VOLUME 38 • NUMBER 50 • NOVEMBER 5, 2020
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Why does a free press matter? Why local newspapers matter BY FREDA MIKLIN GOVERNMENTAL REPORTER
On October 23, South Metro Denver Chamber’s economic development group hosted a virtual panel of local publishers and journalists, including Villager publisher Bob Sweeney, to address the issue, “What is being done in Colorado to save the free press and why it matters to you?” The panel also looked at the question, “Virtual Meetings—temporary or permanent?” In addition to Sweeney, who is founder, co-publisher, and owner of the 38-year-old weekly Villager, panel members were Jerry Healey, current president of the board of the Colorado Press Association and owner and publisher of Colorado Community Media, which includes 17 weekly local newspapers and two monthlies. Also on the panel was Dennis Huspeni, freelance reporter for the Denver Gazette covering south Denver businesses. Huspeni is a 27-year veteran who has extensive experience in journalism, public relations, and media relations. Joining the group was Chris Michelmore, who leads sales teams covering Denver, Kansas City, and Atlanta for Zoom. Neal Browne, former anchor and reporter for 9NEWS for 23 years,
moderated. There were 67 people from business and government tuned in to hear what the panelists had to say. Michelmore explained that Zoom is unique in that it allows visual communication between all devices. It doesn’t matter if the devices people participating in meetings or calls are using are made by Apple, Microsoft, or Android. Although Zoom is being used constantly now, once the pandemic is over, he believes it will be employed in a balance with live meetings. Michelmore agrees with most people that there is nothing that can replace the collaboration that comes from meeting in person, but there will always be a huge benefit to not having to travel to meet with people around the country and around the globe. The first question for the publishers was, do people still read newspapers or does everyone want to get their news online? The panel agreed that print newspapers still have a large fan base, although that may change in the future as demographics evolve, i.e., older people are more attached to newspapers, younger people are accustomed to reading their news online. Continued on page 2
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