New York Press

New York Press was a free alternative weekly newspaper founded in New York City in 1988 by journalist and publisher Russ Smith. It was created as a locally focused, independently minded counterpart to The Village Voice and developed a deliberately combative editorial identity within New York’s alternative press culture. Although Smith was politically conservative and wrote the recurring “Mugger” column, the paper did not limit itself to a single ideological perspective. Its coverage combined media and political commentary, city politics, arts and entertainment, restaurant criticism, cultural reporting, personal essays, and distinctive comics and illustration. During its independent period, which lasted until 2002, the paper was closely associated with Smith and editor and writer John Strausbaugh. The publication cultivated a large roster of contributors, including writers from across the political and cultural spectrum. Its pages carried work by figures such as Alexander Cockburn, Taki Theodoracopoulos, Christopher Caldwell, Paul Krassner, and Matt Taibbi, as well as critics and cultural writers who later became prominent in journalism, books, film, politics, and publishing. The paper also became an important venue for comics and underground illustration. Art Spiegelman served as comics editor in the early 1990s, while contributors included Kaz, Ben Katchor, Charles Burns, Gary Panter, Tony Millionaire, and other notable cartoonists and artists. Smith sold New York Press in late 2002 to Avalon Equity Partners. The transaction brought new publishers Chuck Colletti and Doug Meadow into senior management and began a period of frequent editorial changes. Jeff Koyen became editor-in-chief in 2003 and initially maintained a substantial weekly product of roughly 100 pages. The paper also briefly published New York Sports Express, a free sports weekly that ran from 2003 to 2004. By the latter part of the decade, however, the Press had contracted to fewer than 40 pages per issue and faced the broader economic and competitive pressures affecting metropolitan print weeklies. The paper attracted national and local attention through provocative editorial choices. In 2005, a Matt Taibbi cover story titled “The 52 Funniest Things About the Upcoming Death of the Pope” provoked criticism from New York politicians and others, and Koyen resigned following the controversy. In 2006, editor Harry Siegel and several colleagues left after management rejected a planned cover involving the Jyllands-Posten cartoons controversy. These episodes reinforced the publication’s reputation for irreverent and confrontational journalism, while also highlighting the editorial and commercial risks of that approach. Ownership passed again in 2007, when Manhattan Media acquired the paper. Manhattan Media operated a group of New York community publications, and New York Press was combined with the company’s Our Town Downtown title. David Blum briefly served as editor-in-chief in 2007–2008 before Jerry Portwood returned to the editorial role. The print edition of New York Press was discontinued on September 1, 2011. Our Town Downtown was revived as the print successor, while the New York Press website became an online aggregation of content from other Manhattan Media publications. In 2013, Manhattan Media sold Our Town Downtown and NYPress.com to Straus News. The historic newspaper therefore no longer exists as a continuing print weekly, although the NYPress.com name and online presence have continued under later ownership.

