Longtime New Times exec Lee Newquist is the new owner of Fort Worth Weekly. Newquist bought the paper from his now-former employer, ending a 19-year career with the Phoenix-based chain. Prior to the sale, Newquist was executive vice president of operations for New Times and publisher of both Fort Worth Weekly and the Dallas Observer.
Several daily-newspaper execs tell E&P that the coffee chain has threatened to boot their paper from local stores. In addition to free ads, the dailies say Starbucks wants them to pull out of competing single-copy-sales outlets. E&P also reports that Starbucks managers can choose which local papers to stock, but the company eventually wants each store in a given market to offer the same three papers.
"Please don't eat at McDonalds," begs Chris Barry, who went undercover to work at one of the chain's locations in Portland, Maine. Warning: Don't read this Casco Bay Weekly story after a meal, especially if you dined on fast food.
The Event, a 20-year-old free weekly in Salt Lake City, has closed its doors. Editor Clayton Scrivner says a tough newspaper market and sagging overall economy made publication a struggle, but Publisher James Major says he's walking away a winner..
Pittsburgh City Paper jumped on the chance to buy rival In Pittsburgh, says Publisher Michael Frischling. He promises City Paper will grow and improve now that the cross-town rival is gone. Meanwhile, few In Pittsburgh staffers have taken up City Paper's offer to interview.
