Alternative newspaper - Definition and Overview

An alternative weekly, alternately referred to as an alternative newsweekly or alternative newspaper, is a form of alternative media newspaper found in many centres in the United States and Canada. They are commonly independent of larger media conglomerates, though exceptions exist. They are found in most large urban centres in North America, many smaller cities and even some more rural or exurban areas.

Alternative weeklies represent the contemporary, earnest, more commercial and more mainstream evolution of the underground press associated with the 1960s counterculture. Their focus remains on arts and entertainment and social and political reportage. Rather than comprehensive coverage of general news,an alternative weekly's content is dominated by often opinionated reviews, features and columns. Editorial positions at alternative weeklies are predominantly left-leaning.

Columns commonly syndicated to alternative weeklies include Dan Savage's "Savage Love" and Rob Breszny's "Free Will Astrology". Quirkly, non-mainstream comics, such as Matt Groening's Life in Hell, Lynda Barry's Ernie Pook's Comeek and Ruben Bolling's Tom the Dancing Bug, are also common.

Alternative weeklies are favored advertising media for local bars, clubs, arts and entertainment. They usually include comprehensive classified and personals sections. Audiences tend to be young-to-middle-aged adults. Most alternative weeklies are free of charge.

The Village Voice, based in New York City, is one of the first and most well-known examples.

The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies is the central body of alternative weeklies. The Alternative Weekly Network and the Ruxton Group are national advertising sales representatives for alternative weeklies.

Alternative weeklies

Canada

• The Coast, Halifax
• Echo Weekly, Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph
• eye weekly, Toronto
• FFWD, Calgary
• Monday Magazine, Victoria
• Montreal Mirror
• NOW Magazine, Toronto
• Ottawa X-Press
• The Georgia Straight, Vancouver
• here, chain in New Brunswick
• Ici-Montréal (French)
• Planet S, Saskatoon (every 2 weeks)
• Prairie Dog, Regina (every 2 weeks)
• Pulse Niagara
• Voir, chain in Quebec and Ottawa-Gatineau (French)
• View, Hamilton
• Vue Weekly, Edmonton

United States

• Austin Chronicle
• Baltimore City Paper [1] (http://www.citypaper.com/)
• Boston Phoenix
• Boulder Weekly [2] (http://www.boulderweekly.com/)
• Chicago Reader [3] (http://www.chireader.com/)
• City Pages, Minneapolis/St. Paul
• Creative Loafing, Atlanta [4] (http://www.creativeloafing.com/)
• Dallas Observer
• Hartford Advocate
• Honolulu Weekly
• Houston Press
• Memphis Flyer [5] (http://www.memphisflyer.com/)
• Miami New Times [6] (http://www.miaminewtimes.com/)
• New Haven Advocate
• New York Press
• OC Weekly
• Philadelphia City Paper [7] (http://www.citypaper.net/)
• Phoenix New Times [8] (http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/)
• Rock City News, Los Angeles [9] (http://www.rockcitynews.com/)
• Salt Lake City Weekly
• San Francisco Bay Guardian
• The Stranger , Seattle [10] (http://www.thestranger.com/current/)
• Seattle Weekly
• Tucson Weekly [11] (http://www.tucsonweekly.com/)
• Village Voice, New York
• Washington City Paper [12] (http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/)
• Weekly Dig, Boston

External links

• Association of Alternative Newsweeklies (http://www.aan.org)
• Alternative Weekly Network (http://www.awn.org)
• Ruxton Media Group: Alternative Press (http://www.ruxton.com/index.php?page=alternative&nav=navigation_alt&active=1&PHPSESSID=00dc7fab4f8416f4b055ce5f0f1a66b9)