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	<title>Observer &#187; Erik Wemple</title>
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		<title>Observer &#187; Erik Wemple</title>
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		<title>Power Lunch: Grantland&#8217;s Newest Editor, James Murdoch&#8217;s Newest Under-Bus-Tossing</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2012/04/media-briefs-sean-fennessey-terry-richardson-audrey-gelman-04242012/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Apr 2012 14:02:48 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2012/04/media-briefs-sean-fennessey-terry-richardson-audrey-gelman-04242012/</link>
			<dc:creator>Foster Kamer</dc:creator>
				
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		<description><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.observer.com/2012/04/media-briefs-sean-fennessey-terry-richardson-audrey-gelman-04242012/300px-american_progress/" rel="attachment wp-att-234808"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-234808" title="300px-American_progress" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/300px-american_progress.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="228" /></a>Grantland lands a New Yorker from inside Conde Nast, but not <em>The New Yorker</em>, though I eagerly await Jeffrey Toobin's oral history of <em>My Cousin Vinny</em> when they do. Elsewhere, James Murdoch is on the stand, CJR is on the move, media "analysts" are on "TV", and the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> is on the Pulitzer-pipe. Here are your Tuesday afternoon Media Briefs:<!--more--></p>
<p><strong>Manifest Fennessey</strong>: The <strong>Bill Simmons</strong> run and ESPN-bankrolled playpen of top-notch writing talent, Grantland, has plucked their newest editor straight from the depths of Conde Nast: <strong>Sean Fennessey</strong>, the web editor at <em>GQ</em>—or, more simply, the editor of GQ.com—is a young man headed west. He'll be joining Grantland <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/sean_fennessey/status/194452582108901377" target="_blank">as an editor</a>. Slightly late to this one, but of note no less: prior to <em>GQ</em>, Fennessey was a music editor at <em>Vibe</em> and worked on the editorial side of eMusic.com, when not writing for the likes of the <em>Village Voice</em>, Pitchfork, <em>Rolling Stone</em>, and Vulture. All career passport stamps and plaudits aside, Fennessey is well-regarded by colleagues and known as nothing but a nice guy. New York's loss is LA's gain. Finally we could refrain from being all "called it," but it's Tuesday so whatever: <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/09/2011s-media-poachables-the-25-editors-and-staffers-to-steal-for-your-masthead/#slide12" target="_blank">Media Poachable, Class of 2011</a>, turn your tassel, you just got paper'd up.</p>
<p><strong>Off-Campus Housing</strong>: The <em>Columbia Journalism Review</em> is moving downtown, off of Columbia's campus, reports Capital New York. <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/media/2012/04/5761227/columbia-journalism-review-will-leave-columbia-campus-take-midtown-off?media-bucket-headline" target="_blank">The offices will supposedly be better</a>. They are in Times Square. From someone who works in Times Square, let me welcome you to the area by reminding you that there is no more an anxiety-inducing part of this city to commute to short of Rikers Island, and that your health will legitimately suffer for it.</p>
<p><strong>The James Games</strong>: Under questioning by the government in Foggy London Town, <strong>James Murdoch</strong> continues to try to throw <strong>Colin Myler</strong> <a href="http://adage.com/article/mediaworks/ethics-inquiry-james-murdoch-blames-subordinates/234334/" target="_blank">under the bus</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Portrait of a Terry Complicated Relationship</strong>: Here is a rare picture of notorious New York photographer <strong>Terry Richardson</strong> and his girlfriend of <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/07/it-couple-watch-terry-richardson-and-audrey-gelman-scott-stringers-press-secretary/" target="_blank">somewhere around a year</a>, <strong>Audrey Gelman</strong>, posted to <a href="http://www.terrysdiary.com/post/21713916840/me-and-audrey-in-front-of-21-club" target="_blank">Richardson's blog</a>. Why are there so few pictures of them? Ms. Gelman has an image to manage. Not hers, of course, but that of her boss: Manhattan borough president <strong>Scott Stringer</strong>, widely considered a contender in the 2013 New York City mayoral election. She's his press secretary. Stringer might be able to pull the likes of <strong>Scarlett Johansson</strong> to support his campaign, but Gelman doesn't do too bad with her own press: We hear the good friend of <strong>Lena Dunham</strong> has a cameo in the first season of HBO's <em>Girls</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Daily Boos</strong>: The <em>NY Daily News</em> just unleashed <a href="http://jimromenesko.com/2012/04/23/new-york-daily-news-releases-blogging-social-media-policy/" target="_blank">new social media guidelines unto their staff</a>. Enjoyable moment: "Beat reporters and editorial staff who cover particular areas may not maintain personal blogs or social media accounts focusing on the areas they cover." Then: "Using a personal blog or social media account to link to <em>Daily News</em> content is permitted." How kind of them! Also, <strong>Patrick Gavin</strong> at Politico <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/04/from-the-department-of-curious-timing-121436.html" target="_blank">has a nice catch on this</a>.</p>
