Early free daily sold to Scripps newspapers

The Colorado Daily was a student newspaper at the University of Colorado at Boulder that was booted off of campus in 1971 because of its anti-Vietnam war coverage. The independence caused the paper's editors to spread their wings and start covering the entire city of Boulder, not just the campus. The Colorado Daily became the first free daily newspaper. And it explains why so many other free dailies have sprouted up in Colorado over the years -- in Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Glenwood Springs, Grand Junction, Telluride, Steamboat Springs, Douglas County and even Denver.

In 2001, the Colorado Daily found itself in serious money trouble and the paper, controlled by a non-profit board, was sold to former Detroit Free Press editor and Lee Enterprises executive Randy Miller. And now, Miller has sold the paper to the Scripps newspaper company.

Ironically, the Colorado Daily has always been a hard left-wing, neo-socialist newspaper. Now it's controlled by a conservative newspaper chain.

Moreover, the Colorado Daily is now owned by the parent company of its crosstown rival, the Boulder Daily Camera, and Denver's Rocky Mountain News.

• Colorado Daily reports it has been sold to Scripps
• A history of the Colorado Daily
• Westword: Mum's the word about Colorado Daily sale