Baltimore City Paper
Encyclopedia
Baltimore City Paper is a free alternative weekly
newspaper
published in Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 1977 by Russ Smith and Alan Hirsch. Current owner Times-Shamrock Communications
purchased the paper in 1987. It is distributed on Wednesdays in distinct yellow boxes found throughout the Baltimore area.
It is best known for providing information on club
s, concert
s, theater, and restaurant
s, but each issue also has one major article on a subject not usually being carried by the mainstream media
. In each issue there are also several political and advice columns and numerous cartoon
s including the weekly comic DIRTFARM by Ben Claassen III.
The City Paper has broken several important stories in the Baltimore area, including a plagiarism
scandal
involving longtime Baltimore Sun columnist Michael Olesker
.
The City Paper presents the Best of Baltimore awards every year, in which various local businesses, attractions, and aspects of Baltimore, Maryland are highlighted. Many local eating places proudly display their award certificate from past years on their wall.
Alternative weekly
An alternative newspaper is a type of newspaper, that eschews comprehensive coverage of general news in favor of stylized reporting, opinionated reviews and columns, investigations into edgy topics and magazine-style feature stories highlighting local people and culture. Their news coverage is more...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in Baltimore, Maryland, founded in 1977 by Russ Smith and Alan Hirsch. Current owner Times-Shamrock Communications
Times-Shamrock Communications
Times-Shamrock Communications is an American media company based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The company, owned by the Lynett and Haggerty families of Scranton, lists among its assets seven daily newspapers, over 20 weekly newspapers, and 12 radio stations...
purchased the paper in 1987. It is distributed on Wednesdays in distinct yellow boxes found throughout the Baltimore area.
It is best known for providing information on club
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
s, concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s, theater, and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
s, but each issue also has one major article on a subject not usually being carried by the mainstream media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
. In each issue there are also several political and advice columns and numerous cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s including the weekly comic DIRTFARM by Ben Claassen III.
The City Paper has broken several important stories in the Baltimore area, including a plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
involving longtime Baltimore Sun columnist Michael Olesker
Michael Olesker
Michael Olesker was a columnist for the Baltimore Sun newspaper in Baltimore, Maryland. He resigned on January 4, 2006, after it was alleged that his columns contained passages plagiarized from articles at other newspapers. Olesker is known for his liberal viewpoints and for his criticism of the...
.
The City Paper presents the Best of Baltimore awards every year, in which various local businesses, attractions, and aspects of Baltimore, Maryland are highlighted. Many local eating places proudly display their award certificate from past years on their wall.
Notable writers
- Franz LidzFranz LidzFranz Lidz is an American writer and journalist.He was a senior writer at Sports Illustrated, a contributing editor at Conde Nast Portfolio, and is a correspondent for GQ, Sports Illustrated, Men's Journal, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Observer, AARP the Magazine, Slate and has written...
(1978–1979) - J. D. ConsidineJ. D. ConsidineJ. D. Considine is an established music critic who has been writing about music professionally since 1977. His work has been published in numerous newspapers and music magazines, and he has contributed to several books. Over the years, he has claimed to have put over three million words into...
(1977–1980)http://rockcriticsarchives.com/interviews/jdconsidine/01.html - John StrausbaughJohn StrausbaughJohn Strausbaugh is an American author, cultural commentator, and host of the New York Times "Weekend Explorer" video podcast series on New York City....
(1979–1990)http://www.johnstrausbaugh.com/author/