And just like that, it's gone.
Colorado's first newspaper, The Rocky Mountain News, closes today just shy of its 150th birthday. That leaves the Denver Post as the only daily newspaper for a region that the Brookings Institution calls one of the top five emerging economic and political centers of the central U.S.
Many folks around here lament that Denver lost the better newspaper. The Rocky won four Pulitzers in the last decade. It ranked high among the nation's best best business sections, sports sections and photojournalism teams. The Rocky's business newsroom in particular had a remarkable consistency, with veteran reporters who knew far more about the industries they covered than the PR people who called to shill press releases.
You don't see that much in cities our size. Not any more.
Most importantly, the Rocky's demise means less journalism that matters. As my friend and Rocky business editor Rob Reuteman writes in his last column:
"There will be many nooks and crannies around this town that won't see the light of day any more. It will be somewhat easier for all manner of crooks to prosper. Corruption at all levels of government will grow some. Politicians will escape embarrassment. Businesses will will hoodwink their employees and shareholders. More taxpayer money will be wasted. And far fewer people will be looking out for you. I'm talking about trained, dedicated, experienced journalists who know what to look for and know how to get it bin front of you to read in digestible form."
We can't say when or even if anything will fill the void created by the Rocky's loss.
In the meantime, we should look back on one of the nation's best newspapers with thanks and admiration.
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