<p><strong>An Idea For Financing The New York Times Involving People With Money</strong>: Friend of <em>The New York Observer</em> <strong>Felix Salmon</strong> (also a Reuters columnist) has an idea for making money, <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/04/24/could-the-nyt-make-money-from-its-scoops/" target="_blank">if you are the <em>New York Times</em></a>. He asks: "How much would hedge funds pay to be able to see the NYT’s big investigative stories during the trading day prior to the appearance of the story? It’s entirely normal, and perfectly ethical, for news organizations, including Reuters, to give faster access to the best-paying customers." This is Felix Salmon, trying to troll a lot of people. It is fun.</p>
<p><strong>Weekday With Bernie</strong>: Watch <strong>Bernie Goldberg</strong> take a shot at the <em>Washington Post</em>'s <strong>Erik Wemple</strong> on TV, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/post/bernard-goldberg-on-wemple-dumb-guy/2012/04/24/gIQAdh7GeT_blog.html" target="_blank">questioning Wemple's credibility</a>. Bernie Goldberg is a media analyst whose desperate need for vanity is so strong that he is willing to go on Fox News and tow their hyper-euphemistic "Fair and Balanced" tagline as an ostensibly objective media analyst so long as they let him say things on TV, because going on TV is, to some reporters, a really validating thing. Erik Wemple has the whole of Bernie Goldberg's credibility in his deformed left hand (if Wemple's left hand were deformed).</p>
<p><strong>Pulling for Pulitzer?</strong> After the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> was mostly snubbed by the Pulitzers (again), something we're told the <em>Journal</em> editors ostensibly don't care about (again), Pulitzer-winning <em>Washington Post</em> reporter <strong>James Grimaldi</strong> told <strong>Jim Romenesko</strong> that not only did he take a buyout from the <em>Post</em>, but also, <a href="http://jimromenesko.com/2012/04/24/james-grimaldi-takes-washington-post-buyout/" target="_blank">a gig at the <em>Wall Street Journal</em></a> as a senior writer. And <em>that</em> is how you take a buyout.</p>
<p><strong>Rocket Fuel</strong>: Here is a picture of The Daily's own <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/08/the-free-agent-list-2011s-50-media-power-bachelors/#slide5" target="_blank">Media Bachelor Hall of Famer</a> and <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/item_G0Uyq72vn4mbjGjL4z0brI;jsessionid=BA338FAD39881FB84B499A62E1042A90" target="_blank">digit-al</a> lovemaking expert <strong>Justin Rocket Silverman</strong>'s desk. Looks about right.</p>
<p>Media folks of New York, don't forget to donate your job-related <a href="mailto:fkamer@observer.com" target="_blank">id and ennui to the needy</a>.</p>
<p><em>fkamer@observer.com</em> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/weareyourfek" target="_blank">@weareyourfek</a></p>
]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.observer.com/2012/04/media-briefs-sean-fennessey-terry-richardson-audrey-gelman-04242012/300px-american_progress/" rel="attachment wp-att-234808"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-234808" title="300px-American_progress" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/300px-american_progress.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="228" /></a>Grantland lands a New Yorker from inside Conde Nast, but not <em>The New Yorker</em>, though I eagerly await Jeffrey Toobin's oral history of <em>My Cousin Vinny</em> when they do. Elsewhere, James Murdoch is on the stand, CJR is on the move, media "analysts" are on "TV", and the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> is on the Pulitzer-pipe. Here are your Tuesday afternoon Media Briefs:<!--more--></p>
<p><strong>Manifest Fennessey</strong>: The <strong>Bill Simmons</strong> run and ESPN-bankrolled playpen of top-notch writing talent, Grantland, has plucked their newest editor straight from the depths of Conde Nast: <strong>Sean Fennessey</strong>, the web editor at <em>GQ</em>—or, more simply, the editor of GQ.com—is a young man headed west. He'll be joining Grantland <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/sean_fennessey/status/194452582108901377" target="_blank">as an editor</a>. Slightly late to this one, but of note no less: prior to <em>GQ</em>, Fennessey was a music editor at <em>Vibe</em> and worked on the editorial side of eMusic.com, when not writing for the likes of the <em>Village Voice</em>, Pitchfork, <em>Rolling Stone</em>, and Vulture. All career passport stamps and plaudits aside, Fennessey is well-regarded by colleagues and known as nothing but a nice guy. New York's loss is LA's gain. Finally we could refrain from being all "called it," but it's Tuesday so whatever: <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/09/2011s-media-poachables-the-25-editors-and-staffers-to-steal-for-your-masthead/#slide12" target="_blank">Media Poachable, Class of 2011</a>, turn your tassel, you just got paper'd up.</p>
