Boston's Weekly Dig
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Boston's Weekly Dig | |
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| Type | Alternative weekly |
| Format | Tabloid |
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| Owner | Metrocorp |
| Publisher | Jeff Lawrence |
| Editor | Michael Brodeur |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | 242 East Berkeley Street 5th Floor Boston, MA 02118  United States |
| Circulation | 60,079[1] |
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| Website: weeklydig.com | |
Boston's Weekly Dig sometimes just called the Weekly Dig or even just the Dig is a free alternative newsweekly found in Boston, Massachusetts. It offers commentary on music, arts, politics, technology, film, sex, food, drink and more, as well as local bar, entertainment and club listings, and personal and classified ads.
The Weekly Dig began as an independent alternative monthly called Shovel, run by publisher Jeff Lawrence. In September of 1999 it became a full-time operation, became weekly, and was renamed the Dig with editor Joe Bonni.
In September of 2003, Lawrence abruptly - and amidst some acrimony - dismissed Bonni as editor. Assistant editor (now video gaming editor) Seth McDonlin was named interim editor; 'Judas Goat' columnist Joe Keohane was appointed the replacement editor later in 2003.
In October, 2004, Boston magazine publisher Metrocorp announced that it bought a majority stake in the Weekly Dig. Metrocorp, which has operated Boston magazine since 1971, also publishes Elegant Wedding, Concierge, Home & Garden and New England Travel and Life. It also has operated Philadelphia magazine since 1946.
Three months later, in January of 2005, the paper went through a relaunch that offered a new, updated design and broader content. Since then, its circulation has more than doubled to about 70,000 copies distributed weekly.
Lawrence and his staff of more than 20 editors, designers and advertising representatives put out the paper every Wednesday. It is distributed free of charge in self-serve newspaper dispensers located throughout the city.
[edit] Content and sections
A typical Dig issue contains several sections, accessible by a table of contents, usually found on page 3 (facing the inside cover). Most often a soapbox for guest editorials and the like, written about such broad topics as lynchings, profane professionals and house burnings. Readers are encouraged to submit pieces they have written to be published as soapbox entries.
The Dig's feature articles most often deal with current local news issues, though not to the extent of the competing Boston Phoenix. The bulk of the paper is made up of reviews of music, theatre, movies, and local restaurants. Current regular columns include the staff-written Media Farm, covering mostly the Boston market print media; The Burn Unit, written by somethingawful.com music critic David Thorpe; a video game review section known as Geeked; Disposable Income, a listing of unusual recent purchases by staff members; and a beer column written by Jason and Todd Alström, maintainers of the BeerAdvocate.com website.
Comics are near the end of the issue, and currently contain the strips The K Chronicles by Keith Knight (website), Ted Rall by Ted Rall (website), Perry Bible Fellowship by Nicholas Gurewitch (website), Thinking Ape Blues by Mark Poutenis (website), , and Secret Asian Man by Tak Toyoshima. On the opposing page is a themed crossword.
The Weekly Dig carries the syndicated advice column Savage Love.
[edit] References
- ^ Boston's Weekly Dig. Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
