Sign of the times, you might say. Newspapers are shrinking. The outdoors beat isn't an ad magnet, so it's a logical section to cut.
But the The Denver Post? Seriously? Denver has always stood apart for its rich embrace of the outdoors ideal. When you count the number of people (millions) in this region, and match that with the sheer magnitude of world-class hunting and fishing opportunities to be had within driving distance, this might be the outdoor sports capital of the world. That’s why I live here. And that’s why the Post has been the standard when it comes to daily newspapers covering the outdoors.
So when Scott Willoughby, outdoors editor for the Post, called me to say that his position was being phased out, I felt sick. I felt sick for Scott. I felt sick for what that signals to the outdoor market. And I felt sick for what this all would have meant to Charlie Meyers.
Charlie Meyers was the previous fishing/hunting columnist of the Post, and he was my professional mentor. I loved him like an uncle, and he taught me things I still use in my work every day. The man could tell a story like nobody else, and he kept the policy makers accountable as well. There’s a State Wildlife Area in Colorado named after him now. I don’t know many newspaper writers, from Denver or otherwise, who have monuments like that dedicated to their memories.
Great Article by Kirk Deeter on an amazing Writer parting ways
MORE AT FLYFISH ADDICTION
2 comments:
I cannot tell you how disappointed I am about this. Most of the public is transitioning further and further away from nature. This decision cements that fact. If people don't have a connection to the natural world, it is hard to care about it, to preserve, to conserve, to recreate. This is one more step to sever the connection. Makes me quite sad.
Stephanie,
Thank you for commenting and I think most are like you, very frustrated with this decision as well as the direction the Denver post is taking.
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