Fran Zankowski to Serve as "Visiting Publisher"

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — February 24, 2005 — Check the date. So unlike our past spoofs where the Independent closed down (April 1, 1997) or Rich Tosches took the helm (April 1, 2004), this is for real.

Independent publisher John Weiss leaves for a 10-week adventure in China, India and Vietnam. While in Southeast Asia he will be researching how independent, locally owned electronic and print outlets are competing with global media conglomerates in these three nations where nearly 40% of the world’s population lives.

Long-time friend and mentor of the paper Fran Zankowski will serve as “Visiting Publisher” while Weiss is away. Zankowski joins the Independent after serving as group publisher of a 4-paper group of award-winning newsweeklies headquartered in Hartford, Conn. Zankowski has served on the board of directors for the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and has been featured in many trade publications, including the cover of Editor & Publisher magazine. Originally starting as a copyboy for The Baltimore Sun, he has been involved in publishing newspapers for more than two decades.

Weiss says, “This will be an adventure of a lifetime. I am grateful for Fran and everyone at the Independent for giving me this opportunity to take a sabbatical after 12 years running the Independent (or more accurately, having the Independent run me.)”