<p><strong>Off-Campus Housing</strong>: The <em>Columbia Journalism Review</em> is moving downtown, off of Columbia's campus, reports Capital New York. <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/media/2012/04/5761227/columbia-journalism-review-will-leave-columbia-campus-take-midtown-off?media-bucket-headline" target="_blank">The offices will supposedly be better</a>. They are in Times Square. From someone who works in Times Square, let me welcome you to the area by reminding you that there is no more an anxiety-inducing part of this city to commute to short of Rikers Island, and that your health will legitimately suffer for it.</p>
<p><strong>The James Games</strong>: Under questioning by the government in Foggy London Town, <strong>James Murdoch</strong> continues to try to throw <strong>Colin Myler</strong> <a href="http://adage.com/article/mediaworks/ethics-inquiry-james-murdoch-blames-subordinates/234334/" target="_blank">under the bus</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Portrait of a Terry Complicated Relationship</strong>: Here is a rare picture of notorious New York photographer <strong>Terry Richardson</strong> and his girlfriend of <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/07/it-couple-watch-terry-richardson-and-audrey-gelman-scott-stringers-press-secretary/" target="_blank">somewhere around a year</a>, <strong>Audrey Gelman</strong>, posted to <a href="http://www.terrysdiary.com/post/21713916840/me-and-audrey-in-front-of-21-club" target="_blank">Richardson's blog</a>. Why are there so few pictures of them? Ms. Gelman has an image to manage. Not hers, of course, but that of her boss: Manhattan borough president <strong>Scott Stringer</strong>, widely considered a contender in the 2013 New York City mayoral election. She's his press secretary. Stringer might be able to pull the likes of <strong>Scarlett Johansson</strong> to support his campaign, but Gelman doesn't do too bad with her own press: We hear the good friend of <strong>Lena Dunham</strong> has a cameo in the first season of HBO's <em>Girls</em>.</p>
<p><strong>Daily Boos</strong>: The <em>NY Daily News</em> just unleashed <a href="http://jimromenesko.com/2012/04/23/new-york-daily-news-releases-blogging-social-media-policy/" target="_blank">new social media guidelines unto their staff</a>. Enjoyable moment: "Beat reporters and editorial staff who cover particular areas may not maintain personal blogs or social media accounts focusing on the areas they cover." Then: "Using a personal blog or social media account to link to <em>Daily News</em> content is permitted." How kind of them! Also, <strong>Patrick Gavin</strong> at Politico <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2012/04/from-the-department-of-curious-timing-121436.html" target="_blank">has a nice catch on this</a>.</p>
<p><strong>An Idea For Financing The New York Times Involving People With Money</strong>: Friend of <em>The New York Observer</em> <strong>Felix Salmon</strong> (also a Reuters columnist) has an idea for making money, <a href="http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/04/24/could-the-nyt-make-money-from-its-scoops/" target="_blank">if you are the <em>New York Times</em></a>. He asks: "How much would hedge funds pay to be able to see the NYT’s big investigative stories during the trading day prior to the appearance of the story? It’s entirely normal, and perfectly ethical, for news organizations, including Reuters, to give faster access to the best-paying customers." This is Felix Salmon, trying to troll a lot of people. It is fun.</p>
<p><strong>Weekday With Bernie</strong>: Watch <strong>Bernie Goldberg</strong> take a shot at the <em>Washington Post</em>'s <strong>Erik Wemple</strong> on TV, <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/post/bernard-goldberg-on-wemple-dumb-guy/2012/04/24/gIQAdh7GeT_blog.html" target="_blank">questioning Wemple's credibility</a>. Bernie Goldberg is a media analyst whose desperate need for vanity is so strong that he is willing to go on Fox News and tow their hyper-euphemistic "Fair and Balanced" tagline as an ostensibly objective media analyst so long as they let him say things on TV, because going on TV is, to some reporters, a really validating thing. Erik Wemple has the whole of Bernie Goldberg's credibility in his deformed left hand (if Wemple's left hand were deformed).</p>
<p><strong>Pulling for Pulitzer?</strong> After the <em>Wall Street Journal</em> was mostly snubbed by the Pulitzers (again), something we're told the <em>Journal</em> editors ostensibly don't care about (again), Pulitzer-winning <em>Washington Post</em> reporter <strong>James Grimaldi</strong> told <strong>Jim Romenesko</strong> that not only did he take a buyout from the <em>Post</em>, but also, <a href="http://jimromenesko.com/2012/04/24/james-grimaldi-takes-washington-post-buyout/" target="_blank">a gig at the <em>Wall Street Journal</em></a> as a senior writer. And <em>that</em> is how you take a buyout.</p>