New York Press emerged in 1988 during a period when New York City’s alternative newspapers served as important outlets for political dissent, cultural criticism, nightlife reporting, and literary experimentation. Russ Smith founded the paper and used it to establish a distinctly local alternative to The Village Voice. The rivalry was both editorial and commercial: New York Press emphasized Manhattan-centered distribution and cultivated a more confrontational tone, while Smith’s recurring “Mugger” column commented on politics, media, restaurants, and his own experiences. Smith’s conservatism gave the paper a distinctive position in a field often associated with the political left, but the publication hosted writers with varied and sometimes opposing viewpoints. For much of its first fourteen years, the Press operated independently under Smith, with John Strausbaugh serving as a major editorial collaborator. The newspaper became known for its broad contributor network and willingness to publish unconventional voices. Its writers included political commentators, critics, essayists, humorists, and emerging authors. Its film section was particularly influential: Armond White joined the staff in 1997 and remained associated with the paper through the end of its print run, working alongside critics such as Godfrey Cheshire and Matt Zoller Seitz. Reviews from the paper’s cinema writers were later collected in The Press Gang: Writings on Cinema from New York Press, 1991–2011. The publication also maintained a strong visual and comics identity. Following the tradition of earlier New York underground newspapers, it regularly published experimental comics and illustration. Art Spiegelman edited the comics section in the early 1990s, and the paper printed work by artists including Kaz, Ben Katchor, Debbie Drechsler, Charles Burns, Mark Beyer, Carol Lay, Mark Newgarden, Gary Panter, Danny Hellman, Tony Millionaire, and others. This combination of political provocation, cultural reporting, and visually adventurous art made the Press a recognizable part of New York’s alternative-media ecosystem. Smith sold the newspaper in late 2002 to Avalon Equity Partners. After the acquisition, Chuck Colletti became publisher and president and Doug Meadow became chief operating officer. The transition was accompanied by staff changes, including the departure of Strausbaugh. Jeff Koyen became editor-in-chief in 2003 and initially maintained a large weekly paper of approximately 100 pages. During this period the company also published New York Sports Express, a free sports weekly that operated from April 2003 through July 2004 before being discontinued. Editorial turnover increased after a series of controversies and strategic changes. In March 2005, the paper published Matt Taibbi’s provocative cover story “The 52 Funniest Things About the Upcoming Death of the Pope.” The cover drew criticism from politicians and other observers, and Koyen resigned soon afterward. Alexander Zaitchik served as interim editor. Harry Siegel became editor in August 2005 and sought to strengthen the paper’s local political reporting, bringing several editors and writers with him. Siegel, Tim Marchman, Jonathan Leaf, and Azi Paybarah resigned in February 2006 after management rejected a proposed cover involving the Jyllands-Posten cartoons controversy. Steve Weinstein briefly served as interim editor, followed by Adario Strange. When Strange left in 2007 to return to film directing, publisher Nick Thomas promoted Jerry Portwood to the editorship. The business faced structural pressure as free metropolitan weeklies competed for readers and advertising. The paper’s circulation reportedly exceeded 100,000 per week in 2006 but fell to approximately 20,000 by the end of its run. Its page count also declined from roughly 100 pages during the early post-acquisition period to fewer than 40 pages from 2007 onward. On July 31, 2007, Manhattan Media acquired the Press. The new owner connected it with its community-newspaper portfolio, initially merging it with Our Town Downtown. David Blum, a former New York magazine and Esquire contributing editor and former Village Voice editor-in-chief, was appointed editor-in-chief in September 2007. He left in June 2008 to edit Manhattan Media’s 02138 title, after which Jerry Portwood returned as editor. The paper continued publishing contributors from political, cultural, and entertainment fields, including Amy Goodman and former New York mayor Ed Koch during part of the 2005–2007 period. The print edition ended on September 1, 2011. Our Town Downtown was revived as the print publication that replaced the merged title, while NYPress.com shifted toward aggregating material from Manhattan Media’s other publications. In 2013, Manhattan Media sold NYPress.com and Our Town Downtown to Straus News. New York Press is therefore best understood as a defunct print newspaper brand whose historical significance lies in New York alternative journalism, while its web domain continued under later ownership.

1. 2013NYPress.com is sold to Straus News

   Manhattan Media sells the website and Our Town Downtown to Straus News.

   Source
2. 2011Print publication is discontinued

   The final print issue appears on September 1, ending the newspaper’s run.

   Source
3. 2007Manhattan Media acquires the paper

   The Press joins Manhattan Media’s portfolio of New York magazines and community weeklies.

   Source
4. 2006Senior editorial staff resign

   Harry Siegel and three colleagues leave after management rejects a planned cover concerning the Danish cartoons controversy.

   Source
5. 2005Papal-death cover causes editorial crisis

   A controversial Matt Taibbi cover leads to political backlash and the resignation of editor Jeff Koyen.

   Source
6. 2003New York Sports Express launches

   The publisher adds a free sports-focused sister weekly.

   Source
7. 2002Ownership passes to Avalon Equity Partners

   Russ Smith sells the paper after fourteen years of independent operation.

   Source
8. 1997Armond White joins the staff

   The film critic begins a long association with the newspaper, continuing through 2011.

   Source
9. 1990Art Spiegelman serves as comics editor

   The paper strengthens its role as a venue for underground and experimental comics.

