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Paying Attention: The Economics of Journalism in Colorado
The Denver Association of Business Economists is very pleased to invite you to our 2025 annual summer event. This year, we have invited a group of Colorado-based journalists to talk in depth about their experience of the changing financial pressures that have transformed the newsroom. We are honored to be joined by Tamara Chuang (Colorado Sun), Ben Markus (Colorado Public Radio), and Corey Hutchins (Colorado College). We will explore the evolving economic value of newspapers, podcasts, and bespoke media—and also talk about the economic consequences of those changes.
We will explore whether economist Herbert Simon was right in suggesting we live in an attention economy rather than an information economy, and consider the role misinformation plays in shaping financial markets and economic trends. The conversation will also examine how business leaders and economists might help rebuild trust in journalism. With the rise of Gen Z and others turning to platforms like TikTok for news, we’ll ask how journalists can balance their organization’s mission with the algorithms that determine content visibility. Finally, we’ll look at what makes economic reporting in Colorado distinct—considering how factors like TABOR, the GHG Transportation Planning Standard, legalized marijuana, outdoor recreation, and water rights shape our own version of Homo economicus.
Tamara Chuang writes about Colorado business and the local economy for The Colorado Sun, which she cofounded in 2018 with a mission to make sure quality local journalism is a sustainable business. She previously covered technology news for The Denver Post and The Orange County Register. Her focus on the economy during the pandemic helped Coloradans struggling with job loss or business disruptions stay informed, and her stories have won recognition from the state press association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Ben Markus is an investigative reporter for Colorado Public Radio, where he has helped shape the station’s journalism since joining in 2011. He previously served as CPR’s business reporter, creating dozens of databases to track the forces driving Colorado’s economy. Before CPR, Ben reported for public radio stations in Hawaii, Alaska, and California, earning awards for his work on topics from healthcare to education. He was drawn to journalism by its power to expose the truth and still sees reporters as essential members of the fourth estate.
Corey Hutchins manages the Journalist Institute at Colorado College, advises the Colorado Media Project, and serves on the board of the state chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. His reporting—ranging from the psychology of false confessions to the nuclear weapons industry—has appeared in The Nation, Slate, The Daily Beast, and Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab, among others. His work focuses on connecting local developments to national trends and exploring what makes Colorado’s local news ecosystem unique.
This is our annual member appreciation event and it is free to members. While it is open to non-members, we strongly encourage you to consider purchasing a membership - the marginal cost of an annual membership is small compared to registration. We will be taking over the top floor of the Denver Press Club, the oldest press club in the United States, and offer drinks and appetizers. Space is limited - register early to guarantee your spot. Join us!