<p><strong>Rocket Fuel</strong>: Here is a picture of The Daily's own <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/08/the-free-agent-list-2011s-50-media-power-bachelors/#slide5" target="_blank">Media Bachelor Hall of Famer</a> and <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/item_G0Uyq72vn4mbjGjL4z0brI;jsessionid=BA338FAD39881FB84B499A62E1042A90" target="_blank">digit-al</a> lovemaking expert <strong>Justin Rocket Silverman</strong>'s desk. Looks about right.</p>
<p>Media folks of New York, don't forget to donate your job-related <a href="mailto:fkamer@observer.com" target="_blank">id and ennui to the needy</a>.</p>
<p><em>fkamer@observer.com</em> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/weareyourfek" target="_blank">@weareyourfek</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>&#8216;TBD&#8217; ETA: Next Week; Wemple and Brady Talk to Reporters</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2010/08/tbd-eta-next-week-wemple-and-brady-talk-to-reporters/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Aug 2010 21:06:07 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2010/08/tbd-eta-next-week-wemple-and-brady-talk-to-reporters/</link>
			<dc:creator>Zeke Turner</dc:creator>
				
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.observer.com/2010/08/tbd-eta-next-week-wemple-and-brady-talk-to-reporters/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/0806supremecourt.jpg?w=300&h=204" />Former <em>Washington Post </em>web editor Jim Brady and former <em>Washington City Paper </em>editor Erik Wemple spoke to reporters today about their Albritton-owned (like Politico) <a href="/2010/daily-transom/name-new-dc-news-site-permanently-tbd">local news start-up "TBD."</a> The site is going live next week with about 50 staffers, according to <a href="http://newsonomics.com/10-reasons-to-watch-next-weeks-tbd-launch/">Newsonomics</a> (Paid Content's <a href="http://paidcontent.org/article/419-allbrittons-local-d.c.-news-site-tbd.com-launches-next-week/">David Kaplan </a>said the site will have a dozen reporters). That's a lot of staff for a start-up! It seems like the sales team will be pretty big.</p>
<p>"TBD" has a number of content-sharing deals set up, too. The site will draw content from and sell advertising for a network of 127 local blogs, and become the online home of D.C. television networks &mdash; Newschannel 8 (cable) and WJLA.</p>
<p>Across town, <a href="/2010/media/chat-moe-tkacik">we heard yesterday</a>, the <em>City Paper</em> is remaking itself.</p>
]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/0806supremecourt.jpg?w=300&h=204" />Former <em>Washington Post </em>web editor Jim Brady and former <em>Washington City Paper </em>editor Erik Wemple spoke to reporters today about their Albritton-owned (like Politico) <a href="/2010/daily-transom/name-new-dc-news-site-permanently-tbd">local news start-up "TBD."</a> The site is going live next week with about 50 staffers, according to <a href="http://newsonomics.com/10-reasons-to-watch-next-weeks-tbd-launch/">Newsonomics</a> (Paid Content's <a href="http://paidcontent.org/article/419-allbrittons-local-d.c.-news-site-tbd.com-launches-next-week/">David Kaplan </a>said the site will have a dozen reporters). That's a lot of staff for a start-up! It seems like the sales team will be pretty big.</p>
<p>"TBD" has a number of content-sharing deals set up, too. The site will draw content from and sell advertising for a network of 127 local blogs, and become the online home of D.C. television networks &mdash; Newschannel 8 (cable) and WJLA.</p>
<p>Across town, <a href="/2010/media/chat-moe-tkacik">we heard yesterday</a>, the <em>City Paper</em> is remaking itself.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Name for New D.C. News Site Permanently TBD</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2010/04/name-for-new-dc-news-site-permanently-tbd/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:36:45 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2010/04/name-for-new-dc-news-site-permanently-tbd/</link>
			<dc:creator>Reid Pillifant</dc:creator>
				
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.observer.com/2010/04/name-for-new-dc-news-site-permanently-tbd/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/wemple-1.jpg?w=219&h=300" />When he interviewed to be the editor of D.C.'s new local news site--started by Allbritton Communications, the owners of Politico (which you <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/magazine/25allen-t.html?hp=&amp;pagewanted=all">may have heard about</a>)--former <em>Washington City Paper</em> editor Erik Wemple said he "didn't even go there" in discussing what it would be called.</p>
<p>"I knew that was a touchy subject," he <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2010/02/23/erik-wemple-to-leave-city-paper-will-edit-startup-local-news-site/">told his own publication at the time</a>.</p>
<p>But after he got the job, he had to go there--into a land of perpetual discontent and taken URLs--according to the explanation on the paper's new site, which has now settled on a name: TBD.</p>
<p>TBD.com describes a process filled with a lot of near-misses.</p>
<blockquote><p>In a mixture of humor and frustration, Editor Erik Wemple began signing his emails, "Editor, TBD.com."</p>
<p>Before long, we realized Erik had stumbled upon the perfect name for our site.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It functions on multiple levels:</p>
