As most of you know, I’m a contributor to the Boston Phoenix, where I was on staff from 1991 to 2005. I wrote the cover story as recently as a few weeks ago. Given my longstanding ties, I present this without comment, except to express my hope that it will prove to be a good move.
The Phoenix remains vital to the fabric of the city. On a more personal level, I’ve still got a lot of friends over there. Good wishes and best of luck to everyone — including those who, sadly, are now moving on.
August 1, 2012 (Boston, MA) – The Phoenix Media/Communications Group, one of New England’s largest independently owned news companies, shakes up the region’s media landscape today with the exciting announcement of its plans to launch a new glossy weekly magazine for greater Boston called The Phoenix. When it hits the market in early fall 2012, The Phoenix will replace the media group’s existing Boston publications: STUFF magazine and The Boston Phoenix, which has served as one of the country’s regional leading alternative weeklies for over 45 years.
The Phoenix will redefine the 21st century alternative publication with the goal of providing a richer experience for the reader. Its content will combine the lifestyle appeal of STUFF with the journalistic prowess of The Boston Phoenix and it will give vital and fresh coverage of Boston’s life, culture, politics, music and style. With free distribution throughout greater Boston, the new format will allow the media group to better meet the needs and desires of readers and advertisers. Its design is being created in-house and will place a renewed emphasis on visuals – photography, illustrations and graphics will be bold and vibrant. Carly Carioli, Editor-in-Chief at The Boston Phoenix, will lead the editorial team at The Phoenix. Carioli has been with the company since 1993.
“It has been an exciting few months for The Phoenix Media/Communications Group; we are really thrilled to bring a new publication to Boston that will better serve the city. As a group that has delivered original news and served as cultural arbiters in New England for over four decades, it’s great to step back and change the focus of our platforms while keeping the integrity of our culture and quality of our output. We are exceptionally proud to be the first major market alternative weekly newspaper to make the change to glossy magazine format. We will also be creating a new online presence for The Phoenix that will complement that of WFNX.com, the online successor to WFNX-FM, where we break new, alternative music, as well as integrate content from the new Phoenix and the Company’s other resources” says Stephen Mindich, Founder and Chairman of The Phoenix Media/Communications Group.
The Phoenix Media/Communications Group’s The Providence Phoenix and The Portland Phoenix will remain in publication as alternative weekly newspapers.