里卡多·巴卡

This alumnus broke new ground as the country's first full-time marijuana editor.

里卡多·巴卡 was on his way to a taping of “The Colbert Report” in late 2013 when 丹佛-based producer Britta Erikson called. She wanted to know if he’d be willing to let a film crew shadow him and his staff for a documentary about his job as the country’s first full-time marijuana editor at a major daily newspaper.

Baca anticipated a certain degree of notoriety when he became The 丹佛 Post’s cannabis editor. In addition to “The Colbert Report,” Baca has appeared on CNN and “The View” and has been featured in The New York Times and numerous other outlets. Some interviewers appeared skeptical or mildly amused by Colorado’s legalization of marijuana. 而其他的, like “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg, seemed fascinated by the story and interested in how Baca and his team would cover it from a journalistic standpoint.

The whole world, it seemed, wanted to know what would happen after Jan. 1, 2014, when the first dispensaries began selling recreational marijuana to adults ages 21 and older in Colorado. Baca was more concerned about getting The Cannabist website up and running in just five weeks, 然而. The site is the repository for The Post’s ongoing, multi-faceted and well-rounded coverage of one of the biggest news stories to come out of Colorado in years. Goldberg has even contributed several articles to the site since its launch, and Baca has also brought in several other high-profile contributors in his role as editor.

“Before The Cannabist launched, people were almost expecting it,” said Baca. “And all the weirdness that came along with it was great for the site and great for the paper, 在我看来, especially when you’re trying to launch something new.”

‌“The legalization of cannabis in Colorado is a cultural game changer and marks the creation of a new industry in our state that deserves serious, 深度和创造性的报道,” said The 丹佛 Post Editor-in-Chief Greg Moore.

“We felt Ricardo would be comfortable with the spotlight that comes with being the first marijuana editor at a major newspaper. He has been a great ambassador for the journalism we are doing.”

‌Baca had been The Post’s music critic for 12 years and entertainment editor prior to that. In addition to his award-winning music coverage and criticism, Baca also started the paper’s “Reverb” music blog 也 as The Underground Music Showcase, a highly regarded music festival that provides a format for up-and-coming bands to reach new audiences. 没有人问, Baca recognized a need for a music blog at The Post, 还有音乐节, and so he took the initiative to start them. 两者都还在继续.

“I think that’s one reason why they approached me about the [cannabis editor] position,巴卡说. “The overall goal was to create something comprehensive and fun on the subject, and I knew that it had to be fun and readable, 也.”

科罗拉多人, Baca wrote for his school paper at Westminster High School and enrolled at 密歇根州立大学丹佛 on a full scholarship from The Rocky Mountain 新闻. Baca covered music and theatre for The Metropolitan, wrote for The Rocky Mountain 新闻 each summer and clerked there during the school year.

“The scholarship is what brought me to Metro and introduced me to the passionate, intelligent and demanding professors there who pushed me to do better,巴卡说. “密歇根州立大学丹佛’s employment of adjunct professors working in current fields is a powerful attribute to what the school offers those studying professions like journalism.”

Of course covering marijuana isn’t the only thing in Baca’s life these days. He’s newly married and will be appearing on a movie screen near you: “Rolling Papers,” the documentary about Baca and his work with The Cannabist, recently premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin and was picked up for distribution.

照片:Craig F. 沃克，丹佛邮报