CARBONDALE — Carbondale community activists are working to develop a weekly newspaper to replace The Valley Journal, whose final print edition was published about a month ago.
Colorado Mountain News Media, whose newspapers include The Aspen Times and the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, discontinued the Journal for economic reasons. Financial losses at the Rocky Mountain News have prompted The E.W. Scripps Co. to seek a buyer for the Denver newspaper, and other newspapers around the state have been shedding staff.
The new Carbondale publication, which would likely be named The Sopris Sun, would probably be nonprofit, said Journal co-founder Rebecca Young, who is acting as a spokeswoman for the group trying to launch the new weekly. She said it would focus exclusively on Carbondale and fill a void left by the Journal’s departure.
Three core organizers are working on a business plan, with about 60 supporters, she said. Young has warned that a new paper would need startup cash, advertisers and staffers willing to work for little pay, at least at first.
When asked about its chances for success, Young said: “Technology has come so far that we no longer slice our fingers with X-Acto blades to get one out. Secondly this is a small town. Its needs for communication are unique.
“We have really pressing planning and development issues, we have a really vibrant arts scene, we have a lot of community organizations who need to speak with one another. That’s always been the role that this small town’s paper has fulfilled. Without it people feel like they’re disconnected and have nowhere to get their word out. It’s like losing your cellphone,” Young said Saturday.
She said it looked feasible for the new paper to put out its first print edition within as soon as a month.
Carbondale also has a community-supported radio station.
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Information from: The Aspen Times,
