Breaking News: The Rocky Mountain News Shuts Down

Word streaked through the Denver Post newsroom just a few minutes ago bringing with it a mixture of sadness, relief and anxiety at my day job: Our competitor, The Rocky Mountain News, two months shy of it's 150th publishing anniversary, would be producing its final edition tomorrow.

"Today the Rocky Mountain News, long the leading voice in Denver, becomes a victim of changing times in our industry and huge economic challenges," Rich Boehne, chief executive officer of Scripps, said in a prepared statement. "The Rocky is one of America’s very best examples of what local news organizations need to be in the future. Unfortunately, the partnership’s business model is locked in the past."

I have worked as a staff writer for the Denver Post for 13 years, spending eight of those last years running neck in neck in a race for survival with The Rocky, which has been in a joint operating agreement with The Denver Post since 2001. The arrangement approved by the U.S. Justice Department allowed the papers to share all business services, from advertising to printing, in order to preserve two editorial voices in the community. But when The Rocky announced it was being put on sale in December, rumors abounded of its imminent demise.

I want to say how sorry I am for my colleagues at The Rocky Mountain News and their families, and express my blessings that the Lord protect and keep them during the harsh economic times that has crippled the journalism industry. The Rocky's reporters tireless fight challenged us and kept all of us on our toes here at the Denver Post. Denver and Colorado will never be the same.

The Post did not leave this battle with out deep scars and worries of it's own. Last week, six high ranking managers were laid off and the union is shoring up the final stages of an agreement that includes pay reductions, forced furloughs and cuts in benefits for staffers like me.

And while some may find relief and hope that our jobs are safer now at The Denver Post, we can't forget that we have a major battle ahead of us: The Denver Post won't survive unless it can capture a significant portion of Rocky subscribers. In order to do that, Post big wigs have got to be progressive and learn how to leverage the internet for more readership and advertising dollars. I think it's the best time we've ever had to challenge ourselves to take on more ways of covering the news, from blogging and Tweeting to combining skill sets like I am doing with both my print reporter skills and my growing photographic ways to tell a good and accurate story.

Management said they intend to hire several marquee names from the Rocky staff, which will be key for holding on to specific reader bases. Those include: Vincent Carroll; Mike Littwin, Tina Griego, Bill Johnson, Penny Parker, Dave Krieger, Burt Hubbard, Lynn Bartels, Kevin Vaughan, Gargi Chakrabarty, Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Judy DeHaas.

But I think the best think the Post can do is change it's format from the traditional broadsheet to the tabloid format that Rocky Mountain News subscribers have enjoyed for more than a century. It's a bold move, but I can't tell you time and time again how many times I've heard that the only reason why some people read the Rocky over the Post is because they think the tabloid is easier to read. Denver Post management should listen, change the format and reassure Rocky readers that we are listening to their needs. So far the powers that be have said they will not do this....but if we can't capture at least 80 percent of those Rocky readers in the next six months, The Post could be in trouble next.

Breaking News: Photoshelter Collection Closing

The email I received this morning from Photoshelter was a total shock: The PhotoShelter Collection will be closing on Oct. 10! The letter contributors received this morning is reprinted here for your convenience:

"Dear Friends,
We're contacting you today with some unfortunate news - we will be closing The PhotoShelter Collection, effective October 10, 2008. Going forward, our team will refocus heavily on enhancing our original product, The PhotoShelter Personal Archive, which several thousand photographers use for bulletproof storage and online image sales directly to their own clients. Our financial position remains solid and we look forward to working with the photography community for years to come.

More details about timing and the implications for contributors can be found in a personal statement on our corporate blog, and this FAQ document.

Just one year ago, we started the Collection with a mission to "change the image marketplace for good." Since then, we've amassed a remarkable global community. We've built a unique position in the industry fueled by integrity and a true passion for photography. We've held our commitment to fair treatment of photographers with a 70/30 split of every transaction, opened up your access to information through our School of Stock and symposium events, and gave every photographer - regardless of one's network, location, or level of expertise - a fair shot at selling your work to the industry's top buyers.

However, our approach was insufficient to change buyer behavior on a grand scale and generate revenues quickly enough to satisfy our goals for this product line. While image buyers worldwide appreciated our new approach, the size of our image selection and the incumbent player's entrenched subscription relationships were a persistent challenge. As a result, we saw few strategic options for the Collection that would allow us to stay true to our commitment to a better deal for photographers and our desire to change the industry.

Despite today's decision, we remain committed to using technology to advance both the art and business of photography. Our team's energy and innovative resources will ensure that the Personal Archive remains the best online solution to help independent photographers write their own success stories. If you are not yet a Personal Archive subscriber, we hope you will continue your relationship with the PhotoShelter community through that product.

We want to express our deepest gratitude to our global community of contributors. We've enjoyed a full year of seeing your exceptional images cross our desks, developed warm relationships with many of you through PhotoShelter events, and shared in your excitement when you've achieved sales through our marketplace.

We're looking forward to chatting more with you in person and demonstrating some new Personal Archive enhancements at October's PhotoPlus International Conference.

With gratitude,

Allen Murabayashi
CEO"

Numerous other photographers I know who contribute to Photoshelter are bemoaning its loss as the only agency that really advocated for photographer's interests. I had yet to get any images accepted into its collection but was totally excited about the opportunity to have some of my work included. Now, Photoshelter contributers are left reeling, wondering if they can gain a foothold in other agencies such as Istock.

Is Getty Images to blame for Photoshelter's collection demise, or is this more indicative of a troubled industry? This announcement came at the same day that Corbis announced it was laying off about 16 percent of its staff.