Village Voice

The Village Voice, founded in 1955 by a gang of New York intellectuals including Edwin Fancher and Norman Mailer, was the quintessential indie paper for the city's artsy misfits and political agitators. Renowned for its scathing criticism of the establishment and its pioneering forays into alternative journalism, it became the voice of New York’s counterculture and a breeding ground for literary talent. Its heyday boasted fierce exposés, influential columnists like Joe Flaherty, and coverage of events like the Stonewall Riots, positioning it as a beacon of underground resistance. Yet, as print media's fortunes dwindled, so did the Voice's clout. In 2018, it found itself grappling with the harsh reality of declining circulation and ad revenue, eventually closing its print edition and existing largely online. Despite its storied past and occasional Pulitzer Prize, the Voice’s final years were marked by a desperate scramble to retain relevance amidst an avalanche of media consolidation and corporate mismanagement. With its former executive editor, Laura R. Ziegler, overseeing its last turbulent chapters, the Village Voice serves as a bittersweet reminder of a bygone era when print could still punch above its weight in a city full of grit and glamour.