Public business, off the beaten path

Some thoughts about the Colorado newspaper industry and its leadership organization, the Colorado Press Association.

WHERE'S THE TRANSPARENCY?

News release: “CU-Boulder names steering committee, discussion groups to plot future of a school or college in the area of information, communication, journalism, media and technology ICJMT,” sent out by the university and forwarded by email on 6/24/11 to past presidents of the Colorado Press Association.

Of the eight discussion groups described in this press release, I see no hint of the small-town publisher’s journalistic “needs.” What sort of an education does it take to be one? These grassroots communicators never ask for special treatment, but institutionally they outnumber dailies in Colorado by about 4 to 1.

But most surprising is that the meetings of these discussion groups at CU will be open to other faculty to attend by invitation, “but are closed to the media.”

We journalists are supposed to frown on the practice of government conducting public business behind closed doors, yet when a public institution decides that it’s okay to shut out the media when deciding the nitty-gritty of how journalists shall be trained, we are expected to look the other way?

POSTAL SERVICE PROBLEMS

It’s a fact: The Postal Service lost $8 billion last year and is pondering the closing of 1 in 10 retail outlets. It has 3,600 offices out of 31,000 up for review. Over the decade, it has closed 7,000 offices.

Of the 3,600 currently facing closure, 61 are in Colorado. A few names I’m familiar with: Arriba, Joes, Matheson, Red Cliff, Wild Horse. (Source: WSJ.) I don’t think any newspaper towns are involved so far. But anytime rural postal service is rejiggered, what happens in one town often negatively affects the newspaper in the nearby town that has subscribers there. Possible outcome: More distribution headaches for small-town publishers.

THE SOUND OF SILENCE

The Colorado Supreme Court in my opinion made a bad decision in letting a Colorado governor use his personal cellphone to conduct public business, declaring it off limits as private when asked by the media to see a list of calls he made.

It is in times like these that the Colorado Press Association should have immediately issued a carefully worded blast for members to voluntarily reprint, challenging the Court’s finding. The newspaper involved protested editorially, but that’s not the same as blanket criticism emanating from the majority of Colorado’s Fourth Estate.

Legally, newspapers have lost a lot of ground in Colorado (take note, J-School) and this is but one example. Just as these words are being written an appeals court decided it’s okay for local officials to cast secret ballots, even in making routine decisions. Transparency, anyone?

What’s so frustrating about so many of these decisions is that it’s invariably the public who is the big loser over the long haul, not the newspaper. We either have open government, or we don’t.

TALK ABOUT OPPORTUNITY

Like the CU J-School turmoil, it seems that some group or groups decided that the Colorado Press Association also needed to be blown to smithereens in order to save it. Once the dust gets settled after all of the commotion and social networking at 1336 Glenarm Place in downtown Denver, I’m hoping to see the display advertising content of The Colorado Editor grow back to its once self-sustaining level. This month there was only one ad. The pages of the Editor, the CPA newspaper directory, and the annual convention program all offer affordable advertising opportunities for media-oriented businesses to connect with newspaper industry insiders. CPA needs revenue, and selling more advertising—although admittedly a tough go—is still a viable option.

As far as I know, CPA is still a press “ink on paper” organization and should be leading the way, by carrying a healthy run of advertising in its own publications.

TAKE HEART, SMALL-TOWN NEWSPAPERS

Having published several different small-town newspapers during my 50 years in the news business, I’m pleased to see the national media finally wakening to the critical importance of these small-town information centers. Thanks to author Judy Muller, whose new book “Emus Loose in Egnar,” according to previews, will do much toward igniting a new reverence for, and understanding of, this distinct form of communication.