Rush Limbaugh, Peter Boyles see ideology behind Rocky Mountain News' troubles

In his nationally syndicated December 5 broadcast, robust yapper Rush Limbaugh made mention of the Rocky Mountain News being put up for sale. "Did you see where Scripps Howard may have to close down the Rocky Mountain News?" he asked. "Propaganda organs are just falling by the wayside. The Obama campaign staff is being pared with these layoffs. I mean, how many of them are media?"

KHOW's Peter Boyles offered a related argument earlier in the day, suggesting that Rocky sins such as publishing columnist Tina Griego's "Border Street" series and referring to illegal aliens as "undocumented job seekers" spelled doom for the tabloid. (By the way, I got zero hits on a Google search for "Rocky Mountain News" and "undocumented job seekers.") But while such claims may sound reasonable, particular to those who share the (distinct) agendas of Limbaugh and Boyles, they have no relation to reality. The Rocky's troubles are most closely connected to the disappearance of enormous classified advertising revenue due to the rise of Craigslist and similar services and the historic transition of journalism from print to the Internet, not political opinions and liberal slants.

One more thing, Rush: Read the blog "Instead of Countering the Denver Post's Obama Endorsement, the Rocky Mountain News Doesn't Offer One" before insisting that the Rocky was in the tank for Barack. Otherwise, you might look as if you're, um, talking out of your ass. -- Michael Roberts