The Boston Phoenix suddenly folds

[ron_newman]

Boston Phoenix to close

Today's print edition, dated March 15, will be the last. There will be one more online edition, dated March 22. The Providence and Portland Phoenixes will continue publishing.

Without the Phoenix, we're going to lose a lot of coverage of music, theatre, visual arts, and other local culture.

Please use this post as an open thread for any thoughts or rememberances of this once-great publication.

Comments

[ron_newman]

And I'm wondering why he needs them for Boston, since the Providence and Portland papers get by just fine without them (and they're going to keep publishing).

[shadow.livejournal.com]

Boston has a lot of alternative channels for local print advertising: The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Weekly Dig, Boston Metro, Boston Magazine, Barstool Sports, Bay Windows, Spare Change, and The Improper Bostonian... just off the top of my head. Plus every little neigborhood newspaper (Somerville News, Scout Somerville, etc.)

I can't speak for Providence, but I know Portland ME doesn't have anywhere near that number of print publications. It makes sense to me that local advertisers have few options in Portland and so can support a local paper, whereas in Boston you would need national advertisers to fill in. Sadly I don't think we've seen the end of the closures and bankruptcies for Boston publications yet.