<blockquote><p>Traditional journalism says you answer the five W's in a story: Who? What? When? Where? Why? We'll answer them, but perhaps a couple at a time, with the rest TBD.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And:</p>
<blockquote><p>So our name is our commitment to be determined in every respect: determined to report news that's important to our community; determined to develop a prosperous business model; determined to engage the community in our stories; determined.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our own Felix Gillette, who used to work for him, <a href="http://twitter.com/felixgillette/status/12650569458">tweets that it's vintage Wemple</a> to do things a little different.</p>
]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/wemple-1.jpg?w=219&h=300" />When he interviewed to be the editor of D.C.'s new local news site--started by Allbritton Communications, the owners of Politico (which you <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/magazine/25allen-t.html?hp=&amp;pagewanted=all">may have heard about</a>)--former <em>Washington City Paper</em> editor Erik Wemple said he "didn't even go there" in discussing what it would be called.</p>
<p>"I knew that was a touchy subject," he <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2010/02/23/erik-wemple-to-leave-city-paper-will-edit-startup-local-news-site/">told his own publication at the time</a>.</p>
<p>But after he got the job, he had to go there--into a land of perpetual discontent and taken URLs--according to the explanation on the paper's new site, which has now settled on a name: TBD.</p>
<p>TBD.com describes a process filled with a lot of near-misses.</p>
<blockquote><p>In a mixture of humor and frustration, Editor Erik Wemple began signing his emails, "Editor, TBD.com."</p>
<p>Before long, we realized Erik had stumbled upon the perfect name for our site.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It functions on multiple levels:</p>
<blockquote><p>Traditional journalism says you answer the five W's in a story: Who? What? When? Where? Why? We'll answer them, but perhaps a couple at a time, with the rest TBD.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And:</p>
<blockquote><p>So our name is our commitment to be determined in every respect: determined to report news that's important to our community; determined to develop a prosperous business model; determined to engage the community in our stories; determined.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our own Felix Gillette, who used to work for him, <a href="http://twitter.com/felixgillette/status/12650569458">tweets that it's vintage Wemple</a> to do things a little different.</p>
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		<title>Washington City Paper&#8217;s Parent Company Files for Chapter 11; &#8216;This Is All About a Fresh Start&#8217; Says C.E.O.</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2008/09/iwashington-city-paperis-parent-company-files-for-chapter-11-this-is-all-about-a-fresh-start-says-ceo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:25:50 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2008/09/iwashington-city-paperis-parent-company-files-for-chapter-11-this-is-all-about-a-fresh-start-says-ceo/</link>
			<dc:creator>Matt Haber</dc:creator>
				
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.observer.com/2008/09/iwashington-city-paperis-parent-company-files-for-chapter-11-this-is-all-about-a-fresh-start-says-ceo/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/citypaper092808.jpg" />Jim Romenesko <a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&amp;aid=151379">points</a> us towards an post from <em>Washington City Paper</em> editor Erik Wemple in which he <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/09/29/city-paper-owner-files-for-bankruptcy/">announces</a> that Creative Loafing, his paper's parent company, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.</p>
<p>According to Mr. Wemple, it's really not that big a deal—in fact, it might be a good thing—since, according to <a href="http://creativeloafing.com/">Creative Loafing</a> C.E.O., Ben Eason (whom Mr. Wemple paraphrases), the fiing &quot;would allow the six papers in the Creative Loafing portfolio to establish a greater online presence while the company reorganizes its operations.&quot;</p>
<p>Mr. Wemple goes on to quote Mr. Eason as saying:</p>
<div class="oldbq">'I do think that the <em>Reader</em> and <em>Washington City Paper</em> and Creative Loafing are all far better off today together, given the footprint and given what we’ve been able to accomplished digitally... This is all about a fresh start... no terrible, terrible things.'</div>
<p>In August, Mr. Wemple <a href="/2008/media/report-cuts-washington-city-paper-layoffs-are-part-discussion-according-editor-wemple">told</a> DCist's Sommer Mathis:
<div class="oldbq">'Like a lot of media companies, we are going through an exceptionally rough period, and indeed we are discussing how to cut expenses. I don't want to cite any figures at this point because we are trying our best as a company to minimize the impact. But yes, layoffs are part of the discussion.'</div>
