19 Facts About Chicago Reader

1.

Chicago Reader, or Reader, is an American alternative weekly newspaper in Chicago, Illinois, noted for its literary style of journalism and coverage of the arts, particularly film and theater.

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2.

The Chicago Reader developed a new kind of journalism, ignoring the news and focusing on everyday life and ordinary people.

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3.

The Chicago Reader is dated every other Thursday and distributed free on Wednesday and Thursday via street boxes and cooperating retail outlets.

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4.

Chicago Reader was founded by Robert A Roth, who grew up in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights.

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5.

Chicago Reader's ambition was to start a weekly publication for young Chicagoans like Boston's The Phoenix and Boston After Dark.

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6.

In 1979, a reporter for the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Illinois, called the Reader "the fastest growing alternative weekly in the US " In 1986, an article in the Chicago Tribune estimated the Reader's annual revenues at $6.

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7.

Chicago Reader began experimenting with electronic distribution in 1995 with an automated telephone service called "SpaceFinder", which offered search and "faxback" delivery of the paper's apartment rental ads, one of its most important franchises.

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8.

Also in 1996 the Chicago Reader partnered with Yahoo to bring its entertainment listings online and introduced a Web site and an AOL user area built around its popular syndicated column "The Straight Dope".

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9.

In 2005, when many similar publications had long been offering all their content online, the Chicago Reader began offering its articles in PDF format, showing pages just as they appeared in print — an attempt to provide value to the display advertisers who accounted for much of the paper's revenue.

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10.

In late 2007, under a budget cutback imposed by the new owners at Creative Loafing, the Chicago Reader laid off several of its most experienced journalists, including John Conroy, Harold Henderson, Tori Marlan and Steve Bogira.

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11.

In 2012, the Chicago Reader was acquired by Wrapports LLC, parent company of the Chicago Sun-Times.

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12.

In November 2020, the Chicago Reader announced co-editor Hawkins would serve as co-publisher with Baim, while Baim was made president.

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13.

On May 16,2022, ownership of the Chicago Reader was transferred to the new non-profit organization Chicago Reader Institute for Community Journalism.

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14.

Staff writer John Conroy wrote extensively, over a period of more than 17 years, on police torture in Chicago Reader; his reporting was instrumental in the ouster and prosecution of Commander Jon Burge, the leader of a police torture ring, and in the release of several wrongly convicted prisoners from death row.

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15.

Chicago Reader was perhaps best known for its deep, immersive style of literary journalism, publishing long, detailed cover stories, often on subjects that had little to do with the news of the day.

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16.

The Chicago Reader has won 30 Alternative Newsweekly Awards since 1996.

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17.

Chicago Reader owners invested in the paper and eventually CRI held a major stake.

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18.

Owners of the Chicago Reader invested in the Washington paper in 1982 and eventually controlled 100 percent of the stock.

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19.

Ruxton Group, originally called the Chicago Reader Group, was formed by CRI in 1984 as a national advertising representative for the Chicago Reader, Washington City Paper, and other large-market alternative weeklies.

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