It'll Dawn on You

Dawn of a new Sentinel, Cochran

2011-03-01T12:04:00.001-08:00

This summer it will be 20 years since a group of publishers and editors returned The Aurora Sentinel to local control.

This week the era of local ownership turns a new page with the sale of the Sentinel and Buckley Guardian to Leap Media Partners, headed by experienced newspaperman James Gold under the new umbrella of the Aurora Media Group.

Jim Boone, a pioneering publisher I worked for, once said, “A newspaper is only in the stewardship of its owner for a while — it always belongs to the community.”

A whole lot of people spanning my four decades in the suburban newspaper industry have devoted much of their working lives being good stewards in getting you the news that hits closest to home.

Through snow storms — yes, I did once cross-country to the office where editor David Perry camped out for three days to be sure you had your Sentinel — power outages and attacks from politicians, The Sentinel never missed an edition even when a late game, slow election count or stubborn computer stalled a deadline.

From the Daily Fax to the Aurora Sun Sentinel to the Daily and Sentinel online, we have adapted to changing times, technologies and reading habits. The new owners are dedicated to advancing that process.

Among the folks who made journalism in Aurora better on my watch, allow me to mention a notable handful starting with my mentor Olen Bell, once the owner-publisher of the Aurora Advocate; former Sentinel president Tom Noonan, a founder of the Community College of Aurora; publishers Donna Shear and Karen Sowell Johnson; editors Ron Dawson, Jim Ayers and Tammie Tate and the editorial inspiration to many of us, Jack Bacon.

Award-winning editor Dave Perry, who followed Jack’s lead will remain, so that mis-informed conservatives (is that redundant?) will have at least one column to complain about.

For some time I have been saying the negotiations leading to sale are like docking a boat. Things happen slowly as you float toward shore, then suddenly you hit the dock and it’s time to step off. That time is now.

As news of the transition spread, I have been asked what is next for myself, and the honest answer is, “I don’t know.” My wish and bucket lists are long, and I suspect it will include writing, some consulting to the publishing industry with skiing and fishing mixed in for good measure. Seeing my daughter through her last years of college is high on the list, too.

Speaking of wishes, since spring training hopes are eternal, I’m thinking this could be the year the Cubs win the pennant; but with age comes some wisdom, and I won’t be betting that way.

As I approach five years from my allotted three score and ten, I am mindful that you think you are going somewhere, but the path leads somewhere else.

Wherever it leads I shall be thankful to the people of Aurora who have been supportive of The Sentinel and its predecessors for over a century as I am deeply grateful to all who worked on pages, page views and community projects that strengthened The Voice of Aurora.

It’ll dawn on you in these challenging times, the state of your newspaper is strong.

Your Aurora Sentinel is in good stewardship.

H. Harrison Cochran is the former publisher of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at hcochran@comcast.net

RMN - A Death in the Family

2009-03-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

As often happens after a long terminal illness, the call comes unexpectedly and so it was with the Rocky Mountain News.

It has been a custom for decades for the Colorado Press convention to open with a publisher’s luncheon at the Governor’s mansion. Ritter is the fourth governor to host this event in my Colorado career, but 2009 will be recalled long after his term in office.

About half the publishers in the state along with editors and spouses were in attendance. Ritter spoke before lunch since he had real work to do in an hour pushing his hospital fee proposal. By the end of his no-free-lunch, self-serving remarks as the moment for questions approached Ft. Collins Coloradoan Executive Editor Bob Moore was eager as a Jeopardy contestant to go first, which the governor recognized.

“It has just been announced that tomorrow will be the last edition of the Rocky Mountain News,” Moore told a shocked but not surprised crowd, “What are your comments on that?”

A sweep of the room revealed no News execs and only two top Post editors.

Faster than you could say, “Get me rewrite,” half the room slapped leather to unholster their iPhones and BlackBerrys. Many began texting furiously — so much for telling my 18 year old what not to do in class.

The supreme irony of newspaper publishers getting the death notice digitally was not lost on a room full of writers, but it’ll dawn on you it illustrates a point.

In answering Moore’s question, after expressing condolences, the governor said he regretted his children would not have a printed newspaper to read when they grew up.

Greenwood Villager Publisher Bob Sweeney, never too shy to lecture a governor, rose to remind all that, “Most newspapers in the country are doing just fine and plan to be around for a long time.”
That set the tone for the week.

The next three days were spent either trying to understand what is happening to newspapers or to explain why it won’t happen to all, particularly community weeklies.

Many analogies were drawn beyond the death and dying Kubler-Ross parallels.

