Irony, anyone?
Would the Pitch even still be here without the past decade plus of full page cigarette ads?
Once upon a time – not that long ago actually – the Pitch mattered…
You know, in terms of news and reporting.
Charles Feruzza was the premier foodie in town. Steve Vockrodt was there with stories that bordered on investigative journalism and more serious topics. And you never knew who might show up with an edgy report – folks like former Star investigative reporter Karen Dillon, that edgy David Martin dude and others.
No mas.
These days about all that’s left – online content-wise – of Kansas City’s “alternative newsweekly” is a hodge-podge of entertainment shorts and a story or three each month about something that kinda passes for news.
All of which are followed by online pleas for “financial contributions” from the few readers that remain in order to keep the ship of state afloat with “investigative reporting” and “unflinching political commentary.”
Just one problem…
Can anyone remember the last time anything approaching the latter two topics graced the pages of the Pitch?
The print edition is looking better, but understanding the basic economics, the future is not looking bright for the magazine I once ran and built up into a weekly.
The $64 million question:
How much longer can or will new Pitch owners continue to to invest good money after bad before they throw in the towel?
Or will the sinking fast KC Star step in and take over the red ink payments in the interest of doing something halfway civic for the community.
Or does anybody even much care?
In a world where granddaddy of all alt weeklies – the Village Voice – has blown taps, does the future of a glorified Midwestern record store rag really much matter?
This could be the year (2019) we find out.
I saw a current Pitch employee in tears at a bar a few weeks ago. Current employee was quite upset about a work situation involving the new owners and butting heads with them. From the masthead of the print issues, doesn’t look like they have much room to be forcing anyone out.
Change in ownership and direction doesn’t always come easy…
And when you’re behind the financial eight ball, there’s a lot of pressure.
I seriously doubt that the new owners had much if any idea what they were about to get in to and not everybody is cut out for having their dreams dashed and going down with a sinking ship.
Not related to this thread (I tried to use “Contact Us” but it doesn’t work). Anyway, is there any behind the scenes information on the folks from Fox4 who left. I’m talking about Mike Thompson, Jason Lamb and another person. Now the owner, Tribune, has got a catfight going with Spectrum. Looks like back-info is needed.
Long ago, The Pitch committed a slow suicide when it printed pornish pictures and would not take out the ‘dirty’ classified adds. Sure it was a first amendment right, but many a vendor and business had the right to drop them.
Funny how the comparable Des Moines “City View” thrives, doing none of this.
You’re basically right, CRW…
Think follow the mooney thing. Early on, when I ran The New Times against The Pitch, we alternately tried to go “pornless”, but the economic realities just were not there.
It’s kind of like a drawing man grasping at straws kind of thing.
However, with the Pitch’s sex column, they’ve abandoned clear thinking in the name of pseudo-hipness