Westword

Westword
Type Alternative weekly
Format Magazine
Owner(s) Voice Media Group
Publisher Scott Tobias
Editor Patricia Calhoun
Founded 1977
Headquarters 969 Broadway, Denver, Colorado, 80203, USA
Circulation 67,520 (6/30/2014)[1]
Website westword.com

Westword is a free alternative weekly newspaper based in Denver, Colorado.

Westword was established independently in 1977. In 1983 it was bought by New Times Media.[2] In 2005, New Times acquired Village Voice Media, and changed its name to Village Voice Media.[3] In September 2012, Village Voice Media executives Scott Tobias, Christine Brennan and Jeff Mars bought Village Voice Media's papers and associated web properties from its founders and formed Voice Media Group.[4]

Westword is a member of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and has received several awards for its investigative reporting. Westword has several regular features focusing on local events including arts, entertainment and politics. Westword also publishes the cartoons of Tom Tomorrow.

The newspaper's website, westword.com, offers comprehensive listings of music, arts, and other events, along with restaurant and bar listings. Westword.com also has four verticals, covering music, food, arts and culture, and news. It also features regular nightlife and other event coverage on its slideshow page, westword.com/slideshow.

Starting with the May 21, 2009 issue, Westword is now printed in a smaller magazine style with a glossy cover. Prior to this, the weekly had always been printed in a tabloid newspaper format.[5]

Best of Denver

Every year, Westword's staff awards hundreds of Denver-area personalities, restaurants, bars, shops, and others "Best of Denver" awards. The awards are archived on the newspaper's web site, at http://www.westword.com/bestof.

The newspaper also throws a yearly concert, the "Music Showcase", in which the competing acts from each genre perform for a crowd and attempt to win some extra votes. It also nominates an annual list of Masterminds, people whose contribution to arts and culture in the Denver area deserve special recognition.[6]

Personalities

Patricia Calhoun is the editor-in-chief of Westword. Her column, "Calhoun," appears regularly and usually offers biting perspectives or criticisms pertaining to current events.

Mark Antonation is Westword's food editor.

Kyle Harris is the newspaper's art and music editor.

Michael Paglia writes on art and architecture and is the author of a number of books including "Denver The Modern City", "The Mid-Century Modern House in Denver", "Landscapes of Colorado" and "Colorado Abstract".

Juliet Wittman writes theater reviews.

Alan Prendergast often writes about crime, prisons and "death by misadventure." His coverage of the Columbine High School massacre attracted national attention and led to first publication of pages from the journal of Eric Harris.[7] He is the author of a true-crime book, "The Poison Tree," about the Richard Jahnke parricide case.[8]

Michael Roberts blogs regularly on the Latest Word. The paper's other staff writers include Chris Walker and Nora Olabi.

David Holthouse article

Westword ran a cover story on May 13, 2004 entitled "Stalking the Bogeyman" in which the 33-year-old journalist, David Holthouse, described being raped at the age of 7 by a 14-year-old at his home in Anchorage, Alaska. The attacker was not named but a picture and other details were printed. The article told of Holthouse's recently abandoned plans to belatedly kill his now grown-up attacker: "I was going to watch him writhe like a poisoned cockroach for a few seconds, then kick him onto his stomach and put three bullets in the back of his head. This time last year I had a gun, and a silencer, and a plan".[9]

After the article was published, its author feared retaliation and asked a friend to follow the alleged attacker. The friend was arrested on suspicion of stalking on May 29, 2004. Holthouse's arrest soon followed. "Any charges against me are essentially charges of thought crimes," he said.[10] The alleged attacker and his wife declined to press charges.[11] The article won a 2nd place in the annual awards of the Colorado Society of Professional Journalists.[12] Holthouse's story has since been adapted into a stage play by the same name.[13]

Medical marijuana

In November 2009 Westword became the first magazine or newspaper worldwide to employ a medical marijuana critic.[14] An anonymous contributor known by the pen name William Breathes regularly posts reviews of local marijuana dispensaries and has recently begun a column called "Ask a Stoner." Westword has been sympathetic towards the growing Colorado medical and recreational marijuana movements, featuring ads for dispensaries in print editions and devoting an entire section of its website to the marijuana industry.[15]

Westword MasterMind Awards

The Westword MasterMind Awards were started in 2005 to recognize and encourage the "aesthetic adventurers who are changing the cultural landscape" of Denver.[16] The award comes with a no-strings attached cash grant.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Alliance for Audited Media
  2. ↑ Vane, Sharyn (November 1998). "Consider the Alternative". American Journalism Review. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  3. ↑ Richard Siklos (October 24, 2005). "The Village Voice, Pushing 50, Prepares to Be Sold to a Chain of Weeklies". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Village Voice Media Execs Acquire The Company's Famed Alt Weeklies, Form New Holding Company". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  5. ↑ "Finally, some exciting media news" FaceTheState.com. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  6. ↑ Celebrate Artopia and Westword's newest MasterMinds Westword.com
  7. ↑ "I'm Full of Hate and I Love It" Westword.com
  8. ↑ Taking Care of Business Westword.com
  9. ↑ Holthouse, David. "Stalking the Bogeyman". Westword. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  10. ↑ Reporter arrested on suspicion of stalking story subject RCFP.org
  11. ↑ Westword Reporter Won't Face Stalking Charges The Denver Channel
  12. ↑ News wins 36 awards in state competition Rocky Mountain News
  13. ↑ "Killer instinct". Mountain Express. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  14. ↑ http://www.westword.com/2012-11-01/news/william-breathes-pot-critic/full/
  15. ↑ http://www.westword.com/mmj/
  16. 1 2 Patricia, Calhoun (February 18, 2010). "MasterMind alumni brainstorm about the state of the arts in Denver". Westword.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.