   Source
10. 1988New York Press is founded

    Russ Smith establishes the free New York City alternative weekly.

    Source

A provocative, Manhattan-focused alternative weekly positioned as a rival to The Village Voice, combining political and media commentary with cultural criticism, city reporting, nightlife coverage, and visually distinctive comics.

• New York Press weekly newspaperAlternative weekly newspaper1988

  The core product was a free weekly newspaper focused on Manhattan and wider New York City. It combined local politics, media criticism, restaurant and nightlife coverage, arts and entertainment reporting, film reviews, essays, columns, and provocative opinion. Its editorial personality was shaped by Russ Smith’s “Mugger” column and by a wide range of contributors from conservative, liberal, radical, literary, and countercultural backgrounds.

• New York Sports ExpressSports newspaper2003

  A free sports-focused sister weekly published by the New York Press operation. It extended the company’s free-newspaper model into sports coverage but had a short lifespan and was discontinued after operating from 2003 to 2004.

• NYPress.comLocal news website

  The newspaper’s online counterpart continued after the print edition ended. Following the 2011 print closure, the site functioned primarily as an aggregation point for content from other Manhattan Media publications and was later sold to Straus News.

• 2011End the print editionStrategy

  Circulation had fallen substantially from its mid-2000s level, and the paper had contracted to fewer than 40 pages per week.

  What changed. The print edition was discontinued on September 1, 2011, while the website shifted toward aggregated content.

  Aftermath. Our Town Downtown was revived as the print replacement, and NYPress.com continued under the ownership of Manhattan Media before being sold to Straus News.

  Source
• 2007Join Manhattan Media’s community-publication portfolioM&A

  The newspaper faced declining circulation and a shrinking print product amid pressure on alternative weeklies.

  What changed. Manhattan Media acquired New York Press and initially merged it with Our Town Downtown.

  Aftermath. The combined operation later led to the revival of Our Town Downtown as the print successor to New York Press.

  Source
• 2003Launch a sports sister publicationProduct launch

  The publisher sought to extend its free-weekly model into sports coverage.

  What changed. New York Sports Express was published from April 2003 to July 2004.

  Aftermath. The sports weekly was discontinued after a short run.

  Source
• 2002Sell the independent newspaper to Avalon Equity PartnersM&A

  After fourteen years under founder Russ Smith, the paper moved from independent ownership to an investment group.

  What changed. Smith sold New York Press to Avalon Equity Partners in late 2002.

  Aftermath. The acquisition brought new senior management and editorial turnover, including the departure of John Strausbaugh.

  Source

• 2006Dispute over proposed Jyllands-Posten cartoon coverControversy

  Editor Harry Siegel and three colleagues resigned after management rejected a planned cover that would have shown cartoons from the Danish publication controversy involving depictions of Muhammad.

  Source
• 2005“The 52 Funniest Things About the Upcoming Death of the Pope” controversyControversy

  A Matt Taibbi cover story about the impending death of Pope John Paul II provoked strong criticism from New York politicians and other observers. Editor Jeff Koyen resigned within weeks of the resulting uproar.

  Source

• 2013Straus News acquires NYPress.com

  Manhattan Media sold Our Town Downtown and NYPress.com to Straus News.

  M&A
  Source
• 2011Print edition of New York Press ends

  The newspaper’s print edition was discontinued on September 1, 2011, and Our Town Downtown was revived in its place.

  Bankruptcy
  Source
• 2007Manhattan Media acquires New York Press

  The alternative weekly was acquired by Manhattan Media, publisher of Avenue and several New York community newspapers.

  M&A
  Source
• 2003New York Sports Express is launched

  The publisher introduced a free sports-focused sister weekly, which ran until it was discontinued in 2004.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2002Russ Smith sells New York Press to Avalon Equity Partners

  The founder sold the paper in late 2002 in a transaction reported at approximately three million dollars.

  M&A
  Source
• 1988New York Press is founded in New York City

  Russ Smith launched the free alternative weekly, establishing a publication intended to compete with The Village Voice.

  Other
  Source

1. New York Press
2. New York Press official website