]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/citypaper092808.jpg" />Jim Romenesko <a href="http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&amp;aid=151379">points</a> us towards an post from <em>Washington City Paper</em> editor Erik Wemple in which he <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2008/09/29/city-paper-owner-files-for-bankruptcy/">announces</a> that Creative Loafing, his paper's parent company, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.</p>
<p>According to Mr. Wemple, it's really not that big a deal—in fact, it might be a good thing—since, according to <a href="http://creativeloafing.com/">Creative Loafing</a> C.E.O., Ben Eason (whom Mr. Wemple paraphrases), the fiing &quot;would allow the six papers in the Creative Loafing portfolio to establish a greater online presence while the company reorganizes its operations.&quot;</p>
<p>Mr. Wemple goes on to quote Mr. Eason as saying:</p>
<div class="oldbq">'I do think that the <em>Reader</em> and <em>Washington City Paper</em> and Creative Loafing are all far better off today together, given the footprint and given what we’ve been able to accomplished digitally... This is all about a fresh start... no terrible, terrible things.'</div>
<p>In August, Mr. Wemple <a href="/2008/media/report-cuts-washington-city-paper-layoffs-are-part-discussion-according-editor-wemple">told</a> DCist's Sommer Mathis:
<div class="oldbq">'Like a lot of media companies, we are going through an exceptionally rough period, and indeed we are discussing how to cut expenses. I don't want to cite any figures at this point because we are trying our best as a company to minimize the impact. But yes, layoffs are part of the discussion.'</div>
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		<title>Report: Cuts at Washington City Paper; &#8216;Layoffs Are Part of the Discussion&#8217; According to Editor, Wemple</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2008/08/report-cuts-at-iwashington-city-paperi-layoffs-are-part-of-the-discussion-according-to-editor-wemple/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:53:56 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2008/08/report-cuts-at-iwashington-city-paperi-layoffs-are-part-of-the-discussion-according-to-editor-wemple/</link>
			<dc:creator>Matt Haber</dc:creator>
				
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.observer.com/2008/08/report-cuts-at-iwashington-city-paperi-layoffs-are-part-of-the-discussion-according-to-editor-wemple/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/citypaper082908.jpg" />Sommer Mathis of DCist is <a href="http://dcist.com/2008/08/27/more_staff_cuts_at_the_washington_c.php">reporting</a> cuts ahead at <em>The Washington City Paper</em>. According to a &quot;newsroom insider,&quot; the <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/currentissue/">paper</a> (which, along with five other papers nationwide, is owned by <a href="http://www.creativeloafing.com/">Creative Loafing</a>) has to reduce its budget by $170,000. </p>
<p>Ms. Mathis quotes <em>City Paper</em> editor Erik Wemple as saying:</p>
<div class="oldbq">Like a lot of media companies, we are going through an exceptionally rough period, and indeed we are discussing how to cut expenses. I don't want to cite any figures at this point because we are trying our best as a company to minimize the impact. But yes, layoffs are part of the discussion.</div>
]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" src="http://nyoobserver.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/citypaper082908.jpg" />Sommer Mathis of DCist is <a href="http://dcist.com/2008/08/27/more_staff_cuts_at_the_washington_c.php">reporting</a> cuts ahead at <em>The Washington City Paper</em>. According to a &quot;newsroom insider,&quot; the <a href="http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/currentissue/">paper</a> (which, along with five other papers nationwide, is owned by <a href="http://www.creativeloafing.com/">Creative Loafing</a>) has to reduce its budget by $170,000. </p>
<p>Ms. Mathis quotes <em>City Paper</em> editor Erik Wemple as saying:</p>
<div class="oldbq">Like a lot of media companies, we are going through an exceptionally rough period, and indeed we are discussing how to cut expenses. I don't want to cite any figures at this point because we are trying our best as a company to minimize the impact. But yes, layoffs are part of the discussion.</div>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Erik Wemple Named &#8216;Voice&#8217; Chief</title>

		<comments>http://observer.com/2006/05/erik-wemple-named-voice-chief/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 31 May 2006 18:14:08 -0400</pubDate>
					<link>http://observer.com/2006/05/erik-wemple-named-voice-chief/</link>
			<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				
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		<description><![CDATA[<p>Erik Wemple, the editor of Washington City Paper, has been named the editor-in-chief of the Village Voice. He will begin on July 24. The memo, from Ward Harkavy, follows.</p>
<p>&mdash;Gabriel Sherman<br />
<!--break--></p>
<div class="oldbq">ERIK WEMPLE HIRED TO LEAD THE VILLAGE VOICE</p>
<p>Village Voice Media is pleased to announce that Erik Wemple will become the new editor-in-chief of the Village Voice. He will take the helm in New York City on July 24.</p>
