KNOW NEWSPAPERS - Official Site of the Petition to Unplug

Some of those former print journalists that online entities like Wonkette seem to delight in referring to as "over-educated overpaid typists" held a press conference Monday morning to announce plans to keep the spirit of their shuttered newspaper alive, an initiative born out of a sense of responsibility to both their community, and their profession.

Thirty former staffers of Denver's Rocky Mountain News have banded together to launch an online-only newspaper called the In Denver Times.

Subscriptions vary in price, with the lowest fee available being $4.99 per month for a 12-month commitment -- that's about 16 cents per day.

A press release (via Westword) provides the gist:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FORMER ROCKY JOURNALISTS ANNOUNCE "IN DENVER TIMES," A NEW VISION BASED ON A 150‐YEAR TRADITION

Group Seeks 50,000 Subscribers By April 23

Denver, CO - March 16, 2009 - A short distance from the location where the Rocky Mountain News printed its first edition, 30 former Rocky journalists today announced the launch of IN DENVER TIMES (www.indenvertimes.com), an online, real‐time, news source that will keep the spirit of the Rocky alive.

IN DENVER TIMES (INDT) was created by a group of former Rocky journalists, the founders of IWANTMYROCKY.COM and three Denver entrepreneurs, Brad Gray, Kevin Preblud and Benjamin Ray. (A list of participating journalists and the founders' bios are included in INDT's media kit.) IN DENVER TIMES reinvents the traditional local newspaper model: it's real‐time, online news delivered the way customers want it, when they want it. The news is free. For about $0.16 per day, customers will receive the insights, columns and perspectives of INDT journalists, along with live interactive chats, new applications, mobile feeds and advanced technologies. INDT will concentrate primarily on local news, however, there will also be national news coverage with local perspective. It's local focus with global awareness.

"Thousands of loyal Denver readers and journalism supporters across the country have encouraged us to continue delivering our high standard of professional journalism to the Mile High City," said Steve Foster, a former Rocky journalist and an INDT founder. "We're prepared and excited to deliver the highest quality content in an innovative platform; however, to make this vision a reality, we need our supporters - and their friends and families - to subscribe today."

To launch the site, IN DENVER TIMES needs 50,000 subscribers by April 23, the 150th anniversary of the Rocky. Once that goal is met, the full site will launch on Monday, May 4, 2009. Those interested in helping us build a new vision based on a 150‐year tradition of the Rocky should visit INDT's website at http://www.indenvertimes.com and make a pledge to subscribe. Customers will be charged on April 23, 2009 only if we meet our goal of 50,000 subscribers.

"This online, subscriber format reinvents the old newspaper model while preserving the role and importance of journalism in our community," said Founder Kevin Preblud. "As entrepreneurs, we believe that great journalism can still be good business. Given the precarious position that so many local newspapers find themselves, we should all hope this model succeeds."

IN DENVER TIMES

IN DENVER TIMES (INDT) was created by former Rocky journalists and three Denver entrepreneurs who refused to allow the spirit of the Rocky's long history of professional journalism to fade away. A new vision based on a 150‐year tradition, INDT is an online, real‐time news source that provides customers with insightful news in a forward‐looking, innovative platform.

INDT's mission is to provide our customers with the most insightful and professional journalism while embracing new technologies that allow us to quickly and efficiently meet the changing needs of our customers.