A letter to the Editor

To the Editor:

RE: Coloradoan eyes potential Collegian buyout

I read with almost disbelief today that Gannett is considering buying out the Collegian.

This would be detrimental to media coverage in Fort Collins. How in the world could readers benefit from two Gannett-owned publications? The Collegian was never The New York Times but it’s existence is imperative and instrumental to the college and this town.

I can’t help but believe this is an unforeseen consequence of the editorial board’s actions last semester regarding its childish and immature editorial. And that is horribly unfortunate but it seems the Collegian has made itself a liability to the institute and student population it was meant to serve.

If Gannett were to get its hands on the Collegian, it would be the end of collegiate journalism in Fort Collins. Budget and staff cuts, “community sourcing” and the elimination of local opinion would become reality. Disclosure, I worked at the Collegian for four years and have worked at two Gannett papers, including the Coloradoan.

But perhaps the Collegian would be a good fit with the ranks of such rags like the Coloradoan. On the day Tim Masters was released from prison, which is without question the biggest story in northern Colorado in the past 10 years, not only did the Collegian ignore the story but decided to write three stories about itself. Perhaps it is only coming that The Rocky Mountain Collegian becomes a Gannett paper.

Sincerely,


Christopher Ortiz
chrisjortiz@gmail.com