Sold: A newspaper for the rest of us

About two months ago, I wrote that City Pulse was for sale. I said that I wanted to find the right buyer and was in no rush to do so.

I closed on the sale of City Pulse two Thursdays ago. Given how soon that happened, you might wonder if I … rushed.

I did not. The buyer and I began talking about three years ago. In fact, the buyer signed a letter of intent to purchase City Pulse two years ago but then begged off as not ready. Later that year, another buyer did the same. (I had a good year in earnest money.) Then another suitor came along, and that, too, developed into an offer this year. There were strong pros for taking its offer.

But ultimately I accepted a renewed offer this year from the folks who just bought City Pulse because I believe they will provide the best avenue for maintaining City Pulse’s independence.

Elsewhere on this page is a press release from the company that now owns City Pulse. It’s called Michigan Independent Media Group. “Independent” is even in its name.

Two of the group’s four principals are familiar to Lansing: Jon Hoadley, a former Democratic state representative from Kalamazoo and a Michigan State University graduate, and Lonnie Scott, executive director of the nonprofit political advocacy organization Progress Michigan for a decade until two years ago.

I’ll let the buyer’s announcement on this page introduce the other two principals, Jason Franklin and Sarah Leach, as well as explain the ownership and operating structure.

I have overcome considerable skepticism in the last three years about the new owner’s intentions. I worried that City Pulse might become a political mouthpiece at an expense to its journalistic standards and ethics.

As I have come to know the principals, however, I believe they want City Pulse to continue to be the City Pulse that Lansing has come to embrace over the last two and a half decades. Sure, City Pulse’s opinion pieces skew liberal or progressive or whatever you want to call it. But not its reporting, at least not intentionally.

I recently attended the annual conference of AAN. That stood for Association of Alternative Newspapers when it admitted City Pulse nearly 20 years ago. Then it transitioned to Association of Alternative Newsmedia as the digital era grew. Now, with the right wing’s appropriation of “alternative,” it is simply AAN.

What has not changed is stated in its bylaws:

A member publication shall exhibit sufficient public service through journalism and editorial distinction and excellence to merit designation as a positive editorial alternative to mainstream journalism.

A member publication shall enhance the usefulness and strengthen the character of the association.

The ownership of a member publication shall reflect and advance the values of the association including but not limited to the following:

a) Editorial independence and integrity
b) Ethical business practices
c) Competitive editorial and business environment, especially within local markets
d) A multiplicity and diversity of media voices
e) Independence from media conglomerates or other entities deemed detrimental to the interest of the alternative press and the maintenance of media diversity.

These are the standards by which AAN judges applicants. I know because I chair its Membership Committee.

And those are the standards by which I expect City Pulse’s new stewards will operate. I encourage our readers to keep an open mind as the new team finds its way in a new market. But I also encourage readers to keep them on their toes by holding them to the principles so aptly stated by AAN’s bylaws.

I will be around for at least a year of City Pulse’s new chapter. I intend to keep those principles handy.

If the new owner lives up to them as well, then, yes, I will have sold “a newspaper for the rest of us” — but not sold it out.