Colorado Press Association

Continued...

Bemis developed a central office from which to manage CPA members’ questions and needs – not that he was in it much. He spent most of his time traveling the state and finding out what was going on in the far outposts of Colorado – not to mention hitting Wyoming and Arizona and their press associations to help them. There is no doubt that he was the point man.

He sent out bulletins updating publishers about whom to hire and whom to avoid. He visited the presses and explained how to maintain equipment. He kept vigil at the Capitol to argue that reporters shouldn’t be required to have licenses like doctors or lawyers, and to request that the CPA issue its own press credentials, rather than having that under the jurisdiction of the secretary of state. In 1943, the association voted to devote a half winter-convention day to legislative matters.

Bemis also published the Editor once a month, which helped develope a sense of community for Colorado’s journalists. The first editions came from the Littleton Independent office, where he was editor until his wife took over. Then, he published from Boulder when he became secretary of the Bureau of Research and Extension in journalism at CU. The school paid for much of his work and still allowed him the freedom to travel.

In 1945, his office moved to the Mary Reed Library at the University of Denver after the association was “disassociated” from CU – in other words, they stopped funding it.

‘Editor’ road show

Every time Bemis moved, he took the Editor with him. The Editor was the first continual effort to try to improve the writing of Colorado journalists. Stories featured advice such as: “Write a lot. Write as you speak. Use short sentences.” That was in 1936.

The Editor could easily advise the same today.

In 1927, Bemis ran a story about ways to humanize editors.

The Editor could easily advise the same today.

Bemis also asked that all reporters carry cameras and pushed editors to use more art in their publications. He encouraged professional journalists to work with students. 1937 marked the first year college students covered the annual convention. They’ll do it again this year.

He also used the Editor to try out new ideas for the member papers. For example, the Christmas 1937 edition featured all green ink for stories, pictures and headlines. Apparently, it was an idea that didn’t catch on.

Bemis did not lose the social end of the organization, however.

Every summer, he organized picnics, rafting trips and train rides that were purely for entertainment – plus a visit to the local newspaper, which usually helped sponsor the summer events.

The summer events ended in the 1990s when CPA board members realized that editors and publishers no longer had the time to take a week off in the summer to go play with the other editors and publishers.

Bemis also had to be on top of national issues. In 1943, he encouraged CU to speed up their journalism programs because Colorado editors were losing their reporters to the draft – 9,940 reporters nation-wide went to war and not as correspondents.

Bemis also encouraged editors to hire and train women.

Longstanding rules

Many of the rules Bemis helped orchestrate still stand today. In 1943, the association decided publications must be legal papers to become full members of the CPA. This was to help members maintain the sole right to publish legal notices – a right CPA is still working today to keep by posting paper’s legal notices on www.publicnoticeads.com so they can reach as many readers as possible.

Bemis left his position as general manager in 1951, but he continued to write a column called “Memories” until his death in 1978. William Long then took over, and spent a great deal of time looking for a permanent home for the CPA. Until 1964, the association was located over a bowling alley at 1445 Court Place in Denver.

During Long’s last year, 1964, the organization moved to 1336 Glenarm Place, which just happened to be next-door to the Denver Press Club. Member newspapers helped with the initial costs to move.

The Colorado Press Association inhabited the lower level of the building, and an advertising agency filled the second floor.

During the 1978 CPA 100th anniversary convention, members dedicated a brass plaque to Long which still hangs on the front of the Press Building.

Bill Lindsey came on as general manager in 1964, after Long died suddenly. Though Bemis held the office longer, Lindsey may have seen the most change through his retirement in 1988.

During his time, he saw the Sunshine Laws passed in the Colorado Legislature. He ran stories about female journalists rising to the glass ceiling, as well as about the importance of diversity in a newsroom.

During this time, the CPA also hired its first lawyer: Tom Kelley, who is still with the organization. CPA lobbyists were at the Capitol almost every day the Legislature was in session, and they spent a great deal of time fighting against an increase in secret meetings organized by city, school and university officials. CPA representatives continue to spend a great amount of time at the Capitol today making sure the rights fought and won are maintained.

In 1981, Lindsey and the CPA board members bought the CPA building for $1 million. In 1988, Mark Thomas came on as executive director, and Ed Otte followed in 1995. Through their years came a heavier concentration on education for member newspapers and their journalists. Freedom-of-Information requests, Sunshine Laws, seminars and dissemination of information have been major themes. In 1995, CPA took that theme further by creating a Web site with the help of the University of Colorado.

And the fun – or drinking – hasn’t disappeared completely. Since 1959, when CPA first began meeting every year at the Brown Palace Hotel, the jokes have continued at the Ship’s Tavern, the RORAR awards still cause laughter, and everybody knows the stories will never die.