Grant Daniel Pick, 57, died Feb. 1 of a heart attack. Editor Alison True tells the Chicago Tribune: "There was a generosity of spirit that was typical of him no matter what he was writing about." Pick "produced stories on topics ranging from religion to transgender individuals," and won a Peter Lisagor Award for exemplary journalism from the Chicago Headline Club, the Tribune reports. A story he wrote about Uday Hussein's hypnotist is set to run in Friday's edition of the Reader.
John Strand sued North Dakota's Cass County in February 2003, hoping to save an old jail from demolition. According to In-Forum, his legal expenses now stand at more than $60,000. The county is also seeking $39,000 in what Strand says is a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or SLAPP suit. His attorney, John Goff, claims that such actions have "a significant chilling effect on people's First Amendment rights." High Plains Reader applied for membership to the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies last year and in 2002.
Predictability took a tumble at the Chicago Reader Sept. 17 when the paper adopted a fresh new design. Freelance writer Nora Ankrum tells the story behind the 33-year-old paper's transformation, accomplished through a collaboration between the paper's staff and Spanish design firm Jardí + Utensil. While some readers may miss the old Reader, advertisers say they like the way the new look captures readers' eyes.
Utne magazine has announced the nominees for its 2004 Independent Press Awards, and Association of Alternative Newsweeklies member papers dominate the "Local/Regional Coverage" category. Austin Chronicle, Chicago Reader, The Stranger, The Texas Observer and Westword all received nominations, as did Los Angeles CityBeat, an upstart alt-weekly that's only been publishing for 16 months. Nominees were chosen from among 2,000 alternative media sources. According to the Utne Web site, selection depended partly upon which publications were "most apt to go missing from the Utne library."
Chicago Tribune media critic Steve Johnson weighs in on the Chicago Reader's recent redesign, writing, "Suddenly a publication that looked a little murky and, perhaps, vulnerable, has a new air of vibrancy." Next year, Time Out New York is scheduled to launch its Chicago edition, which will compete directly with the Reader by publishing comprehensive entertainment listings. Reader editor Alison True tells Johnson, however, that the redesign wasn't prompted by Time Out's imminent arrival. "A paper that takes 12 years to redesign doesn't make impulse decisions," she says. (Free registration required.)
The Chicago Reader will hit stands on Thursday, Sept. 16, with a colorful front page and new layout, marking its first redesign in 12 years, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Rather than feature the text of the lead story, the new front page will read vertically and be highlighted by color photos and art above the fold. An advertisement will be below the fold. The paper's inner sections will also get front-page makeovers to prominently feature week-at-a-glance calendars and critics' picks. Editor Alison True tells reporter Eric Herman that the goal of the redesign was to put "a lot more information on the covers."
Chicago Reader has been named to Editor & Publisher's "10 That Do It Right" list. It is cited for its singular achievement in attracting young, single readers while producing a thick, substantive paper that doesn't fit the mold. "Long-form journalism is a staple, but screechy commentary on national issues isn't," E&P's Greg Mitchell comments. The Reader and nine other winners are profiled in an online article available only to E&P subscribers.
The former publisher of the Seattle Weekly will begin his new dual role in April. He succeeds Jane Levine, who will remain with the Reader but step aside from day-to-day operations after 10 years as its publisher and chief operating officer. Crystal will also serve as COO of Washington City Paper, the Reader’s sister publication in Washington, D.C. Crystal and Levine once worked together at Seattle Weekly, both as vice presidents.
It's an extra challenge to be alternative in a town where marijuana coffee shops and prostitutes posing in brothel windows are the norm. Todd Savage, a former Chicago Reader freelancer, didn't let that daunt him. He debuted his new English-language alt-weekly in the Netherlands' largest city this week. The Reader is a major investor in the enterprise.
