers, plus access to the Colorado State Library system and the gracious cooperation of the Boulder Public Library in lending its books without charge to the Louisville Library for circulation to its patrons, the local library service would have been severely handicapped indeed.
Remembering the unfettered sharing by Boulder’s main library for the benefit of Louisville residents, I was ashamed to see the brouhaha develop between the town of Superior and city of Louisville over the use of the new Louisville Public Library, dissension that unfortunately ended in mutual disgust and mistrust.
The Louisville City Council is in command, no doubt about that. And yes, it costs a lot of money to build, stock, maintain and operate a modern library, but isn’t it the purpose of a public library to distribute information and incidentals to everyone at the lowest fee possible? I wonder, what kind of a society is it that would deliberately deny books to children?
Superior’s offer of $100,000 a year seemed fair; any figure beyond that looked like blackmail to me. In lieu of a direct subsidy, it is perfectly fair to charge outsiders a user’s fee; but unless that fee is uniform and applied equally to all outsiders, it is clearly discriminatory. Where is the ACLU on this issue?
Yet another factor figures into this equation: Because of a favor that the developer of the new Superior, Larry Mizel, once did for Louisville, I’m surprised that anyone in Louisville could now claim “they (Superior) have never done anything for us, so why should we (Louisville) accommodate them?”
Well, it was Mizel who had the capital and the clout to tap into the Northern Colorado-Big Thompson (Colorado River) Project for water that he critically needed to supply his ambitious Superior development.
Boulder had Big T water, and Broomfield was hooked to Denver water, but for the first time Western Slope water was made available to local municipalities that had been dependent almost solely on over-appropriated Eastern Slope water from South Boulder Creek and Coal Creek – a major breakthrough.
Mizel’s bold project involved construction of a large pipeline from Carter Lake near Berthoud to Superior. This made it possible for first Louisville and later Erie to hook into Big T and buy shares, solving to a great extent not only Mizel’s water-supply problem, but also Louisville’s and Erie’s growth needs as well.
Library alternatives for the town of Superior? Forming a library district would be nice, but it’s highly improbable, as is the possibility of Louisville establishing a Superior branch. Superior might try building its own library, but with such elaborate libraries established in Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield and Boulder, so close by, that does not seem likely and appears superfluous. And, fend-for-yourself is not a good answer.
All things considered, history tells me that Louisville’s current City Council should rethink its attitude and policy, go back to the negotiating table, and unselfishly share Louisville’s fine new library with the neighbors in Superior -- as another neighboring city once did, for the sake of Louisville.
P.
IN EARLY DAYS, IS IT TIME NOW TO RECIPROCATE AND SHARE WITH SUPERIOR?
Typical of small mining towns, Louisville had to struggle for its economic sustenance during its heyday and even more so, after the coal mines closed down in the 1950s. There were not many amenities, such as a well-stocked public library, that these settlements could afford.
Having lived there while publishing the Louisville Times for 33 years (1965-98), I watched the Louisville Public Library evolve from a meager collection of mostly resident-contributed books in a backroom at City Hall, into a wing of Leon Wurl’s renovated on-site structure in the mid-1970s, then into the spacious two-story Fischer Building a half-block down the street in 1989, purchased for $660,000 through the same $5.3 million bond issue that built the Louisville Recreation Center. Thanks to a recent bond issue, the library has expanded into custom-built quarters just across the street -- a splendid achievement.
A long time before the Conarroes came to town, the Saturday Study Club, a plucky group of local women, helped fund the Louisville Public Library to keep it operating. Vera Taylor was a mainstay of this group. Townspeople I recall who served as librarians at a very modest salary included Marian Thirlaway, Larella Stout, Emmajane Enrietto, Pam Ferris, Eileen Schmidt, and my wife Carolyn.
The point here is that, for decades, had it not been for dedicated volunteers, plus access to the Colorado State Library system and the gracious cooperation of the Boulder Public Library in lending its books without charge to the Louisville Library for circulation to its patrons, the local library service would have been severely handicapped indeed.
Remembering the unfettered sharing by Boulder’s main library for the benefit of Louisville residents, I was ashamed to see the brouhaha develop between the town of Superior and city of Louisville over the use of the new Louisville Public Library, dissension that unfortunately ended in mutual disgust and mistrust.
The Louisville City Council is in command, no doubt about that. And yes, it costs a lot of money to build, stock, maintain and operate a modern library, but isn’t it the purpose of a public library to distribute information and incidentals to everyone at the lowest fee possible? I wonder, what kind of a society is it that would deliberately deny books to children?
