Washington City Paper recently saved $8,000 by dropping all of its syndicated comics, the Chicago Reader's Michael Miner reports. City Paper still carries one local strip, "Dirtfarm," only because author Ben Claassen lets the paper run it for free. "City Paper feels like family to me," Claassen tells Miner by way of explanation. But Lynda Barry, who quit her "Ernie Pook's Comeek" strip, and her friend Matt Groening are feeling less familial these days about their former alt-weekly clients. Nevertheless, Groening keeps plugging away, creating "Life in Hell" every week even though his success with The Simpsons has left him financially secure. "I like sitting down once a week and knocking something out all by myself," says Groening. "The rest of my life is full of collaborators."
Tom Tomorrow broke the news yesterday on his blog that the ailing economy is forcing Village Voice Media to suspend publication of syndicated cartoons "at least through the rest of the first quarter, and quite possibly beyond." City Pages editor Kevin Hoffman tells the Minnesota Independent he expects some reader backlash, but says the suspension is part of an effort to "trim where we can while inflicting the least damage -- realizing that we're already cutting bone." MORE: Syndicated cartoonists Jen Sorensen and Derf weigh in.
Owner and publisher Kerry Farley sold the paper to local radiologist and nightclub owner Mehdi Adineh, who hired Paul Noah to be his publisher. Noah brings a diverse background to City Paper, including stints as a radio personality and in radio sales. Most recently he ran a promotions and marketing agency in Dayton. He tells AAN News he "has no intention from deviating from the path" set by Farley, who has been publisher of the paper since 2001 and its owner since 2005. Farley tells us that after he finishes up a stint advising the new owner and publisher, he will do a little traveling and then decide what comes next. "I've been doing this for 15 years," he says. "It's kind of time." Terms of the deal, effective Jan. 1, were not disclosed.
Bradley Campbell's story examining the Evangelical Lutheran Church's complex relationship with gays and lesbians seeking to lead congregations has been nominated in the Outstanding Newspaper Article category in the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's (GLAAD) 20th annual media awards. The 2007 Academy for Alternative Journalism alum's piece was nominated alongside work done in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Hartford Courant and Nashua, N.H., Telegraph. Winners will be announced in March.
The hearing scheduled yesterday was set to decide whether CL's creditors can declare their loans in default and take immediate possession of the company from CEO Ben Eason. According to Wayne Garcia, the hearing has been continued until March 11. Garcia says both sides in the case complained about the delay but worked together to develop a new timeline.
Washington's only alt-weekly is putting on a full-court press as the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama draws closer. The City Paper released a 120-page special inauguration issue this week that also featured "The Obama Reader," a 16-page insert from sister paper the Chicago Reader, which has been covering Obama since 1995. (The insert was also published in the Windy City.) Publisher Amy Austin says City Paper will be doing extensive online reporting over the next several days on its inauguration aggregation page. AAN members who want a web icon to link to the ongoing inaugural coverage should email Austin at aaustin (at) washingtoncitypaper.com.
In a Dec. 31 memo to all Village Voice Media staffers, CEO Jim Larkin and executive editor Michael Lacey say "this year we have found it necessary to make staff reductions and have placed all staff openings on hold." The memo also details "additional measures" being taken by the company to weather the current economy storm. All VVM senior managers and officers (including Larkin and Lacey) are taking 15 percent pay cuts, all publishers and editors are taking 10 percent pay cuts, and VVM is suspending its match into the company's 401(k) plan. MORE: Westword loses three editorial staffers, The Pitch lays off several, City Pages parts ways with two, and New Times Broward-Palm Beach eliminates several positions.
"How many sitting Congressmen could get away with boycotting a hometown newspaper for more than three years -- refusing to be interviewed on any topic -- and never face an ounce of criticism?" asks Salt Lake City Weekly editor Holly Mullen. "Rep. Jim Matheson has, and it's time to call him out." She says Matheson hasn't spoken to the paper since August 2005, and attributes the stonewalling in part to coverage of Matheson's brother when he was running for governor in 2004. "The oddest thing about Matheson's tiff with the SLWeekly is that it seems so unnecessary," notes the Salt Lake Tribune's Glen Warchol. "As the highest ranking Utah Democrat, Matheson should be able to find some common ground with a 'progressive' newspaper in the heart of blue Salt Lake City." More from Politico.
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