Dean Singleton, Denver Post publisher, looking to help son Adam Singleton learn family biz

Correction below: Is Dean Singleton, head of MediaNews Group and Denver Post publisher, looking for a successor, Kim Jong-Il style? Doubt it: Despite his continuing battle against multiple sclerosis, he seems energetic, active and fully in charge. But judging by a Thursday memo, he'd like to help his eighteen-year-old son, Adam, get a grounding in the news biz -- a sign of his optimism that there will still be an industry in future years. Post readers got a look at Adam in a July photo that found him in select company: The shot, taken to promote the Frontier Days train, features Post editor Greg Moore, Denver Newspaper Agency president and CEO Gerald Grilly, his dad and Denver Mayor and gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper.

Since then, Adam's had a byline on a number of small pieces, an including an August item about free admission to state parks to celebrate Colorado Day. But judging by a request from one or more of Adam's editors to select e-mail recipients at the Post, daddy Dean would like him to get a broader grounding in journalism. The note's author or authors ask journos to take Adam with them on stories -- so long as it's not too late on a school night. And since he doesn't drive, would you mind picking him up?

Here's the memo:

Sent: Thursday, September 23, 2010 4:00 PM

Subject: FW: Adam

Adam Singleton is trying to learn the family business. So he's getting a little on the job training with our help. It would be great if folks could offer up opportunities for him to tag along on assignments, he's eager really and can do some writing or just watch. He's 18 and has odd hours (see below) so his night outings are limited.

Thanks.

Adam can be in the office by 2:15. He typically works until 7 p.m.

He can work a later shift, but Mon-Thur are school nites, so the aim is not to be too late getting him to bed -- say 9 p.m . the latest

Friday nights are fine late as long as he's in town

He does not drive, so it needs to be an assignment easily accesible via public transportation (like Coors Field or DU) or the staff member needs to pick him up and return him to the Post building (or southeast light rail stop)

He'll be with us through December

Let me know if you see something on your radar that might be good for him

thanks

Correction: The original version of this item identified Dean Singleton as the author of the memo above, but that's not the case, according to Post editor Greg Moore. He says Singleton arranged for Adam to intern at the paper, as he's done with all his kids, but made no special requests for treatment via e-mail or any other communication method.

The item above is actually two separate memos that have been pasted together, Moore says. He's not sure who wrote the one yesterday, which ends with the capitalized word "Thanks," but he confirms that the second, which starts with the phrase "Adam can be in the office...," was composed by one of Adam's supervisors some time ago.

Moore stresses that Adam, who's worked as an intern for a few months, is a "good kid" who's worked hard and asked for nothing extra because of his last name.