Swaim to Retain Editorship and Oversee All Business Operations
Santa Ana, Calif. — June 21, 2004 — Will Swaim has been named publisher of OC Weekly, one of the most influential alternative newspapers in Southern California and a member of Village Voice Media.
The announcement was made today by David Schneiderman, Chief Executive Officer of Village Voice Media.
Swaim previously served as associate publisher and editor of OC Weekly. He will continue as editor and oversee all business operations for the publication and website (www.ocweekly.com).
Commenting on Swaim’s promotion, Schneiderman said, “Since its inception, Will Swaim has been the heart and soul of the OC Weekly. I look forward to watching him continue and accelerate the Weekly’s growth.”
“When David Schneiderman picked me to edit the Weekly in 1995, I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Swaim said. “I was wrong. Here’s the second opportunity. I’m delighted to play a bigger role in the business side of a paper that has helped transform Orange County politics, culture and music.”
Swaim was raised in Orange County, graduated from the University of Southern California, abandoned his dream of becoming a priest, played in a punk band, went to graduate school and edited several political and business publications. Schneiderman picked Swaim to edit OC Weekly at its inception in 1995, and in 2002 expanded his role to include the position of associate publisher.
OC Weekly is the third-largest publication in Orange County, and has garnered numerous awards for journalistic excellence in investigative reporting, arts criticism, and feature writing.
Swaim holds a Masters Degree in History from UC Irvine (1985) and received a Bachelors Degree from USC, where he studied journalism and theology, graduating summa cum laude in 1982. He lives in Orange County with his wife and children.
About OC Weekly: OC Weekly (www.ocweekly.com), along with LA Weekly, is the premier alternative newsweekly in southern California, and is a member of Village Voice Media, which also includes The Village Voice, City Pages (Minneapolis/St. Paul), Seattle Weekly, and the Nashville Scene.
