AAN News

Pasadena Weekly Editor Mourns 'A Death in the Family'new

Noting that Los Angeles CityBeat was "pretty much birthed here in the offices of the Pasadena Weekly," Kevin Uhrich looks back at the life of his Southland Publishing sister paper, which folded last week. He also asks the obvious question: Could the same fate befall the Weekly? "I don't think so," he writes. "However, I can say with some certainty -- just by virtue of being on staff with one of the few papers still upright on a rapidly diminishing print media landscape -- that if that day ever comes, there will probably be no newspapers around anymore to note our passing."
Pasadena Weekly  |  04-03-2009  9:31 am  |  Industry News

Writers (and One Photographer) Mourn the Loss of Los Angeles CityBeatnew

Mediabistro's Fishbowl LA has gathered some blog posts by writers and photographers who were involved with the alt-weekly, which ceased publication last week. Photographer Ted Soqui and writers Donnell Alexander, Dennis Romero and Luke Y. Thompson all weigh in.
Fishbowl LA  |  04-01-2009  12:01 pm  |  Industry News

More on the Los Angeles CityBeat Closurenew

"I had a great morning today," CityBeat publisher Will Swaim told L.A. Weekly on Friday. "I came to work and hurled in the 'executive bathroom,' brushed my teeth and made the announcement." Swaim and senior editor Matt Fleischer both say there hadn't been any chatter about the paper closing in the last few weeks, and there wasn't any discussion of making CityBeat biweekly or online-only. MORE: The Los Angeles Times says the paper's closure "will -- at least temporarily -- silence more critical voices on arts and entertainment in Los Angeles."
L.A. Weekly | Los Angeles Times  |  03-30-2009  8:43 am  |  Industry News

Los Angeles CityBeat Shuttered

Southland Publishing president Bruce Bolkin announced this morning that the alt-weekly's March 26 issue will be its last. "For 6 years, the Los Angeles CityBeat has offered a fresh perspective to the readers of Los Angeles, and Southland is extremely proud of its writers and entire staff who have contributed to the paper," says Bolkin. (FULL STORY)
Southland Publishing Press Release  |  03-27-2009  12:47 pm  |  Industry News

L.A.'s Alt-Weeklies Suffer Additional Layoffs

The LA Weekly has eliminated its theater editor position and laid off film critic Ella Taylor, while LA CityBeat also axed its film critic, Andy Klein. MORE: Current and former staffers from both papers weigh in on the situation.
LA Weekly | LA Observed  |  01-16-2009  10:19 am  |  Industry News

Rebecca Schoenkopf is Out as LA CityBeat Editornew

Schoenkopf gave her notice this week, according to an email obtained by LA Observed. She had been CityBeat's editor since April. It is not clear who will replace her, or if newly named publisher Will Swaim will take on double-duty as publisher and editor, as he did for a time at OC Weekly.
LA Observed  |  11-14-2008  9:10 am  |  Industry News

Will Swaim Named Publisher of LA CityBeat

Will Swaim has been named publisher of LA CityBeat and New Angeles Magazine, effective Nov. 10. Swaim was most recently the founding editor and publisher of The District Weekly, a non-AAN weekly in Long Beach. Prior to that, he was OC Weekly's founding editor in 1995, and went on to become publisher of that paper as well, before stepping down in January 2007. At CityBeat, he'll be reunited with former Weekly colleague Rebecca Schoenkopf, who is now CityBeat's editor. "LA CityBeat and New Angeles are terrific publications," Swaim says in a release. "I'm thrilled to have this chance to use what I've learned in Orange County and Long Beach to help them reach their enormous potential." (FULL STORY)
Southland Publishing Press Release  |  10-31-2008  3:16 pm  |  Press Releases

Charles Gerencser Leaves Southland Publishing for the Obama Campaignnew

The executive publisher of Southland's Los Angeles CityBeat and executive vice president of sales for the chain's other AAN papers announced yesterday that he's leaving on Oct. 17 to join the Barack Obama campaign as a fundraiser and committee leader for California and Nevada. "As a life-long Republican I am seen as a crucial leader in the fight to win votes and raise money for the Senator amongst undecided Republicans and Independents, particularly in the States of Nevada and Colorado which are key Western battleground states," he wrote in an email to colleagues. Gerencser was also a member of the AAN Marketing Committee. As for life after the campaign, he notes that he's applied to two doctoral programs for admission as early as Spring 2009.
LA Observed  |  10-09-2008  11:15 am  |  Industry News

Rebecca Schoenkopf on Taking Over at CityBeat and Leaving the OCnew

The "Commie Girl" columnist and former OC Weekly staffer was named editor of Los Angeles CityBeat this Spring amidst a relaunch of the paper. She says she's already receiving hate mail. One person wrote in to ask: "'Who's this inane, vulgar, rambling, trite girl who's a terrible writer and has a potty mouth'," she tells the Guardian. "And I was like, 'You live in Los Angeles, are you really that sheltered?'" Schoenkopf also says that she's now realized she willing blinded herself about notoriously conservative Orange County while she was there. "It's not the conservatism that bothers me: it's the nastiness," she says The nattering classes I'd thought were fringey were in fact the decision makers."
San Francisco Bay Guardian  |  07-11-2008  8:04 am  |  Industry News

Los Angeles CityBeat Undergoes Makeover on its Fifth Anniversarynew

The paper will unveil a new design, logo and lineup of columns and features when it hits stands this week, LA Observed reports. Changes include: Content from Wonkette, a biweekly Neal Pollack column on sports, the return of editor Rebecca Schoenkopf's Commie Girl column, and a weekly news-in-review column from recently departed editor Steve Lowery. The redesign was overseen by new art director Paul Takizawa (formerly of LA Weekly), and CityBeat is throwing a celebratory party this Friday.
LA Observed  |  06-10-2008  7:47 am  |  Industry News

Lowery Out at CityBeat; Schoenkopf Named Acting Editornew

Steve Lowery, who reported as the new editor of Los Angeles CityBeat last Monday, resigned late last week. Publisher Charles Gerencser accepted his resignation today and named Rebecca Schoenkopf acting editor. "It's purely personal," Lowery tells LA Observed. "When I got there, it became immediately apparent that I just didn't have it in me ... my body and my soul were telling me, hey bud, maybe it's time." In an email to AAN News, Gerencser says Schoenkopf, who had just begun her tenure as the paper's arts editor last week, "is very passionate about creating a must-have; must-read newsweekly. I am looking forward to working with her on our effort to re-launch CityBeat with the June 12th edition." LA Observed is reporting the retooled paper will have "more of a magazine sensibility."
LA Observed  |  04-07-2008  2:27 pm  |  Industry News

Los Angeles CityBeat Names New Editor & Arts Editor

The paper's founding editor Steve Appleford has been replaced with alt-weekly veteran Steve Lowery, who'll begin his new gig Monday. Lowery comes to CityBeat from the District Weekly, where he was senior editor. He's also been a senior and interim editor at OC Weekly, and a staffer at New Times L.A. He'll reunite at CityBeat with former OC Weekly staffer and "Commie Girl" columnist Rebecca Schoenkopf, who has been named the paper's new arts editor. (FULL STORY)
Southland Publishing Press Release  |  03-28-2008  9:17 am  |  Press Releases

Los Angeles CityBeat to Publish Sunset Junction Issue & Change Name

Southland Publishing Press Release  |  08-13-2007  8:52 am  |  Press Releases

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