The agency that handles business operations for the two major Denver newspapers is planning for life in a one-newspaper town.

Staffers at the Denver Newspaper Agency have drafted a letter for advertisers that says, "Effective March 1, 2009, only one major daily newspaper will serve the metro Denver market - The Denver Post."

The letter features a new logo for the agency that describes it as "publisher of The Denver Post."

The letter also tells advertisers "the closure of the Rocky Mountain News will only minimally change our print and online audience . . . All current Rocky Mountain News subscribers will now receive The Denver Post."

Agency spokesman Jim Nolan said the letter is a draft and "absolutely nothing has been mailed to anybody."

"The dates are purely placeholder dates - they don't mean anything," Nolan said. "The (agency) has not been notified by either owner of any date regarding the Rocky Mountain News. Our plans are to keep publishing the Rocky Mountain News until notified otherwise.

"It's part of a contingency planning effort, just by the DNA, to plan for several alternatives on how to communicate with advertisers if scenario A or scenario B happened. It hasn't been vetted - it's simply the writer's attempt at how we would communicate that scenario in the event it happened . . . it's prudent business management to plan for various business scenarios."

Nolan declined to comment on what the other scenarios may be.

E.W. Scripps, publisher of the Rocky, said Dec. 4 that it would try to sell the paper and explore other options if it failed. The company said it accepted bids through Jan. 16, but has provided no update since.

MediaNews Group, the owner of the Post, is making plans to operate the sole Denver paper.

In a statement last week, it said it plans to exercise a first right of refusal clause in its partnership agreement with Scripps and purchase the entirety of the agency. That would leave any buyer of the Rocky without presses or an advertising or circulation staff.

The agency, according to a Dec. 9 letter from Scripps executives to Denver Post Corp. executives, has no access to its bank line of credit. Dean Singleton, CEO of MediaNews, has told unions at the agency and the Post that he needs $20 million in concessions. Talks continue.

Scripps spokesman Tim King said, "I think the (agency's) statement covers it. We haven't completed the sale process we started in December, so Scripps hasn't communicated anything about the future of the Rocky to the (agency) or MediaNews Group."

Joseph "Jody" Lodovic, president of MediaNews, said, "I was only made aware of the draft letter (Tuesday) night and haven't read it. However, in light of the uncertainty resulting from the Scripps announcement in December, I would expect (agency) management to be preparing for various alternatives. That would certainly be the prudent thing for management to do.

"To my knowledge, (agency) management has not been notified by either partner of any specific plans for the future of Denver's newspapers.

"Until it is told otherwise, (the agency) will continue to publish both newspapers and operate in the normal course as it always has."

Tracy Simmons, administrative officer of the Denver Newspaper Guild, said, "It's surprising that the DNA's planning for the future seems to be so one-sided. Singleton has been consistent in his message that he will close the Rocky. It's surprising to see this message has apparently been adopted by the DNA."

Rocky Mountain News staff writer Jeff Smith contributed.