Former Leader editor plans nonprofit paper: 'It'll be good news for the people of Anaconda'

Now, Rosien, 48, has plans for a new, nonprofit newspaper in Anaconda-Deer Lodge County.

“The name of the paper will be the Anaconda Weekly Review, which was the first newspaper published in Anaconda by a man named John S. Mills,” Rosien said Monday. “As noted in the name, the print edition will be a weekly, though the website will be updated more frequently than that.”

He said the newspaper “will operate as a nonprofit public benefit corporation, the name of which is the Anaconda Community Media Company, which, yes, is an intentional reference to the Anaconda Copper Mining Company or ACM.”

Rosien added, “It'll be good news for the people of Anaconda. That's entirely why I'm doing this, and the publication will be set up specifically for the community and ultimately will be theirs — not mine.”

Marcus Daly founded Anaconda in 1883 to grow up around the Anaconda Co.’s copper smelter. It processed ore from Butte.

Rosien said it’s not yet clear when the first issue will print.

“I'm afraid I don't have an answer to that yet, but I will say that my goal, if hired by our board as the publisher … will be to have that first printed edition out at the end of the summer or early autumn,” he said. “In the interest of the public, I believe it's imperative to have it in print in the run-up to the election.”

Technically, Rosien is not yet an employee or board member, and the publication has not yet begun doing business.

He will recommend to the board that The Anaconda Weekly Review publish on Thursdays.

“That would be a happy medium between the former Anaconda Leader's publication days of Wednesday and Friday, and I believe it would get information out to our community as we look back at the happenings that occurred in the previous week while also looking ahead to weekend events and any public business of note coming up in the week ahead,” Rosien said.

He said the nonprofit newspaper has a five-member board of directors comprised of professionals in the fields of business, economic and nonprofit development, marketing, media and communications, law and public affairs, finance and accounting, and civic leadership and community service.

“Amongst their duties they'll chiefly have the responsibility of oversight of the nonprofit's operations and finances, setting policy, and will have the final say on personnel matters,” Rosien said.

“As to where [the Anaconda Weekly Review] will be printed, that also will be a board decision, but I believe it would be in the best long-term financial interests for the nonprofit and its supporters to have it printed in-house,” he said. “To that end, I am looking at options to bring to the board as far as equipment, supplies and potential locations in Anaconda where we could operate.”

He said the board will decide about staffing, but he envisions two journalists and an office manager.

“As to coverage, it will be local to Anaconda and will include local government and criminal justice, schools and sports, community events and, yes, a calendar, business, features, and most importantly, obituaries, which I'm hoping to explore options for sponsored obituary pages,” Rosien said.

“Our coverage will be aligned with our mission/purpose and editorial policy of independent, fact-based, viewpoint-neutral journalism, so whether a matter is controversial or not, if it's in the public interest and is reported in a way that's consistent with our purpose and policies, that's what we'll do,” he said.

Rosien said there will be an announcement soon about advertising/sponsorship opportunities and subscriptions/memberships.

“The board will meet again next week, and that will be among the many things to be discussed,” he said.

On June 8, Van Neitz closed The Anaconda Leader. He attributed the closing to inflation and the rising cost of operations and left subscribers with questions aplenty. He had inherited the newspaper from his father, Dean Neitz, who launched the newspaper in December 1970. 

Dean Neitz died in May 2019.

When his son announced the newspaper’s closing, the demise of The Anaconda Leader prompted concern.

Bill Everett, chief executive of Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, shared his reactions at the time.

“It’s a huge loss to the community,” he said. “How do we continue, as a small community, to get accurate information out? It’s a big blow to Anaconda.”

Rosien hopes the Anaconda Weekly Review will fill that role.

His work in journalism began with the Highland Piper at Shorecrest High School just north of Seattle. He wrote also for the Seattle Times Mirror. He graduated from college with an English degree. He then wrote and edited copy for a sports trading cards company before earning two master’s degrees from the University of Dallas and moving to Montana.

He worked at The Anaconda Leader for more than 16 years.