Loveland - April 16, 2012
LovelandPolitics has learned Christine Kapperman, Managing Editor of the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, is telling friends and family she
resigned from her position at the Reporter-Herald to take a new job in Boulder, Colorado. Sources tell LovelandPolitics she is now managing
an internal corporate magazine in Boulder. Today's edition (April 16, 2012 Page A2) of the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald still lists
Kapperman as the Managing Editor of the newspaper. An email sent to her for this story last week created the following automated response;
Thank you for you email; unfortunately you will not reach me here as I have moved on to a new employment opportunity.
For assistance, please contact City Editor Jeff Stahla (jstahla@reporter-herald.com) for news concerns or Local News Editor
Jackie Hutchins (jhutchins@reporter-herald.com) for features and entertainment items.
Thank you very much; it has been a joy,
Christine Kapperman."
Kapperman worked her way up the ladder at the Loveland Reporter-Herald in a 17-year career at Loveland's only daily newspaper.
Kapperman was first hired at the Loveland Reporter-Herald in 1994 to start the special sections department. Subsequently, Kapperman
worked as the assistant local news editor, assistant managing editor under and finally as the Managing Editor for the past 7 years.
Amundson was let-go at this time last year shortly after the paper was acquired by the owner of the Denver Post, Dean Singleton. Singleton,
CEO of MediaNews Group, Inc. which owns the Denver Post along with 58 daily newspapers in 11 states, bought Lehman Communications
last year which operated the Loveland Reporter Herald. MediaNews Group formed Prairie Mountain Publishing with the E.W. Scripps
Company when it acquired an interest in Scripps newspapers in 2009. The Loveland Reporter-Herald along with the Lehman owned
newspapers of Longmont and Canon City were placed under PMP following the acquisition last year.
Kapperman Maintained Status Quo
Sometimes the Reporter-Herald and especially Kapperman have been controversial for what they are not. Contrary to the traditions of
investigative journalism, the Loveland Reporter-Herald spent the last decade avoiding controversial local stories while serving as a medium for
reporting promotional news on behalf of the City of Loveland and larger enterprises active within Loveland's Chamber of Commerce like
McWhinney.
A polarizing figure, Kapperman's name often surfaced as the person responsible for killing stories that might offend certain city officials or
business leaders with whom she built a professional relationship on behalf of the publication. A behind the scenes type of person, Kapperman
maintained a lower public profile than her predecessor by relying on personal relationships and less public appearances.
Evidence of collusion between the newspaper and city officials has long been debated but a recent email obtained by LovelandPolitics clearly
indicates a belief by city staff that the Loveland Reporter-Herald would cooperate in an attempt to discredit a recent story by
LovelandPolitics. Especially disconcerting is the practice of the City of Loveland and not Kapperman, the Managing Editor, apparently
deciding when the newspaper will cover a controversial story. As one former reporter told LovelandPolitics, "At the Reporter-Herald the tail
wags the dog. We waited for the city and McWhinney to tell us when to report a story instead of us contacting them about what we were
looking into for a story."
On March 25, Loveland City Attorney John Duval forwarded Mayor Cecil Gutierrez an email by Sam Betters, top official of Loveland's
Housing Authority. According to Betters' email (see email copy below this story) he decided it was time for the Loveland Reporter-Herald
to do a story on a Mirasol problem of over-charging rents and the federal government sending a letter to the city seeking a refund. According
to Betters, he was setting-up an interview with the Reporter-Herald that would acknowledge the problem but sent the email to the city attorney
to approve the theme and content of the story the newspaper would be publishing.
Curiously, Betters mentions LovelandPolitics as already releasing the information thus prompting some seniors "looking for a windfall" to
make an inquiry to him. What is clear by the email between both Betters and the city attorney, is Betters' expectation as well as the city's that
the Reporter-Herald will spin the story in a way to calm the controversy instead of just reporting the facts.
Like clockwork, the Reporter-Herald did publish a story. The newspaper interviewed and quoted only residents supporting the city's position.
We first reported the Housing Staff introduced the residents who were interviewed for the story as we were told by several residents. This
we later learned was not correct. The RH reporter and photographer visited Mirasol on March 29, unannounced and interviewed residents
they encountered without an introduction by staff.
Monopoly News Strangle
LovelandPolitics has been largely alone in reporting changes in the Loveland Reporter-Herald staff along with the previous change of
ownership. All but two daily newspapers (The Coloradoan and Greeley Tribune) in the Northern Front Range are now owned by the Denver
Post owner. The Coloradoan has been rumored to be the next target of acquisition by the Denver Post. Reporters are careful about writing
stories regarding the one potential or future employer they have in .11 states therefore critical coverage of Singleton or his many newspapers
is nearly non-existent now in the Colorado Front Range.
