The Philadelphia City Paper, founded by Bruce Schimmel, will print its last issue next week.
Check out the goodbye article by the alternative paper’s Editor-in-Chief Lillian Swanson.
Our loss and Philly’s, too
The typewriter you saw on the cover was used at the beginning of City Paper‘s life, in November 1981, as Bruce Schimmel produced the first issues in a Germantown storefront. Since then, the black Royal has moved with the alt-weekly four times, and most recently to our offices across from City Hall. Somehow, the typewriter’s stand had gotten lost in our last move, from Chestnut Street, so the metal machine had sat ingloriously on an office windowsill.
The typewriter belongs to Schimmel, the paper’s co-founder and first publisher, and he had asked me for it several times during the two years I’ve been at the helm. I always had held him at bay — not an easy thing to do — by telling him that it was above my pay grade to give it back to him. In truth, I thought it was an important touchstone to our past. With our bound archives in a warehouse, the typewriter was one of few tangible links we had to the paper’s past.
When we learned last week of City Paper‘s demise, the only phone call I took was from Schimmel, who had become a friend. After he offered his condolences, I thanked him and said, “Come get your damn typewriter.”
He was there within hours to whisk it away. Then, he took me to lunch.
Much has been written over the last several days about the loss to Philadelphia of this feisty newspaper that wore boxing gloves as a point of pride. The articles told of stories that uncovered wrongdoing, and a paper that valued long-form narratives. CP was home to generations of young journalists who found their footing here. All of that is true.
But what I regret most is that Philly will be left without a real alternative voice, one that speaks truth to power and tells stories others have overlooked. Who will focus on writing the first serious ink about artists and singers who are on the way up? How will those who open independent theaters get the press they need to become viable? Who but CP will review more than 40 Fringe shows? Where else will you find a full-page comic?
The problem, of course, was that the advertising revenue coming in didn’t sustain us. It’s a story that is being repeated at newspapers all over America, no matter the quality of the publication. Nearly two weeks ago, here in Philly, we committed all our resources to covering Pope Francis’ visit. We held four planning meetings, and at the last one, I told staffers: “We joke around a lot, but what I want is your best work.”
And that’s what they delivered. Nine pages of coverage that captured not only the papal events, but also poignant scenes from elsewhere around the city. It was an awesome performance by an award-winning staff that cared deeply about the paper and its readers.
We close down with our heads held high.
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