<p>Wemple has served as lead editor of the Washington City Paper since January 2002. During that period, the D.C. paper aimed to uphold its great feature-writing and political reporting traditions while developing new directions for an expanding urban readership.</p>
<p>"Erik Wemple stood out in a process that went on for months as I reviewed applications and interviewed journalists from major American dailies, national magazines and alt-weeklies," said Michael Lacey, executive editor for Village Voice Media. "Wemple's savvy and grit are reflected in the newspaper he edits. I'm looking forward to his leadership, as well as the speculation and second-guessing sure to commence with this announcement.<br />
Readers may rest easy because, unlike Mother Jones, we are not seeking charitable donations to underwrite the salary of our latest staffer."</p>
<p>Under Wemple's guidance, the City Paper in June 2002 published "The Others,"<br />
a penetrating look at the bizarre events leading up to the murder of Virginia scientist Robert Schwartz. "Boss Hogtie," a January 2003 investigation, examined the D.C. police department's improper arrests of hundreds of peaceful protesters. "Off Target," a news-breaking feature in May 2003, focused on the Jayson Blair scandal at the New York Times. And, on the offbeat front, the paper in May 2004 published "Lunatic Fringe," a tale of the mysteries behind a lace-maker who resided at a D.C. mental hospital.<br />
All of<br />
those stories earned either first place or a nomination in the AltWeekly Awards, sponsored by the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies.</p>
<p>At City Paper, Wemple pushed for more reporting on the local arts scene, launching the column "Show &amp; Tell" to take an in-depth look at the business of entertainment in Washington. He also introduced a number of formatted features in the news section that give the paper a magazine feel. The paper won the 2003-04 George Jean Nathan Award, the highest honor in American theater criticism, as well as the 2005 James Beard Foundation Journalism Award for food-related newspaper column.</p>
<p>"I've always admired the local focus and the quality writing of the Washington City Paper, and the line of great editors that have made it one of the top metropolitan weeklies in the country,² said Village Voice publisher Michael Cohen. ³I'm eager to work with Erik to make the Voice even more of a player in New York City than it is today."</p>
<p>Before becoming City Paper's editor, Wemple held a number of jobs in journalism, including head of the Washington bureau of Inside.com, a media news website, and CableWorld magazine. He also served two-year stints as City Paper's senior editor and as its political columnist.</p>
<p>Wemple, who grew up and attended college in upstate New York, will move to New York City with his wife, Stephanie Mencimer, and their two children. He earned a bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and a master's from Georgetown University.</p>
<p>The Village Voice was founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher and famed novelist Norman Mailer, and quickly established a reputation for no-holds-barred reporting and criticism. The paper has received three Pulitzer Prizes, as well as Front Page Awards and Deadline Club Awards, and its website has twice been recognized as one of the nation¹s premier online sites, receiving the National Press Foundation¹s Online Journalism Award and the Editor and Publisher Eppy Award for best U.S. weekly newspaper online.</p>
<p>Village Voice Media, which operated its New York City flagship and five other papers, merged in January 2006 with the eleven-paper New Times Media, the country¹s largest publisher of alternative weeklies and a company with a well-established track record of investigative reporting and cutting-edge cultural coverage. Most recent honors for the combined company include the naming of Village Voice art critic Jerry Saltz as a Pulitzer finalist in criticism, and an impressive showing -- four winners and five finalists -- in the James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards.</p>
<p>Village Voice Media (VVM) publishes free weekly newspapers and websites in seventeen major U.S. cities: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Seattle, St. Louis, Orange County, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Kansas City, Nashville, the East Bay including Oakland and Berkeley, and the Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach area. The print versions have a combined weekly circulation of 1.8 million papers and over<br />
4.3 million readers. The Internet sites currently have in excess of 5 million unique visitors per month.</p>
<p>In addition, VVM operates the Ruxton Media Group, a national advertising sales agency that represents 37 weekly publications from coast to coast with audited circulations of 3.1 million weekly. VVM also owns and licenses Backpage.com, its network of free classified websites, which has a local presence in over 50 major metropolitan areas across the U.S. and Canada.</p></div>
]]></description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Erik Wemple, the editor of Washington City Paper, has been named the editor-in-chief of the Village Voice. He will begin on July 24. The memo, from Ward Harkavy, follows.</p>
<p>&mdash;Gabriel Sherman<br />
<!--break--></p>
<div class="oldbq">ERIK WEMPLE HIRED TO LEAD THE VILLAGE VOICE</p>