LovelandPolitics has learned Christine Kapperman, Managing Editor of the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald, is telling friends and family she
resigned from her position at the Reporter-Herald to take a new job in Boulder, Colorado. Sources tell LovelandPolitics she is now managing
an internal corporate magazine in Boulder. Today's edition (April 16, 2012 Page A2) of the Loveland Daily Reporter-Herald still lists
Kapperman as the Managing Editor of the newspaper. An email sent to her for this story last week created the following automated response;
Thank you for you email; unfortunately you will not reach me here as I have moved on to a new employment opportunity.
For assistance, please contact City Editor Jeff Stahla (jstahla@reporter-herald.com) for news concerns or Local News Editor
Jackie Hutchins (jhutchins@reporter-herald.com) for features and entertainment items.
Thank you very much; it has been a joy,
Christine Kapperman."
Kapperman worked her way up the ladder at the Loveland Reporter-Herald in a 17-year career at Loveland's only daily newspaper.
Kapperman was first hired at the Loveland Reporter-Herald in 1994 to start the special sections department. Subsequently, Kapperman
worked as the assistant local news editor, assistant managing editor under and finally as the Managing Editor for the past 7 years.
Amundson was let-go at this time last year shortly after the paper was acquired by the owner of the Denver Post, Dean Singleton. Singleton,
CEO of MediaNews Group, Inc. which owns the Denver Post along with 58 daily newspapers in 11 states, bought Lehman Communications
last year which operated the Loveland Reporter Herald. MediaNews Group formed Prairie Mountain Publishing with the E.W. Scripps
Company when it acquired an interest in Scripps newspapers in 2009. The Loveland Reporter-Herald along with the Lehman owned
newspapers of Longmont and Canon City were placed under PMP following the acquisition last year.
Kapperman Maintained Status Quo
Sometimes the Reporter-Herald and especially Kapperman have been controversial for what they are not. Contrary to the traditions of
investigative journalism, the Loveland Reporter-Herald spent the last decade avoiding controversial local stories while serving as a medium for
reporting promotional news on behalf of the City of Loveland and larger enterprises active within Loveland's Chamber of Commerce like
McWhinney.
A polarizing figure, Kapperman's name often surfaced as the person responsible for killing stories that might offend certain city officials or
business leaders with whom she built a professional relationship on behalf of the publication. A behind the scenes type of person, Kapperman
maintained a lower public profile than her predecessor by relying on personal relationships and less public appearances.
Evidence of collusion between the newspaper and city officials has long been debated but a recent email obtained by LovelandPolitics clearly
indicates a belief by city staff that the Loveland Reporter-Herald would cooperate in an attempt to discredit a recent story by
LovelandPolitics. Especially disconcerting is the practice of the City of Loveland and not Kapperman, the Managing Editor, apparently
deciding when the newspaper will cover a controversial story. As one former reporter told LovelandPolitics, "At the Reporter-Herald the tail
wags the dog. We waited for the city and McWhinney to tell us when to report a story instead of us contacting them about what we were
looking into for a story."
On March 25, Loveland City Attorney John Duval forwarded Mayor Cecil Gutierrez an email by Sam Betters, top official of Loveland's
Housing Authority. According to Betters' email (see email copy below this story) he decided it was time for the Loveland Reporter-Herald
to do a story on a Mirasol problem of over-charging rents and the federal government sending a letter to the city seeking a refund. According
to Betters, he was setting-up an interview with the Reporter-Herald that would acknowledge the problem but sent the email to the city attorney
to approve the theme and content of the story the newspaper would be publishing.
Curiously, Betters mentions LovelandPolitics as already releasing the information thus prompting some seniors "looking for a windfall" to
make an inquiry to him. What is clear by the email between both Betters and the city attorney, is Betters' expectation as well as the city's that
the Reporter-Herald will spin the story in a way to calm the controversy instead of just reporting the facts.
Like clockwork, the Reporter-Herald did publish a story. The newspaper interviewed and quoted only residents supporting the city's position.
We first reported the Housing Staff introduced the residents who were interviewed for the story as we were told by several residents. This
we later learned was not correct. The RH reporter and photographer visited Mirasol on March 29, unannounced and interviewed residents
they encountered without an introduction by staff.
Monopoly News Strangle
LovelandPolitics has been largely alone in reporting changes in the Loveland Reporter-Herald staff along with the previous change of
ownership. All but two daily newspapers (The Coloradoan and Greeley Tribune) in the Northern Front Range are now owned by the Denver
Post owner. The Coloradoan has been rumored to be the next target of acquisition by the Denver Post. Reporters are careful about writing
stories regarding the one potential or future employer they have in .11 states therefore critical coverage of Singleton or his many newspapers
is nearly non-existent now in the Colorado Front Range.
| Kapperman Gone From Reporter-Herald A Defender of Status Quo |
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| Below are links to previous stories regarding the Reporter-Herald |
