Scripps to shut Rocky Mountain News

Media conglomerate EW Scripps lure qualified buyers. The 150-year-old Denver newspaper will run its final edition on Friday, but employees will remain on the Scripps payroll through April 28. Scripps Chief Executive Rich Boehne said the newspaper had "only one potential buyer" who had ultimately "backed away." The Rocky lost $16 million in 2008, and Boehne told workers that Scripps chose to close it to preserve the health of its other newspapers. The closure leaves a city that witnessed a colorful, century-long newspaper war with just one major daily -- MediaNews Group's Denver Post. Eight years ago, the two papers consolidated business, printing and advertising operations in a joint operating agreement to preserve both editorial voices. But the economy and a changing business model made it impossible for the city to support two newspapers, MediaNews Publisher Dean Singleton said.