More Messages: Open House

Ever since the announcement was made that the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News would be sharing the same building, at 101 West Colfax, journos have wondered how these longtime competitors would deal with such close quarters. Chumminess and collegiality? Icy looks and cold shoulders? Or something in between? Hard to say at this point, but even before the Rocky began moving in this past weekend, there were concerns about boundaries. Consider this passage from an internal July 27 memo sent by Rocky editor/publisher/president John Temple in advance of an August 3 open house. Temple wrote:

I want you to know that it is our policy that no Post employees will be allowed on the 5th floor (our floor) and that no News employees should go to the 6th floor (the Post's floor) as part of this open house. Greg Moore will tell his staff the same thing.

We are separate, independent and competitive. I believe it's best for us to act that way. So please, do not go to the Post's floor, ever. If there comes a time when you feel you need to visit their newsroom for any reason, please see me or [managing editor] Deb [Goeken] first. And please never bring a Post person into our newsroom without our approval beforehand.

Judging by an unintentionally hilarious August 9 missive e-mailed to the Post staff by editor Greg Moore (pictured), Temple's stern warning seems not to have done the trick.

Colleagues:

I believe prior to the open house last week, Jeanette Chavez sent out a message that included a request that none of us try to visit the Rocky newsroom on the 5th floor of the new building. I thought that it would be clear that even though we are in the same building, that we would treat things as they are now: our newsrooms are off limits to each other. Yet, I have been told of several instances where someone from the Post has tried to enter the Rocky newsroom. This is strictly a no-no. I don't want the competition wandering our floor (even if it is empty at the moment) any more than John Temple wants us wandering his. This is really a wall that should not be breached. If you know of anyone tempted to do this, please counsel them otherwise and if you find that someone from the Rocky is on our floor, please let me know.

Thanks
Greg Moore

No trespassing, kids! Or there'll be hell to pay! -- Michael Roberts