The Shop Talk panelists discuss a story in Columbia Journalism Review, which reported that mass layoffs at the Denver Post a little more than a year ago led to a rebellion against the paper's owner, Alden Global Capital. 10 journalists defected from the Post to risk launching The Colorado Sun when a cryptocurrency and blockchain technology company offered them grant money to do so.
Now they’ve survived a year as a digital source of news. CJR reported their page views don’t come anywhere close to some of the bigger players in the market, but the editor pointed out that readers spend an average of three minutes with each story they read, which he said is a sign of engaged readership.
The Sun’s grant runs out in May. In addition to the grant, the outlet gets financial support from its audience and underwriters, much like public radio. The Sun also hopes to attract investors.
Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues. This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier, the students at student radio station The Dog, and the WIU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; Rajvee Subramanian, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.