<p>Village Voice Media is pleased to announce that Erik Wemple will become the new editor-in-chief of the Village Voice. He will take the helm in New York City on July 24.</p>
<p>Wemple has served as lead editor of the Washington City Paper since January 2002. During that period, the D.C. paper aimed to uphold its great feature-writing and political reporting traditions while developing new directions for an expanding urban readership.</p>
<p>"Erik Wemple stood out in a process that went on for months as I reviewed applications and interviewed journalists from major American dailies, national magazines and alt-weeklies," said Michael Lacey, executive editor for Village Voice Media. "Wemple's savvy and grit are reflected in the newspaper he edits. I'm looking forward to his leadership, as well as the speculation and second-guessing sure to commence with this announcement.<br />
Readers may rest easy because, unlike Mother Jones, we are not seeking charitable donations to underwrite the salary of our latest staffer."</p>
<p>Under Wemple's guidance, the City Paper in June 2002 published "The Others,"<br />
a penetrating look at the bizarre events leading up to the murder of Virginia scientist Robert Schwartz. "Boss Hogtie," a January 2003 investigation, examined the D.C. police department's improper arrests of hundreds of peaceful protesters. "Off Target," a news-breaking feature in May 2003, focused on the Jayson Blair scandal at the New York Times. And, on the offbeat front, the paper in May 2004 published "Lunatic Fringe," a tale of the mysteries behind a lace-maker who resided at a D.C. mental hospital.<br />
All of<br />
those stories earned either first place or a nomination in the AltWeekly Awards, sponsored by the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies.</p>
<p>At City Paper, Wemple pushed for more reporting on the local arts scene, launching the column "Show &amp; Tell" to take an in-depth look at the business of entertainment in Washington. He also introduced a number of formatted features in the news section that give the paper a magazine feel. The paper won the 2003-04 George Jean Nathan Award, the highest honor in American theater criticism, as well as the 2005 James Beard Foundation Journalism Award for food-related newspaper column.</p>
<p>"I've always admired the local focus and the quality writing of the Washington City Paper, and the line of great editors that have made it one of the top metropolitan weeklies in the country,² said Village Voice publisher Michael Cohen. ³I'm eager to work with Erik to make the Voice even more of a player in New York City than it is today."</p>
<p>Before becoming City Paper's editor, Wemple held a number of jobs in journalism, including head of the Washington bureau of Inside.com, a media news website, and CableWorld magazine. He also served two-year stints as City Paper's senior editor and as its political columnist.</p>
<p>Wemple, who grew up and attended college in upstate New York, will move to New York City with his wife, Stephanie Mencimer, and their two children. He earned a bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and a master's from Georgetown University.</p>
<p>The Village Voice was founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher and famed novelist Norman Mailer, and quickly established a reputation for no-holds-barred reporting and criticism. The paper has received three Pulitzer Prizes, as well as Front Page Awards and Deadline Club Awards, and its website has twice been recognized as one of the nation¹s premier online sites, receiving the National Press Foundation¹s Online Journalism Award and the Editor and Publisher Eppy Award for best U.S. weekly newspaper online.</p>
<p>Village Voice Media, which operated its New York City flagship and five other papers, merged in January 2006 with the eleven-paper New Times Media, the country¹s largest publisher of alternative weeklies and a company with a well-established track record of investigative reporting and cutting-edge cultural coverage. Most recent honors for the combined company include the naming of Village Voice art critic Jerry Saltz as a Pulitzer finalist in criticism, and an impressive showing -- four winners and five finalists -- in the James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards.</p>
<p>Village Voice Media (VVM) publishes free weekly newspapers and websites in seventeen major U.S. cities: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Seattle, St. Louis, Orange County, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Kansas City, Nashville, the East Bay including Oakland and Berkeley, and the Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach area. The print versions have a combined weekly circulation of 1.8 million papers and over<br />
4.3 million readers. The Internet sites currently have in excess of 5 million unique visitors per month.</p>
<p>In addition, VVM operates the Ruxton Media Group, a national advertising sales agency that represents 37 weekly publications from coast to coast with audited circulations of 3.1 million weekly. VVM also owns and licenses Backpage.com, its network of free classified websites, which has a local presence in over 50 major metropolitan areas across the U.S. and Canada.</p></div>
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