The Press: Time to Pause

Only six months ago, the Denver Post moved into its new $6,000,000 plant as part of a big expansion plan. Already the dominant daily in the Rocky Mountains, the fast-growing Post (circ. 226,866) hoped to boost circulation, profits (more than $1,000,000 last year) and advertising still more. Circulation and advertising climbed, but expenses climbed faster. Last week Editor & Publisher Edwin Palmer Hoyt decided to pull in his horns. Said Hoyt: “We’ve decided it is time to pause, recapitulate and prepare to recommence.”

For Post staffers, the pause was less than refreshing. Back to rewrite went Roving Reporter Robert W. (“Fearless”) Fenwick. Crime Editor Gene Lowall (TIME, Oct. 31, 1949) was pulled out of his private office to spend half-days on rewrite. So was Drama & Music Critic Alex Murphree. Postmen on assignment in other cities and in Europe and Asia were ordered back to Denver, and all overtime work was banned. Reporters wondered when the pause would end.

“Ep” Hoyt said the Post was on a “shakedown cruise.” The new plant had proved more expensive to operate than the old one. Also, the Post had had to continue to print its roto section in Chicago until it could shift the job to the new plant this month. Said Hoyt: “It’s been like maintaining two wives and two domiciles.”

As proof that the Post had pulled in on some fronts so it could attack on others, this week it started a fat new Sunday magazine called “Empire,” the Post’s name for its Rocky Mountain domain.