Following a screening of Stripped for Parts, a documentary about the hedge-fund takeover of The Denver Post and other newspapers around the country, a panel discussed what the pending purchase of TEGNA by Nexstar Media Group could mean for broadcast journalism in Colorado.
The Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition co-hosted the event Tuesday evening at the Buell Public Media Center along with Rocky Mountain Public Media and The Colorado Sun.
Kimberly Spencer, director of the Colorado Media Project, moderated the conversation with Colorado College journalism professor Corey Hutchins, University of Colorado media studies professor Nathan Schneider and Colorado News Collaborative executive director Laura Frank.
TEGNA owns 9NEWS and KTVD in Denver, and Nexstar owns FOX31 in Denver, FOX21 in Colorado Springs and KREX-TV in Grand Junction.
The $6.2 billion deal, if approved by the Federal Communications Commission, would likely lead to major changes in the way Coloradans get news from local TV stations.
“9NEWS, I would say, is probably the best at watchdog journalism and accountability journalism on TV in the entire state,” said Hutchins, who writes the weekly Inside the News in Colorado newsletter. He talked about what losing 9NEWS would mean to “a rancher in Yuma” by pointing out a recent investigation by reporter Steve Staeger into the town of Kersey’s issuance of $340 photo radar tickets.
“After the investigation came out — multiple stories — the town council decided to refund all those tickets, and they’re not going to do this anymore. Without 9NEWS, does that happen? I don’t think so,” Hutchins said. “And so what is the next town that’s not Kersey, but is somewhere else where a reporter for 9NEWS won’t be? That’s what somebody loses.”
Watch the full panel discussion here.
Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink is showing on PBS stations.
Follow the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition on X and Bluesky. Like CFOIC’s Facebook page. Do you appreciate the information and resources provided by CFOIC? Please consider making a tax-deductible donation.