Some thought papers would morph into multi-media conglomerates although the Time-Warners and News Corps haven’t found that balance

Others foresaw a day when newspapers would be subsidized like passenger trains while shoppers and mailers carried the advertising freight.

And still others thought that papers would discover they were the content providers for the Internet that threatens them much as movies were for television.

All agreed that no one has invented a digital model that provides profit enough to support a newsroom.

Dinosaur talk was directed towards the automakers even though most expected many papers, even whole markets to become extinct.

Sorting those ideas will take time and more than one column.

High point of the week was the standing ovation from publishers and politicians for Rocky Editor and Publisher John Temple who, as promised, addressed the legislative luncheon enthusiastically with final edition in hand.

The News has been part of my Rocky Mountain mornings for decades and perhaps yours. They were partners with the Sentinels and other Mile High Suburban Press Papers before the DNA was more than a gene.

Under the leadership of publisher Bill Fletcher and editor Ralph Looney they reached a commanding peak in profitability and readership from which they should not have fallen.

That is to take nothing away from the savvy management of The Denver Post, which took great advantage of News mistakes.

In the end, on the life support of the JOA, healthy competition was replaced by a battle for survival and hopefully the Post will win that one, too.

If there was one good take away from the Rocky death watch it was the dignity with which John Temple, local management and editors conducted themselves to the final edition.

RIP old friend.

Who went to Jared and who cares?

2009-03-04T08:28:00.000-08:00

Colorado Congressman Jared Polis (D-2) jumped on the not yet cold body of the Rocky Mountain News this week pounding his chest to proclaim “we (bloggers) helped kill it, and I argue it’s mostly for the better.”

Jarred, good buddy, I may generally agree with your politics, but about a long suffering relative, that’s just not what you shout out at the funeral —even if it is being held at a Netroots Nation in Your Neighborhood event.

Polis, whose family made their fortune like most dot.com millionaires by selling a company that didn’t make much money online for more than it could ever be worth, is right and wrong.

Every minute someone spends a blog is subtracted from the giant zero sum game of audience attention that can be used to gain ad dollars that pay “real, “ as in MSM journalists.

But Craig Newmark with one simple free classified model has done more damage than all the huffing Huffington Posts and bragging bloggers in the world.

The equation is justtoo simple to be taken seriously enough — free drives out paid — period.

The other debate about how valid community journalism is or isn’t ; has as much to do with the demise of newspapers as the taste of the last cup of coffee served at a closed Starbucks.

Obama raises his own bar "higher, higher"

2009-02-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

What a delightful thing to behold an American President speaking in complete sentences and articulate thoughts for adult Americans.

Whatever your opinion of Obama's policies there was never any question that he was speaking honestly from his heart.

I admire ambitious goal setting, but even the author of the Audacity of Hope may find himself in a couple years have his accomplishments compared to YouTube snippets from February 09.

If I got this right Americans will cure cancer, have the highest graduation rate, save American automakers, reform health care, give every American making less than 250 a tax cut and, oh ya, cut the deficit in half in four years.

Whew, I'm exhausted just repeating that.

In the some things never change department Republicans revealed a month long amnesia attack as to who had been the party of spending for the last eight years.

The governor of Louisiana, while interesting by heritage, seemed in disconnect land eschewing government spending in the state that received the most emergency spending, however badly managed.

I'm just hoping the Bush words Obama has to eat aren't W's, "mission accomplished " but 41's , "read my lips no new taxes."

Taxing thoughts indeed, but for sheer fright think of John McCain standing there with Sarah Palin sitting behind him next to Grandma Pelosi.

Me, I'll take the audacity any day.

Coach Obama's corner and Hope Dreams

2008-11-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

Hopefully hoop star Barack Obama has on his reading list along with "Team of Rivals" ex-Chicagoan and Bulls coach Phil Jackson's book "Sacred Hoops."

It chronicles the difficulties and challenges of forging a team and winning championships with a team of stars and egos including Jordan, Pippen and Rodman. Jackson gives lots of credit to their ability to inspire and elevate the performance of average players.

Obama will need all those skills and then some.

If Obama manages to get a winning season out of the Hillary to Richardson to Emanual to Daschel to Pelosi and Reid line-up he deserves a trophy.

Denver fans who have suffered through the Iverson/Anthony lesson in non-leadership do not need coaching on the difficulty of winning with the stars.

If the Obama cabinet gels he may have the title for his first post presidency book — "Team of Egos."

Calm confidence is catching

2008-11-03T22:19:00.000-08:00

I have new hope on this election day eve for the first candidate, Barack Obama, that I have allowed myself care about in a long, long time.