Superior’s offer of $100,000 a year seemed fair; any figure beyond that looked like blackmail to me. In lieu of a direct subsidy, it is perfectly fair to charge outsiders a user’s fee; but unless that fee is uniform and applied equally to all outsiders, it is clearly discriminatory. Where is the ACLU on this issue?
Yet another factor figures into this equation: Because of a favor that the developer of the new Superior, Larry Mizel, once did for Louisville, I’m surprised that anyone in Louisville could now claim “they (Superior) have never done anything for us, so why should we (Louisville) accommodate them?”
Well, it was Mizel who had the capital and the clout to tap into the Northern Colorado-Big Thompson (Colorado River) Project for water that he critically needed to supply his ambitious Superior development.
Boulder had Big T water, and Broomfield was hooked to Denver water, but for the first time Western Slope water was made available to local municipalities that had been dependent almost solely on over-appropriated Eastern Slope water from South Boulder Creek and Coal Creek – a major breakthrough.
Mizel’s bold project involved construction of a large pipeline from Carter Lake near Berthoud to Superior. This made it possible for first Louisville and later Erie to hook into Big T and buy shares, solving to a great extent not only Mizel’s water-supply problem, but also Louisville’s and Erie’s growth needs as well.
Library alternatives for the town of Superior? Forming a library district would be nice, but it’s highly improbable, as is the possibility of Louisville establishing a Superior branch. Superior might try building its own library, but with such elaborate libraries established in Louisville, Lafayette, Broomfield and Boulder, so close by, that does not seem likely and appears superfluous. And, fend-for-yourself is not a good answer.
All things considered, history tells me that Louisville’s current City Council should rethink its attitude and policy, go back to the negotiating table, and unselfishly share Louisville’s fine new library with the neighbors in Superior -- as another neighboring city once did, for the sake of Louisville.
P.
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Published in The Colorado Statesman, Denver
1-2-2009
CRITICS, COMPETITORS OUTSMARTED IN DENVER NEWSPAPER WAR
After six years, the Joint Operating Agreement between The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, designed to save the latter, is grinding down, a financial failure. News owner Scripps wants out, even if it means shuttering the News.
Self-styled newspaper critics can pontificate all over the place about blame, cause and effect, but in the driver’s seat is Dean Singleton, a brilliant print-media magnate who is just too smart for them and, so far, his growing list of competitors including the once-mighty Scripps.
Noted for playing his cards close to his vest, Singleton deserves credit for his guts, energy and tenacity. He can play either side of the JOA game and currently is involved in apparently the minority role in daily newspapers in Detroit, Salt Lake City and Charleston, W.V.
His privately held company MediaNews Group has blossomed into one of America’s largest predominantly paid-circulation newspaper chains. He owns, operates or has his fingers in at least 60 dailies and 97 non-dailies. Critics can holler "monopoly," but realistically the newspaper business is so tough today that numerous of these communities might not have a local newspaper of record if it were not for Singleton. They all can’t be winners.
In Colorado besides the Post, his company owns or operates at least five dailies and six non-dailies -- still behind Swift Communication’s six dailies and seven non-dailies, although Reno-based Swift just closed down its weekly Valley Journal at Carbondale.
Just how far Singleton can extend his newspaper empire before it too collapses along with other newspaper chains under the weight of the numbing decline in the industry itself and now the economy, remains to be seen. Together these crippling factors also make it almost impossible for start-ups to succeed, even in non-competitive markets.
It’s no secret that Singleton chairs the Denver Newspaper Agency, which controls both Denver dailies and his other Colorado affiliates. The newspaper business is not your ordinary creature, yet it has one thing in common with most other commercial enterprises in that who ever allocates the money usually also gets to call the shots.
Still, the lack of full, transparent financial disclosure by both principals in this Denver fight to the finish is bothersome. Reports kept saying all along that the Post was making money while the News was losing its shirt. How could that be?
Scripps’ other Colorado newspapers, the Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado Daily and Broomfield Enterprise, are also in the DNA mix and the Camera announced Dec. 18 that it is doing nicely financially.
Critics can quibble over page-size affecting advertising revenue (News=tabloid vs. Post=journal) but that should make no difference if under the JOA the combined total was supposed to be split. Both, as do most dailies, overcharge for classifieds and capitalize on obituaries -- not good ways to enhance the image of a caring press serving the public.
Retail businesses started moving away from run-of-press advertising years ago when newspapers, dailies especially, decided to deliver preprinted inserts, not a few but by the ton, at discounted prices. In the Denver market where circulation has held on pretty well considering, there may not be enough ROP left for two major dailies to wrap their news and commentary around. In contrast, the WSJ and USA Today seem to thrive without inserts.
