editor colorado
Official publication of the Colorado Press Association / coloradopressassociation.com / Vol. LXXXVII, No. 3
March 2016
From Columbine to Aurora
CPA, SYNC2 Media could undergo structural board changes
A look at how Pulitzer-winning reporting has changed with the times
By Joshua Roberts For the Editor The Colorado Press Service was established in the 1940s as a “one-stop shop” for businesses to advertise across multiple newspapers in the state and nationally. At its core, the Press Service model remained virtually untouched for more than six decades, until 2012 when it was rebranded SYNC2 Media to reflect expanded services in the rapidly changing times of the newspaper industry. Four years later, SYNC2 could be poised to undergo a second major foundational change. The for-profit SYNC2 is a subsidiary of the not-for-profit Colorado Press Association. The organizations, however, are governed by the same board of directors, but that could soon change, depending on feedback from CPA’s general membership and board members. Non-profit attorney Cara Lawrence advised CPA staff that having one board oversee both organizations, though legal, is “not considered a best practice.” The issue, she said, concerns “piercing the corporate veil,” — or two corporations being so intertwined they effectively exist as one corporation, a risky practice concerning liability. In the 1990s, for example, an Internal Revenue Service audit of another state’s Press Service operations recommended the press service have a mostly-independent board. Raehal said other Press Associations and Services are split between operating under one board or two separate boards, based on his research.
Photo by Lindsay Pierce , The Denver Post
Pulitzer-winning journalism is on display in the Denver Post’s newsroom, including coverage the Columbine and Aurora theater shooting tragedies. The Post is hosting a presentation on May 13 that will look at the two tragedies and how the Post covered them. It is part of the 100-year celebration of the Pulitzer Award, and marks the kickoff of “campfire sessions” to be held throughout the year in Colorado cities. It also is the keystone Friday evening event for the Colorado Press Association’s annual convention.
Series highlights Pulitzer milestone, showcases state’s journalistic excellence
#newspapersthrive A
SERIES
#newspapersthrive is a series focused on success and/or transition stories of CPA members. These stories are available for reprint by members. By Joshua Roberts For the Editor
See SYNC2, Page 10
T
he aftermath of the 1999 Columbine and 2012 Aurora mass shootings defined dichotomy for many Pulitzer Prize-winning Denver Post staffers.
Their work, though recognized with the most prestigious award in journalism, came at a cost, said Kevin Simpson, a writer who worked on both staffs. “You’re proud of the way you per-
formed as a news gathering organization and (at the same time) you’re just unbelievably sorrowful of the idea that this even happened at all,” said Simpson, a veteran journalist who has been at the Post for 31 years. “I remember for the Columbine one, we had I guess what you’d call a celebration, but it was so muted, and again, it really reflected that dichotomy. We were all proud of the work we’d done and we were horrified by the circumstances that made it necessary.”
See PULITZER, Page 10
NEWS YOU CAN USE
USPS POSTAL RATES TO GO DOWN
PUT IT IN PRINT
INSIDE THIS MONTH’S EDITOR
The United States Postal Service (USPS) on Feb. 25 filed a notice with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) that stated it will reduce prices for market-dominant products – including Standard Mail and Periodicals. The reduction is due to the end of the exigent surcharge USPS has been collecting since 2014 as a way to recoup lost revenue caused by a recession. USPS said its recovered revenue will reach $4.6 billion by April 10 – the point at which the PRC requires the surcharge to end. Postal rates for total market (TMC) coverage products at high-density plus rates and dropped off at local post offices should decline by 4.3 percent, and newspapers at within-county periodical rates by 3.75 percent.
With the industry changing, a lot of focus is on digital. But our core products need to continue to improve, too. Looking for ideas how? Look no further. “25 ways to improve your print products in 2016” is free for CPA members to download http://25printideas. creativecirclemedia.com
Q-&-A WITH GOV. HICKENLOOPER Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is speaking at this year’s convention. Read what he has to say about the industry, marijuana and open government. See page 3 CONVENTION CENTRAL All you need to know about the upcoming convention, including speaker lineups, schedule and more. See pages 5-9