The City Paper
Encyclopedia
The City Paper is a free weekly newspaper serving Nashville, Tennessee
. The City Paper began publication as a daily (Monday through Friday) paper on November 1, 2000, providing competition to The Tennessean
, which was the only daily in town after the Nashville Banner
closed in 1998. The City Paper started with a daily circulation of about 40,000 copies and was being delivered to homes. Within a month, home delivery was cut back to only paid subscribers and circulation was cut to 20,000. Initially The City Paper was projecting a 90,000 circulation.
On March 2, 2004, City Paper founder Brian Brown announced he was replacing himself as publisher with Tom Larimer, who was previously publisher of the Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro
. A few months later, Larimer resigned and Jim Ezzell was named interim publisher on July 16, 2004. Ezzell, who has served on The City Paper’s operating committee for three years, is the chief financial officer of Thompson Machinery Commerce Corp., whose owners are investors in the newspaper. On June 2, 2006, The City Paper announced that it had hired Albie Del Favero, publisher of the Nashville Scene
, as its publisher. For three years, the executive editor was Clint Brewer, formerly managing editor of the Lebanon Democrat and a past national president of the U.S. Society of Professional Journalists
.
As of June 2007, The City Paper reached an average of more than 250,000 unique readers each week, according to a media audit reported in the Nashville Scene. For comparison, the same article reported, the A-section of The Tennessean had at that time reached 365,700 readers weekly.
It was announced April 9, 2008, that Nashville-based SouthComm Communications purchased The City Paper. Members of the Thompson family -- of Thompson Machinery fame -- retain a significant minority stake in the paper. On April 28, 2008, The City Paper began publishing and distributing print editions only two days each week, though it continued daily updates to its website. SouthComm, headed up by former Nashville Scene
publisher Chris Ferrell, also owns the Nashville Post and Business Tennessee magazine, as well as other media products.
In late 2009, the City Paper started publishing only on Mondays, and the Thursday edition was merged with the Nashville Scene.
Stephen George, who had previously been editor of LEO Weekly, another SouthComm-owned publication, became editor of The City Paper in January 2010.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. The City Paper began publication as a daily (Monday through Friday) paper on November 1, 2000, providing competition to The Tennessean
The Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
, which was the only daily in town after the Nashville Banner
Nashville Banner
The Nashville Banner is a defunct daily newspaper of Nashville, Tennessee, United States, which published from April 10, 1876 until February 20, 1998...
closed in 1998. The City Paper started with a daily circulation of about 40,000 copies and was being delivered to homes. Within a month, home delivery was cut back to only paid subscribers and circulation was cut to 20,000. Initially The City Paper was projecting a 90,000 circulation.
On March 2, 2004, City Paper founder Brian Brown announced he was replacing himself as publisher with Tom Larimer, who was previously publisher of the Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
. A few months later, Larimer resigned and Jim Ezzell was named interim publisher on July 16, 2004. Ezzell, who has served on The City Paper’s operating committee for three years, is the chief financial officer of Thompson Machinery Commerce Corp., whose owners are investors in the newspaper. On June 2, 2006, The City Paper announced that it had hired Albie Del Favero, publisher of the Nashville Scene
Nashville Scene
Nashville Scene is an alternative newsweekly in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1989, became a part of Village Voice Media in 1999, and later joined the ranks of sixteen other publications after a merger of Village Voice Media with New Times Media early in 2006. In 2009 the paper was...
, as its publisher. For three years, the executive editor was Clint Brewer, formerly managing editor of the Lebanon Democrat and a past national president of the U.S. Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists
The Society of Professional Journalists , formerly known as Sigma Delta Chi, is one of the oldest organizations representing journalists in the United States. It was established in April 1909 at DePauw University, and its charter was designed by William Meharry Glenn. The ten founding members of...
.
As of June 2007, The City Paper reached an average of more than 250,000 unique readers each week, according to a media audit reported in the Nashville Scene. For comparison, the same article reported, the A-section of The Tennessean had at that time reached 365,700 readers weekly.
It was announced April 9, 2008, that Nashville-based SouthComm Communications purchased The City Paper. Members of the Thompson family -- of Thompson Machinery fame -- retain a significant minority stake in the paper. On April 28, 2008, The City Paper began publishing and distributing print editions only two days each week, though it continued daily updates to its website. SouthComm, headed up by former Nashville Scene
Nashville Scene
Nashville Scene is an alternative newsweekly in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1989, became a part of Village Voice Media in 1999, and later joined the ranks of sixteen other publications after a merger of Village Voice Media with New Times Media early in 2006. In 2009 the paper was...
publisher Chris Ferrell, also owns the Nashville Post and Business Tennessee magazine, as well as other media products.
In late 2009, the City Paper started publishing only on Mondays, and the Thursday edition was merged with the Nashville Scene.
Stephen George, who had previously been editor of LEO Weekly, another SouthComm-owned publication, became editor of The City Paper in January 2010.
External links
- The City Paper's Official Web Site
- Nashville Business Journal: Brown sees next fortune in media with The City Paper
- Story on founding publisher Brian Brown firing himself
- City Paper names Larimer as Publisher
- Ezzell takes interim publisher post
- Nashville Scene: City Paper is in the publisher hunt
- The City Paper hires Del Favero as publisher
- Virtual Variation
- SouthComm signs letter of intent to purchase 'The City Paper'
- Publications' roles outlined