Michigan Independent Media Group acquires City Pulse

LANSING, MI – In a major development for Michigan’s local media scene, Michigan Independent Media Group (MIMG) has finalized the purchase of City Pulse, Lansing’s free alternative weekly. City Pulse, known for its arts, culture, and political reporting, was founded in 2001 by Berl Schwartz.

MIMG — a coalition funded by both philanthropic and impact investment capital — pledges to maintain the paper’s hard-hitting local journalism while bolstering digital and operational infrastructure. The move aligns with the company’s mission to preserve independent local reporting across Michigan.

Operating responsibilities will shift to Buried Lede Media, under the leadership of CEO Lonnie Scott, who brings deep experience in nonprofit management and civic leadership. Sarah Leach, a Pulitzer Prize–nominated journalist and veteran editor who has led multiple Michigan newsrooms — including The Holland Sentinel and the Ottawa News Network — serves as Buried Lede Media’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing media operations. MIMG, the new owner of City Pulse, is guided by General Partner Jason Franklin, Ph.D., founder of Ktisis Capital in Grand Rapids, who has directed over $550 million in philanthropic investments toward democracy and journalism initiatives and plays key roles in statewide and national philanthropic networks. He is supported by Jon Hoadley, executive director of the Michigan Civic Education Fund and a former state representative from Kalamazoo, who brings his extensive experience in public policy, advocacy, and civic engagement to coordinate the philanthropic framework powering MIMG’s mission.

While the ownership and operational leadership are evolving, Schwartz will remain in his role as publisher and editor for the next three months, before moving into a more advisory role of Editor & Publisher Emeritus. Readers can expect the same skilled journalism and reporting they are used to, with organizational and service improvements along the way.

“We’re guided by a commitment to sustain high levels of operational efficiency and journalistic integrity — fairness, transparency & accuracy,” says Jason Franklin, MIMG’s General Partner. “Together, our aim is to increase civic news coverage, fight disinformation, and sustain local voices. We believe in the power of local news and are committed to ensuring that the local papers that have served our communities for decades will thrive for generations to come.”

“Berl has built something truly iconic with City Pulse,” Buried Lede CEO Lonnie Scott said. “We’re grateful for his decades of leadership, and I am excited to be a part of the team building on Berl’s success as we move City Pulse into this new chapter.”

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Launched in 2024, Michigan Independent Media Group is dedicated to preserving and strengthening local journalism across the state. Through philanthropic investment and community partnerships, MIMG supports independent newsrooms that inform, engage, and empower their communities. City Pulse is MIMG’s second newspaper acquisition this year following its purchase of the Yale Expositor this spring.