Yet disappointed as I would be should he fail I have a perspective, perhaps brought on by age, that we will move on.

Someone at the office pointed out I seemed much calmer than during the Kerry/Bush race. Upon reflection it is because I respect both candidates and believe neither would make the terrible mistakes Bush has. I really believe W will be seen as a bad, maybe negligent if not evil commander in chief.

Being right that he would be a bad "decider" is little solace.

That said whether it is war, healthcare or the economy there is no doubt we need Obama now and I don't even want to think what a Palin presidency might mean.

I know any president will be tested like none since FDR.

Is a young visionary president with his best years before him too much to hope for?

I trust not.

Dem's ratings show little boob tube boost

2008-08-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Which television shows are you watching this week, the Democratic National Convention coverage or anything but?

Are you suffering from Olympic letdown or did you leave town for the beautiful Rockies to escape the tube trap and traffic?

According to the national press, which is fighting harder for ratings than Bob Costas shilled for the fall NBC lineup during the Olympics, there was only one show in town — “Family Feud.”

No matter if a delegate wants to talk about health care, housing crisis or the cost of war they were asked, “Do you think Hillary supporters will get behind the Obama candidacy? You do? Really? What about ...? Their search for “Desperate Housewives” is relentless.

Even when I think I watched carefully I don’t see what they see. Last night I watched Hillary Clinton enthusiastically and artfully move her supporters towards Obama.

But post speech punditry left me wondering if commentators were watching the same screen? PBS’ Gwen Eifel and CNN Candy Crowley shared my view, but Pat Robertson, Fox News and Rudy Giuliani thought it didn’t support him enough or was positioning for 2012.

“No way, no doubt, no McCain,” left me in no doubt.

As a political junky without apology I have watched a good portion of every convention since I was 6 years old in 1952. Then a returning war hero was battling Adlai Stevenson, a much younger liberal, articulate, thoughtful senator from Illinois.

Have I seen this one before? Difference then was the soon to be President Eisenhower was committed to getting us out of a bad war in Korea as much as Stevenson.

For me, conventions have as much four-year fascination as the marathon, beach volleyball, downhill and bobsled combined. When you think about it this is the 400 relay that really matters and Chinese medal count is growing.

If you doubt it, imagine an America, devastated by Sept. 11 after which that stiff guy, who didn’t invent the Internet, calls America to public service, pursues Bin Laden relentlessly and uses sympathy for America to unite the free world.

That pilot never aired.

To get your political blood boiling watch the HBO movie “Recount.” I won’t tell you how it comes out, but it doesn’t have a happy ending.

Based on early Nielsens, as a convention watcher, I’m in the real minority party — those who care. A rerun of “Two and a Half Men” and an episode of “How I Met Your Mother” outdrew any network coverage of the convention. Univision saw it’s sharpest spike in ratings when the English networks switched to the conventions.

Top convention ratings jump went to PBS, the real “fair and balanced” network or maybe because it has no commercials

Maybe because, in prime time, it shows that the Democrats have run a pretty G-rated production. Kiefer Sutherland may use torture to fight terrorism in “24” but so far topics like extraordinary rendition (secret prisons), water boarding and warrantless wiretaps haven’t made it to the airwaves.

Meanwhile, Denver is doing its best to show the only episodes of “General Hospitable.” Hick and company deserve at least four stars for the sheer effort.

Those tuning in for a rerun of “Wild in the Streets” have been disappointed and it remains to be seen if “Armies of the Night” will roll next week in Minneapolis?

The only suspense left in the last days of Democratic programming is whether Bill Clinton as “The Spoiler” will hurt the ratings of Obama’s stadium seating only season finale as “The Closer.”

Here is one programming prediction I’ll put real money on:

Whatever your view of “Star Trek” — religion or the supernatural — if you watched this week’s convention and can handle the fanny fatigue of watching the Republican show next week you will be convinced most Americans live in parallel universes.

The final episode to decide which galaxy we will live in for the next four years is still two months away — stay tuned.

They said what?

2008-08-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

The award for most outrageous statement made in August may not go to either the McCain or Obama campaigns.

It looks more like a dead heat between George W(orst president ever) Bush and Bill Gates.

Score whichever you think strains credulity the most:

Microsoft launching a barrage of complaints that the Yahoo/ Google deal would be a monopolistic practice that would lead to an unfair competitive advantage.

George W. Bush lecturing Vladimir Putin after the invasion of Georgia that in the 21rst century that you don't bully other countries and invade them