Funeral for a friend&hellip;

Comment by Anonymous

Tampa, FL – Last Friday an old friend passed away. That friend was the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, CO.

As a youngster in the 1950s I remember my grandfather reading the “funnies” to me from the back pages of "The News." As I got older and became interested in the world around me The Rocky Mountain News became my paper of choice with breakfast, lunch or even dinner.

When I set out to start shooting news as a freelancer, a couple dozen of my pictures made it into their pages over the years. Two made the front page and one of those went around the world.

Rob Reuteman and the staff at the Rocky Mountain News encouraged me and gave me my first steps in toward photojournalism. Those basics kept me out of trouble and made me a better shooter.

The Rocky Mountain News was Colorado's first newspaper. Just short of 150 years after the first edition hit the dirt streets of Denver in 1859, "The News" went to bed for the last time Friday morning.

My last trip to Denver for the Democratic National Convention showcased the many changes Denver went through since I moved away in the 1990s. To me a big part of my home town was The Rocky Mountain News. Now even that is gone.

All things change over time. I know this. A newspaper is a business. Businesses, start up, get sold, merge and many eventually fail.

Knowing all this, why do I feel like a good friend just died?

It's the people who make a newspaper.
- John Temple, Rocky Mountain News

Tags: business, economics, news
Current Location: Hotel Room
Current Mood: sad sad
Current Music: Air Conditioner Noise

From: (Anonymous)	Date: March 1st, 2009 04:48 am (UTC)		(Link)
Rocky Mountain News

Me too ... I didn't live in Denver for as long as you did, and frankly my first thought on hearing the news was of you, but on reflection, I too will miss it.

Russ

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	From: ssanfratello	Date: March 1st, 2009 08:02 am (UTC)		(Link)

when I was a kid, My dad was a stringer for the New York Sun, part time, mostly for the fun of it. I was Star Wars for the first time on its first Saturday night, 7 pm, on a New York Sun press pass, and, I suspect, the good graces of the manager. I was five.

By the time I was old enough to take my Nikon FM2 and take my turn, the Sun was gone. I still feel I owe a debt, despite working pre-press, science staff and asst. pressman to other, lesser publications.

I owe a photograph. To the New York Sun.

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	From: uplinktruck	Date: March 2nd, 2009 04:52 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Writing of you experiences helps pay that debt.

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	From: ourladyofsound	Date: March 2nd, 2009 01:54 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I know how hard you took this even though you tried not to show it. I can't think of anything to say that won't sound corny or stock. So just hug and I'm sorry.

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	From: uplinktruck	Date: March 2nd, 2009 04:49 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Thanks.

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	From: laken_steeljaw	Date: March 3rd, 2009 07:08 am (UTC)		(Link)

*hugs the dad*

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