Fort Worth Weekly publisher Lee Newquist is buying the publication from New Times Newspapers, the parties announced today. According to Newquist and NT Media chairman and chief executive officer Jim Larkin, Newquist will end his nineteen-year association with New Times to devote his energies to the Ft. Worth paper.
A veteran of weekly newspaper publishing, Newquist began his career with New Times in 1982, when he went to work in the retail department of Phoenix New Times. He became publisher of New Times’ Denver Westword in 1985. After leading that paper through a period of unprecedented growth, he took the helm of the company’s Dallas Observer in 1992. Newquist also handled additional corporate duties for New Times, rising through the ranks to become executive vice president of operations prior to his departure.
Having helped establish the Observer as a major journalistic force in Dallas, Newquist developed a special interest in Fort Worth Weekly after New Times purchased the paper last year. He has been intimately involved in its operations following the acquisition, and recently tendered a purchase offer which was accepted by New Times ownership. Newquist will become Fort Worth Weekly’s sole owner. The purchase price is not being disclosed.
Fort Worth Weekly was established in April 1996 and has quickly carved a niche in the local market with its combination of investigative reporting, in-depth feature stories, and comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage. Circulation has reached 60,000, and the paper is available at more than 1,800 locations in Tarrant County.
Phoenix-based New Times owns twelve newsweeklies in major American markets. In addition to the Phoenix, Denver and Dallas papers, they include New Times Los Angeles, SF Weekly of San Francisco, the Houston Press, Miami New Times, the Riverfront Times of St. Louis, Cleveland Scene, PitchWeekly of Kansas City, New Times Broward/Palm Beach, and the East Bay Express in the Oakland/Berkeley area.
For more information, contact Lee Newquist, (817) 335-9559 or Jim Larkin, (602) 271-0040.
