Media

Liberal bias doesn't explain Rocky Mountain News' death, columnist says

It's fashionable these days for conservatives to suggest that the troubles currently afflicting daily newspapers can be traced to the persistent left-wing slant of most pubs in this category -- an ideologically driven argument that Boston Globe columnist dismantles in a piece headlined "Liberal Bias Isn't Killing Newspapers." His examples include a local one: "How does liberal bias explain the shutdown of Denver's more conservative Rocky Mountain News, but not the more liberal Denver Post?" he asks. As for the real culprits, he points his finger at the rise of the Internet, Craigslist and the explosion of info-dissemination operations whose products are typically free. "The culture has changed," he writes. "Only 15 percent of Americans younger than 40 now read a printed newspaper every day. It isn't political bias that keeps them away. Conservatives who insist otherwise do themselves no favors."

Read the column by clicking here.

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Michael Roberts has written for Westword since October 1990, serving stints as music editor and media columnist. He currently covers everything from breaking news and politics to sports and stories that defy categorization.
Contact: Michael Roberts

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