Couple that complication with the unforgiving Internet, and it’s doubly unlikely that any sane publisher would want to face-off with Singleton in Denver, whether in or out of a JOA. Under the current JOA with the News he has veto power over any successor thereto. All parties involved including the Justice Department signed off on that stipulation, so that’s that.
For some of us with printer’s ink and metal in our veins (mine comes from 50 years of editing and publishing Colorado small-town newspapers) the answer to whether Denver can continue to have competing major daily newspapers lies within its retail business establishments and their advertising agencies. It’s their decision and so far they’ve said no.
Newspapers get results but cannot publish on desire alone. Wake up, Denver!
(Conarroe served as president of the Colorado Press Association in 1981 and is an honorary lifetime member. Before retiring in 1998, he and his family last published the Louisville Times, Lafayette News, Erie Review and Superior Observer.)
P.
1-2-2009
CRITICS, COMPETITORS OUTSMARTED IN DENVER NEWSPAPER WAR
After six years, the Joint Operating Agreement between The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News, designed to save the latter, is grinding down, a financial failure. News owner Scripps wants out, even if it means shuttering the News.
Self-styled newspaper critics can pontificate all over the place about blame, cause and effect, but in the driver’s seat is Dean Singleton, a brilliant print-media magnate who is just too smart for them and, so far, his growing list of competitors including the once-mighty Scripps.
Noted for playing his cards close to his vest, Singleton deserves credit for his guts, energy and tenacity. He can play either side of the JOA game and currently is involved in apparently the minority role in daily newspapers in Detroit, Salt Lake City and Charleston, W.V.
His privately held company MediaNews Group has blossomed into one of America’s largest predominantly paid-circulation newspaper chains. He owns, operates or has his fingers in at least 60 dailies and 97 non-dailies. Critics can holler "monopoly," but realistically the newspaper business is so tough today that numerous of these communities might not have a local newspaper of record if it were not for Singleton. They all can’t be winners.
In Colorado besides the Post, his company owns or operates at least five dailies and six non-dailies -- still behind Swift Communication’s six dailies and seven non-dailies, although Reno-based Swift just closed down its weekly Valley Journal at Carbondale.
Just how far Singleton can extend his newspaper empire before it too collapses along with other newspaper chains under the weight of the numbing decline in the industry itself and now the economy, remains to be seen. Together these crippling factors also make it almost impossible for start-ups to succeed, even in non-competitive markets.
It’s no secret that Singleton chairs the Denver Newspaper Agency, which controls both Denver dailies and his other Colorado affiliates. The newspaper business is not your ordinary creature, yet it has one thing in common with most other commercial enterprises in that who ever allocates the money usually also gets to call the shots.
Still, the lack of full, transparent financial disclosure by both principals in this Denver fight to the finish is bothersome. Reports kept saying all along that the Post was making money while the News was losing its shirt. How could that be?
Scripps’ other Colorado newspapers, the Boulder Daily Camera, Colorado Daily and Broomfield Enterprise, are also in the DNA mix and the Camera announced Dec. 18 that it is doing nicely financially.
Critics can quibble over page-size affecting advertising revenue (News=tabloid vs. Post=journal) but that should make no difference if under the JOA the combined total was supposed to be split. Both, as do most dailies, overcharge for classifieds and capitalize on obituaries -- not good ways to enhance the image of a caring press serving the public.
Retail businesses started moving away from run-of-press advertising years ago when newspapers, dailies especially, decided to deliver preprinted inserts, not a few but by the ton, at discounted prices. In the Denver market where circulation has held on pretty well considering, there may not be enough ROP left for two major dailies to wrap their news and commentary around. In contrast, the WSJ and USA Today seem to thrive without inserts.
Couple that complication with the unforgiving Internet, and it’s doubly unlikely that any sane publisher would want to face-off with Singleton in Denver, whether in or out of a JOA. Under the current JOA with the News he has veto power over any successor thereto. All parties involved including the Justice Department signed off on that stipulation, so that’s that.
For some of us with printer’s ink and metal in our veins (mine comes from 50 years of editing and publishing Colorado small-town newspapers) the answer to whether Denver can continue to have competing major daily newspapers lies within its retail business establishments and their advertising agencies. It’s their decision and so far they’ve said no.
Newspapers get results but cannot publish on desire alone. Wake up, Denver!
(Conarroe served as president of the Colorado Press Association in 1981 and is an honorary lifetime member. Before retiring in 1998, he and his family last published the Louisville Times, Lafayette News, Erie Review and Superior Observer.)
P.
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About Me
- Percy Conarroe
- Retired in 1998 after a 50-year career of editing and publishing Colorado small-town weekly newspapers. He served as president of the Colorado Press Association in 1981 and was awarded an honorary lifetime membership.