Is Anybody Watching Democracy Now? WTF Is Happening At The Village Voice?

[Dinger]

James Ridgeway, and others have been fired? I think I heard something about TVV being sold (I think it was The New Times), and the new guy running it being an asshole. Shamberg was saying that Lacey was very insecure, and came in to the newspaper and insulted journalists there, and he dismissed all the fact-checkers, etc. This Lacey guy sounds a little fucked up to me. Pardon my ignorance in this matter, but it appears that big media is eating up the "alternative" press.

[Lerkfish]

1. I know nothing of this particular case, but to the general question of

whether big media is swallowing up alternative press, the answer is yes, IMHO.

[acmejack]

2. You are exactly correct.

They are killing the Voice.

[karynnj]

3. Wasn't it previously owned by Murdoch for years?

The Village Voice hasn't been the Voice of the 70s, 80s etc for years.

[Dinger]

7. Yes, The Link I Posted Talks About That (nm)

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Village Voice used to have very cutting edge, provocative, and

controversial articles and features from Sidney Shamberg, Michael Wolfe, and Nat Hentoff to name a few columnists. They exposed corruption in New York City, New York State, and of course, Congress and the White House.

[Dinger]

8. Shamberg, Hentoff, Ridgeway, & Others Were On Democracy Now!

Also, the author (Jacobsen) of the article link I posted. Interesting show today.

[TechBear_Seattle]

5. The Seattle Weekly was owned by Village Voice Media

I've been following the story here for more than a year. The Village Voice, which owned the Voice, the Seattle Weekly and four other alternative weeklies around the US, was sold a few months ago to the New Times, based in Phoenix. Here is some info from the Weekly:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/23/AR2005102301504.html
http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0543/051026_news_merger.php
http://www.seattleweekly.com/news/0548/051130_news_merger.php

[Dinger]

6. A Link I Found From New York Magazine:

It's long, but read it if you have time. It talks about Michael Lacey - who sounds like a freeptard, intent on ruining the Voice.


http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/media/features/14987/

[La Coliniere]

9. R.I.P. Village Voice

Yep, it's gone for good. It was my introduction to alt media back in the 70s. J. Hoberman movie reviews are the only reason for me to read it anymore. Yes, the VV was a 'religion" for many of us, back in the days.

[Lindsay]

10. Part and parcel of the right-wingers' takeover of all

alternative. Like "Christian" broadcasting buying up stations that broadcast AAR.

It's the golden rule, ya know - the ones that have the gold make the rules.