Thursday 26 March 2009

Rocky spunk

When the Rocky Mountain News folded in February, numerous newsroom employees huddled in the spirit of 62 jobless Toronto Telegram employees and came up with INDenver Times.

The new real time online newspaper is staffed by dozens of former Rocky Mountain News employees and their goal is to attract 50,000 $5-a-month subscribers by April 23 - the 150th anniversary of the defunct News - with a full launch on May 4.



In November 1971, 62 Toronto Telegram employees launched the Toronto Sun two days after the Tely folded and the rest is history. INDenver Times pioneers have more than a month to introduce their online newspaper.

Reporters, columnists, cartoonists, editors, sports writers, bankrolled by three local founders, began providing copy for the site last week. They are focused on filling the gap left with the demise of the Rocky Mountain News.

INDenver Times is unique. While access to introductory news, sports and other features is free, only subscribers will have access after May 4. No free reads, which is what some media watchers are recommending to improve the bottom line.

That's spunk - and, Lou, we love spunk.

Best of luck to INDenver Times. If online news wasn't such a slow starter financially, we'd recommend all of the great Sun Media talent lost to layoffs launch a paid web site, with contributors across the country.

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