Fate of Rocky Mountain News to be announced

[partain]

Letter on the Poynter forum says Singleton will address the Post staff this afternoon. That could be an interesting meeting, but I'm guessing in light of today's events everyone will be persuaded to keep their mouths shut (I would). After all, there's plenty of available journalists in Denver today. No need to keep around someone who wants to ask tough questions of the boss.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Every Rocky employee who is hired by The Post will result in a member of The Post being canned in the very near future.

 

[BYH]

My thanks for everyone's thoughts. We all had a sense this day was coming. I woke up this morning with a sense of dread, that it was happening. I work a side job from home in the mornings and decided to work in the building today.

Then there were outside photographers hanging out in the lobby. There was a sense of dread all morning.

Then the e-mail just before noon.

Tomorrow is the last paper. It will be more of a commemorative section. 52-page no-ad wraparound about the Rocky and its people. News inside, but not as much.

We will have limited access to the building after tomorrow. No access to e-mail or our phones or computers. So get everything out by tonight.

Tomorrow, we come in and will go over the financial situation.

We are getting two months of pay, per the WARN act. Our last check for that will be May 8. Which is just great. It's my 40th birthday.

Scripps is negotiating with the Guild on a severance package, and Scripps says they expect there will be one.

I've been coming to Colorado since I was a little kid, when my grandparents retired here in the 1970s. I've always wanted to work and live in this market for as long as I can remember. I've been working in newspapers since I was in high school. It was like I was born with ink in my veins.

After many tries, five years ago, I left the Miami Herald as the Sunday sports editor for what was a dream situation for me. Living and working in Denver.

I don't regret it for one minute.

It's crushing. It's devastating. But, life will go on. I've got great friends. Great family. A great support group.

And if you go to the Rocky home page, I guess they decided to make me the poster face (for now) of the situation. That's me with my head in my hands. Though it probably will change out and will be in a slide show.

Again, my thanks for everyone's thoughts. It really is quite comforting in this time of turbulence.

Chuck Hickey
Night sports editor/sports copy chief/sports copy editor
Rocky Mountain News
(For one more day at least)

Considering what's going on today, this is quite likely the classiest, most eloquent, most poignant post ever produced at this joint.

Good luck, man.

 

[SF_Express]

IJAG, I see your point, but a major, 150-year institution is closing in Denver, and that's going to be the big news in tomorrow's RMN. They're going out like pros. They can be proud of that.

 

[Double Down]

Thank you for 150 years of quality journalism, RMN.

Godspeed to all the scribblers out there who heard the call at a young age, and who fought the fight, against dragons big and small, until the end.

You are counted.

 

[deskslave]

Every Rocky employee who is hired by The Post will result in a two members of The Post being canned in the very near future.

 

[Drip]

IJAG, I see your point, but a major, 150-year institution is closing in Denver, and that's going to be the big news in tomorrow's RMN. They're going out like pros. They can be proud of that.

I understand taking the high road and I firmly respect those who do. But there is a side of me that says I would've walked out the door to get an early start at looking for a new gig.

 

[SF_Express]

IJAG, I see your point, but a major, 150-year institution is closing in Denver, and that's going to be the big news in tomorrow's RMN. They're going out like pros. They can be proud of that.

I understand taking the high road and I firmly respect those who do. But there is a side of me that says I would've walked out the door to get an early start at looking for a new gig.

Well, here's the thing about that: They're getting 60 days pay; they walk out before the end today, maybe not.

I think I'd do my job one last day and go from there.

 

[BigRed]

To MileHigh and the rest of the RMN employees reading this, I am very sorry to hear the news and my thoughts and prayers are with you. I'm a current Scripps employee who went through the exact same situation you did 3 years ago (Rich Boehne in our newsroom, 1 day's notice before the last paper) and it sucks. It really, really sucks. I was lucky (?) enough to collect my severance and get hired at another Scripps paper 3 hours away within a month.
But it makes me sick that Scripps really doesn't seem to care about its newspapers, as it has shown in Birmingham, Cincinnati, Albuquerque and now in Denver. Denver will certainly be the lesser without the Rocky, as Scripps' former 2-paper markets have all found out.
My best wishes that all of you who don't land at the Post find good work - in or out of this industry - very soon. It's not easy, but stay strong as you can.

 

[ServeItUp]

For a long time I considered the News and Denver itself a Destination (capital "D"). Though I've since left newspapers, this hurts. Badly. Denver's readers were spoiled with two top-notch papers. Now there's one.

This hurts. This shall pass, but it hurts now. For Tracy, Chuck, and all those other world-class journalists, God's speed.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

IJAG, I see your point, but a major, 150-year institution is closing in Denver, and that's going to be the big news in tomorrow's RMN. They're going out like pros. They can be proud of that.

I understand taking the high road and I firmly respect those who do. But there is a side of me that says I would've walked out the door to get an early start at looking for a new gig.

What difference is a day going to make? You don't burn bridges in this business.

 

[Drip]

IJAG, I see your point, but a major, 150-year institution is closing in Denver, and that's going to be the big news in tomorrow's RMN. They're going out like pros. They can be proud of that.

I understand taking the high road and I firmly respect those who do. But there is a side of me that says I would've walked out the door to get an early start at looking for a new gig.

Well, here's the thing about that: They're getting 60 days pay; they walk out before the end today, maybe not.

I think I'd do my job one last day and go from there.

I know.
Bastards get one more day to stick it to the masses. Mizzou, there aren't many bridges left to cross my friend.