City Paper’s Woes. | The Contrarian

City Paper’s Woes.

Posted by: Casey Rae Tags: Bankruptcy, Creative Loafing, Washington City Paper Posted date: October 10, 2008 | 3 Comments

You may or may not know this (and you may or may not care), but Washington City Paper (which I write for) was purchased last year by Creative Loafing — an Atlanta based alt-newsweekly that has a few other major-market properties.

This sale resulted in the laying off of City Paper‘s entire design department — all layout would now be centralized in Atlanta — and, as expected, led to editorial shakeups, too. Not long ago, I began hearing rumors about a new round of layoffs, while simultaneously reading about how Creative Loafing chief Ben Eason wanted the print editions of his rags to reflect online content. Basically a "best of the blogs" kind-of-deal, with some of the syndicated snacks (Savage Love, The Straight Dope, etc.) you see in so many weeklies.

This doesn’t square with many at City Paper, who pride themselves on long-form, detailed reporting on things that aren’t covered by, say, The Washington Post. You know, like local issues and other unimportant stuff. But all businesses, if they are to survive, must adapt to changing circumstances. So CP launched a sex blog, axed a column, and got on with it.

Now, their parent company has filed for bankruptcy. That’s right — despite proclamations that streamlined, web-driven content would fix everything, Creative Loafing is throwing itself at the mercy of the courts. (I actually received the official bankruptcy claim in the mail, which was pretty weird.) Consolidation in radio ownership lead to sucky programming and no local flavor. Why should consolidation in alternative media be any different? Not to mention the fact that when you move online, you lose the benefit of geographically-rooted readers who drive the area economy, and thus create the incentives for advertising.

I highly doubt City Paper will be able to compete with already-established internet-based DC publications. They should definitely increase their online presence, but not at the expense of their unique niche.

Dare I say my old employers have this balance pretty well figured out?

Here’s the really stupid part: Despite a ongoing downturn in advertising revenue, CP was a profitable enterprise before the Creative Loafing purchase. Now it’s embroiled in a proceeding that could ultimately decide its existence. Now, I don’t think the paper is gonna disappear anytime soon, but it is discouraging to watch its employees struggle with uncertainty about their paper’s editorial viability.

I’m copying (and linking to, so they can get the hit) a funny faux-press release announcing City Paper‘s filing for "Chapter 86 Content Bankruptcy Protection":

Media Contact
Amanda Hess
Washington City Paper
202-332-2100
ahess@washingtoncitypaper.com

Oct. 9, 2008

****For Immediate Release***

Washington City Paper Files for Chapter 86 Content Bankruptcy Protection

Altweekly sues readers for breach of confidence, requests time to reorganize and figure out the Web.

Washington, D.C. – Washington City Paper, D.C.’s alternative
newsweekly for 26 years, has announced its decision to file voluntary
petitions for content reorganization, citing diminished staff and the
flagging confidence of its readers. During this time, Washington City
Paper will continue to publish under court protection from its readers,
who have wielded an unreasonable degree of power over the publication’s
future.

The filing will not interrupt Washington City Paper’s operations in the
form of blog posts about insects in our buildings, obsessions about
Washington outsider-cum-maverick Sarah Palin, and neighborhood
observations up to and including "Columbia Heights Day=Dull Times."
Erik Wemple, editor, adds: "We love our readers—always have and always
will. But that doesn’t mean that we’re above asking the federal courts
for a break from them.”

Washington City Paper continues to maintain that it provides a service
to Washington, D.C., during a challenging time for journalists, though
not for readers. This service includes four entirely distinct blogs and
attitude-laden headlines with links to other people’s content, known in
some circles as “aggregation.”

By way of background, Washington City Paper’s parent company, Creative
Loafing, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 29,
a move designed to secure protection from its creditors while it
implements a companywide reorganization. Washington City Paper’s
content filing, in turn, expresses solidarity with CLI in the federal
bankruptcy docket. “The bankruptcy code is a glorious thing, with more
chapters than Don Quixote,” said Wemple. “We’re just happy that we’ve
found a chapter that meets our needs as journalists.”

###

About Washington City Paper

Published since 1981, Washington City Paper is an award-winning
alternative newsweekly resting on its past laurels while trying to tap
into a market that seems unable to walk down the street without texting
someone. The City Paper used to specialize in features, criticism, and
news, with an emphasis on long, drawn-out stories that would take
people a good long time to read in the bathroom. In addition, City
Paper published comprehensive film showtimes, theater, music, gallery,
dance, and museum guides and a large classified advertising section.
Some of the city’s most talented journalists, critics, and artists have
written for City Paper, back when we could pay them.

City Paper is a controlled-circulation weekly, printed in a tabloid
format on newsprint, for now. More than 82,000 copies are said to be
distributed in the District of Columbia and the close-in suburbs of
Maryland and Virginia, but people have expressed their doubts.

For more information about Washington City Paper, please (please!) visit washingtoncitypaper.com.

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About the author

Casey Rae
Casey Rae is a musician, public policy wonk and the editor/publisher of The Contrarian Media. An in-demand speaker, he gives frequent talks at conferences and campuses on issues at the intersection of creativity, technology, policy and law, and is a go-to source for major media outlets from NPR to the New York Times. Casey works alongside leaders in the music, arts and performance sectors to bolster understanding of and engagement in key policy and technology issues, and has written dozens of articles on the impact of technology on the creative community. Casey is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the Deputy Director for Future of Music Coalition. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Media & Democracy Coalition and the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture. The Contrarian does not necessarily represent the views of the organizations to which he belongs.

3 Comments for City Paper’s Woes.

Amanda Hess

Hey Casey,

I’m not sure we’ve ever met, but I write the sex/gender blog you linked to, and also wrote the now-defunct arts/entertainment column you mentioned (to complete the triple threat, I am also, apparently, CP’s “media contact” for fake press releases). So I guess I’m the walking “content reorganization model” among the CP staff. Thanks for linking and commenting on CP’s situation. We’re trying the best we can to produce the most and best content we can, and I hope readers will continue to give us a chance.

Amanda

casey

I read your pieces all the time. We actually spoke on the phone about musicians and health insurance a couple of months ago. I contribute music stuff to CP, and know Mark (and a couple other folks). As a former alt-weekly editor, I try to keep my eye on this stuff.

I like your stuff (just getting familiar with Sexist) and I wish you and everyone at CP the best of luck.

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