The Colorado History Museum gift shop in Denver is already selling collector’s copies of the final edition of the Rocky Mountain News for $5 a piece. 

But last night, more than 200 people showed up at the museum to prove that quality journalism is not yet a thing of the past. At an event organized by SaveTheNews.org and Denver’s IWantMyRocky.com, local citizens, journalists and nonprofit leaders came together to talk about the future.
 
The in-depth community forum included 14 table discussions on varying journalism topics, including: how to reinvent public media; what makes a journalist; how social media affect the news; the lessons of participatory journalism; and the connection between Internet policy and the future of journalism.

The conversations, which were facilitated by local media reform organizations, journalists and academics, were lively and led to new connections and collaborations between participants.
 
The panel discussion that followed built on the themes that emerged from the community forum. Former Rocky editor and publisher John Temple; Colorado Public Television CEO Wick Rowland; award-winning investigative reporter Laura Frank; former state Senator Polly Baca; and syndicated columnist and author David Sirota reflected on the shifting media landscape in the months since the Rocky closed, and discussed what the future holds for new and traditional media alike. 

The Q&A session focused on themes surrounding media consolidation, diversity of viewpoints, and the public’s trust in the media. 

At the end of the event, two people approached me. One was a journalist who said he could not believe how many local people showed up to talk about journalism. "I didn't know this many people cared about the future of news," he said.

The other person was a Denver resident who said she couldn't believe so many journalists came out to take part in these discussions. "I can't believe they want to hear from me," she remarked.

Bringing local people together with local journalists and policymakers to re-imagine journalism is exactly what we need to confront this crisis.

The energy and excitement in the room was so palpable, and a number of local groups are already developing plans for a follow-up meeting.

Check back soon for more blog posts and video from the event.