SaveTheNews.org features live chat with ex-Rocky journalists on Thursday; announces Sept. 16 event in Colorado

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: August 26, 2009
Contact: Contact: Josh Stearns, (413) 585-1533 x 204 Moira Vahey, (202) 2565-1490 x 31

DENVER--Thursday marks six months since the 150-year-old Rocky Mountain News published its final edition. Since then, Denver has become a testing ground for rethinking how journalism is done.

This week, SaveTheNews.org has turned over its blog to ex-Rocky journalists, who are discussing how the loss of the Rocky has impacted Denver, sharing their new projects and experiments, and debating how policy changes might help foster quality journalism and keep reporters on the beat. Read their posts here: www.savethenews/blog

Tomorrow, several former Rocky journalists will participate in a live chat at SaveTheNews.org about Denver’s changing journalism landscape.

What: Live chat with former Rocky journalists and staff on the future of news

When: Thursday, Aug. 27, 5 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. MT

Who:
Cindy House, co-founder and editor, Rocky Mountain Independent
Kim Humphreys, director, IWantMyRocky.com
M.E. Sprengelmeyer, former Rocky Washington correspondent and now managing editor and publisher of The Guadalupe County Communicator

Where: SaveTheNews.org/DenverChat

SaveTheNews.org, Free Press and IWantMyRocky.com also announced today that they will be hosting an event next month in Denver to bring together concerned citizens, journalists, lawmakers and community leaders to debate the future of journalism. The event will feature a public discussion on key issues facing journalism in Denver.

What: "Saving the News: Denver and the Future of Journalism," a policy roundtable and public forum

When: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009 6:30-9:30 p.m. MT

Who:
John Temple, former editor, president and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News and vice president/news of E.W. Scripps Co.
Laura Frank, award-winning investigative reporter for the Rocky and co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network
Craig Aaron, senior program director, Free Press (moderator)

Where: Colorado History Museum, 1300 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203

Tentative Schedule available at: www.SavetheNews.org/Denver

"Journalism is a public service, and the public needs to join this conversation about journalism's future," said Josh Stearns, program manager of Free Press and organizer of the SaveTheNews.org campaign. "As a community that has experienced first-hand the impact of losing a daily newspaper, and as a testing ground for innovative new projects like the Rocky Mountain Independent and IWantMyRocky.com, Denver is the perfect place to kick off the conversation about policies for safeguarding journalism and saving the news."

For more information, visit www.SavetheNews.org/Denver

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