Colorado Newsline is a left-of-center online news outlet and project of States Newsroom. ¹ States Newsroom is a multi-million dollar organization that creates and funds online local news outlets across the country. ² In some states such as California, States Newsroom makes financial contributions to formally independent yet ideologically-aligned news organizations such as CalMatters, ³ whereas in other states such as Colorado it creates new media outlets to serve as its own affiliate organizations. ⁴

Background

Colorado Newsline was founded in July 2020 as a project of States Newsroom. ⁵ The organization is the 17th media outlet to be an independent funded partner or affiliate of States Newsroom. ⁶

Financials

As a project of States Newsroom, the organization does not independently report its finances and provides a link that redirects to the financial contributions received by its parent organization. ⁷

Journalism

Colorado Newsline’s election coverage leans heavily against Republican politicians. ⁸ The organization’s coverage of the 2024 presidential election cycle warned its readership that “widespread election subversion activity” has the potential to “compromise elections in Colorado and elsewhere.” ⁹ In another article, the editor of Colorado Newsline claimed that Colorado is beset by a significant number of Republicans who believe their Democratic Party political rivals are possessed by literal demonic forces. ¹⁰ The article went to great lengths to argue for the position that Republican politicians in Colorado, and elsewhere, genuinely believe in the concept of demonic possession. ¹¹

On environmental issues, Colorado Newsline opposes mineral leasing of Colorado land held by the federal government. ¹² The news outlet praised the Biden administration for rescinding a project to lease 200,000 acres of federal land referred to as the “Thompson Divide” for non-weather dependent energy projects. ¹³ The Biden administration policy will foreclose the possibility of considering the Thompson Divide for mineral extraction until 2045. Colorado Newsline has also praised Colorado politicians in Congress for introducing legislation that would permanently exempt the Thompson Divide from ever being considered for mineral leasing in the future. ¹⁴

Leadership

Quentin Young is the editor of Colorado Newsline. ¹⁵ Prior to leading the organization in 2020, Young was an opinion page editor for the Daily Camera, ¹⁶ a commercial news organization owned by Digital First Media, ¹⁷ which is in turn held by Alden Global Capital. ¹⁸

1. “About Us.” Colorado Newsline. https://coloradonewsline.com/about/
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4. “Newsrooms.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/newsrooms/
5. “States Newsroom Launches Colorado Newsline.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-colorado-newsline/
6. “States Newsroom Launches Colorado Newsline.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-colorado-newsline/
7. “Supporters.” States Newsroom. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/
8. Young, Quentin. “Election subversion efforts in 2020 were bad. Now they’re worse.” Colorado Newsline. April 11, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/04/11/election-subversion-worse/
9. Young, Quentin. “Election subversion efforts in 2020 were bad. Now they’re worse.” Colorado Newsline. April 11, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/04/11/election-subversion-worse/
10. Young, Quentin. “Demon talk seems absurd. But it’s deadly serious.” Colorado Newsline. March 28, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/03/28/demon-talk-absurd-deadly-serious/
11. Young, Quentin. “Demon talk seems absurd. But it’s deadly serious.” Colorado Newsline. March 28, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/2024/03/28/demon-talk-absurd-deadly-serious/
12. Woodruff, Chase. “Colorado lawmakers applaud 20-year pause on Thompson Divide oil and gas drilling.” April 3, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-lawmakers-applaud-20-year-pause-on-thompson-divide-oil-and-gas-drilling/
13. Woodruff, Chase. “Colorado lawmakers applaud 20-year pause on Thompson Divide oil and gas drilling.” April 3, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-lawmakers-applaud-20-year-pause-on-thompson-divide-oil-and-gas-drilling/
14. Woodruff, Chase. “Colorado lawmakers applaud 20-year pause on Thompson Divide oil and gas drilling.” April 3, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-lawmakers-applaud-20-year-pause-on-thompson-divide-oil-and-gas-drilling/
15. “About – Quentin Young.” Colorado Newsline. https://coloradonewsline.com/about/
16. “Quentin Young.” LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/quentinpyoung/
17. O’Connell, Jonathan and Emma Brown. “A hedge fund’s ‘mercenary’ strategy: Buy newspapers, slash jobs, sell the buildings.” February 11, 2019. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-hedge-funds-mercenary-strategy-buy-newspapers-slash-jobs-sell-the-buildings/2019/02/11/f2c0c78a-1f59-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html
18. O’Connell, Jonathan and Emma Brown. “A hedge fund’s ‘mercenary’ strategy: Buy newspapers, slash jobs, sell the buildings.” February 11, 2019. Accessed April 17, 2024. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-hedge-funds-mercenary-strategy-buy-newspapers-slash-jobs-sell-the-buildings/2019/02/11/f2c0c78a-1f59-11e9-8e21-59a09ff1e2a1_story.html