Chicago Reader
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| Chicago Reader | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Chicago Reader |
| Type | Alternative weekly |
| Format | Tabloid |
| Owner | Sun-Times Media Group |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
Chicago Reader is a renowned alternative weekly newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1971 by a group of Carleton College students, including Bob Roth, Tom Yoder, and Tom Rehwaldt, with the goal of providing an alternative to the city's mainstream newspapers, such as the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. The newspaper is known for its in-depth coverage of Chicago's arts and culture scene, including music venues like the Aragon Ballroom and Metro (Chicago), as well as its investigative reporting on local issues, often in collaboration with other investigative journalism organizations like the Better Government Association and the Chicago News Cooperative. Over the years, the Chicago Reader has featured the work of notable writers and journalists, including Neil Steinberg, Michael Miner, and Liz Armstrong, who have written for other prominent publications like the New York Times and The New Yorker.
● History
The Chicago Reader was first published in 1971 as a free weekly newspaper, with an initial circulation of around 20,000 copies, distributed in coffee shops, bookstores, and other public spaces throughout Chicago, including the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhoods. The newspaper quickly gained a reputation for its in-depth reporting and investigative journalism, often tackling tough topics like corruption and social justice, in collaboration with other organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. In the 1980s, the Chicago Reader began to expand its coverage of arts and culture, including music reviews and film criticism, with writers like Jonathan Rosenbaum and J.R. Jones contributing to the newspaper, and also writing for other publications like Film Comment and The Village Voice. The newspaper has undergone several changes in ownership over the years, including a 2007 sale to Creative Loafing, a media company based in Atlanta, Georgia, which also owned other alternative weeklies like the Creative Loafing (Atlanta) and the Washington City Paper.
● Content
The Chicago Reader features a wide range of content, including news and investigative reporting, arts and culture coverage, and opinion pieces from notable writers and thinkers, such as Sarah Kendzior and Glenn Greenwald, who have also written for other prominent publications like The Guardian and The Intercept. The newspaper is perhaps best known for its music coverage, which includes reviews of local and national acts, as well as features on music venues like the Riviera Theatre and the Vic Theatre, and interviews with musicians like Chance the Rapper and Kanye West, who have also been featured in other publications like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. The Chicago Reader also publishes a popular events calendar, which lists upcoming events and happenings in Chicago, including festivals like Lollapalooza and Pitchfork Music Festival, and exhibitions at museums like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
● Impact
The Chicago Reader has had a significant impact on the Chicago media landscape, providing a platform for investigative journalism and in-depth reporting on local issues, often in collaboration with other organizations like the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times. The newspaper has won numerous awards for its reporting, including several Peter Lisagor Awards and Association of Alternative Newsmedia Awards, and has been recognized by other publications like Columbia Journalism Review and The New York Times. The Chicago Reader has also played a key role in promoting Chicago's arts and culture scene, providing coverage of local music and theater productions, and featuring interviews with notable artists and performers, such as Theaster Gates and Heather Dewey-Hagborg, who have also been featured in other publications like Artforum and Hyperallergic.
● Distribution
The Chicago Reader is distributed throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, with a circulation of around 100,000 copies per week, available at newsstands, coffee shops, and other public spaces, including train stations like Union Station (Chicago) and Ogilvie Transportation Center. The newspaper is also available online, with a digital edition that includes all of the content from the print edition, as well as additional features and multimedia content, such as videos and podcasts, often in collaboration with other online publications like The Verge and Vice News.
● Awards_and_recognition
The Chicago Reader has won numerous awards for its reporting and writing, including several Peter Lisagor Awards and Association of Alternative Newsmedia Awards, as well as recognition from other organizations like the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Association of Black Journalists. The newspaper has also been recognized for its design and layout, winning several awards for its typography and visual design, including awards from the Society for News Design and the American Institute of Graphic Design. Notable writers and journalists who have contributed to the Chicago Reader have also won awards for their work, including Pulitzer Prizes and National Magazine Awards, and have gone on to work for other prominent publications like The New Yorker and Harper's Magazine.
● Controversies
The Chicago Reader has been involved in several controversies over the years, including a 2012 lawsuit filed by the Chicago Tribune over the newspaper's use of the Tribune's copyrighted material, which was also reported on by other publications like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. The newspaper has also faced criticism for its coverage of certain topics, including police brutality and social justice, with some critics accusing the newspaper of being too liberal or biased, a criticism that has also been leveled against other publications like The Nation and Mother Jones. Despite these controversies, the Chicago Reader remains a respected and widely read source of news and information in Chicago, with a reputation for in-depth reporting and investigative journalism, and continues to be a vital part of the city's media landscape, alongside other publications like the Chicago Sun-Times and Crain's Chicago Business.