The LiberalOC.com acquires OCWeekly from Village Voice Media;
Forms TheLiberalOC Weekly to Bring Traditional Liberal Media Bias
to California’s Most Republican County
The LiberalOCWeekly integrates Content and Commentary from the Left: New Motto “We’re Liberal. Get Over it!”
SANTA ANA, California, April 1, 2008 — The LiberalOC.com, a liberal blog based in conservative Orange County, California, today announced the acquisition of the popular OC Weekly alternative newspaper from Village Voice Media to create a new media company called TheLiberalOC Weekly. The two companies will begin integration of their respective brands immediately, with the last official collector’s edition of the original OC Weekly being published this Thursday.
“This acquisition is similar to Red County’s acquisition of OC Blog in an attempt to tie popular blog content to a high-end political publication,” said TheLiberalOCWeekly.com publisher and senior editor Chris Prevatt. “The difference here is OC residents actually read the OC Weekly and advertisers get more bang for their buck, especially in the back pages.”
The LiberalOC.com, which has generated limited ad revenue in its standalone form, is seeking to bolster its ad revenues significantly with its acquisition of OC Weekly. Advertisers to the OC Weekly will now get a new combo plate of advertising with free online ads on TheLiberalOCWeekly.com in addition to the print ads in the paper edition of the media property. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
“At first, when they told me the price, I thought it was a joke,” Prevatt said. “When it became clear they weren’t joking, I made a few phone calls and lined up a consortium of liberal bloggers along with a significant financial commitment from a prominent investor to back the purchase. I can’t say who but in keeping with the tradition of our popular “Ask a Mexican”column, his last name rhymes with the plural of Zorro.”
In addition to continuing the Weekly’s successful mix of investigative reporting and entertaining features, the new media company will incorporate a periodic “Ask a Mexican” column by Gustavo Arellano on TheLiberalOCWeekly blog, solving the problem of no Mexican bloggers on the team. In addition to featuring the best commentary from Orange County’s Liberal bloggers, a new column for the print and online publications called “The Art of SanTana” will be penned by blogger Sean Mill, where he will chronicle the musings of Orange Juice blogger Art Pedroza.
Other new features include:
- “Who Would Mike Schroeder Sue?”, an advice column about the dark side of conservatism and lawsuit politics.
- “Can this Gay Marriage be Saved”, featuring former Register columnist Mayrav Saar, giving advice to gay male couples struggling to remain close, to continue to communicate, to remain lubricated, and reconcile whatever else comes up.
- “Union Boss!”, featuring commentary from Orange County’s most politically influential labor leader, Orange County Employees Association General Manager Nick Berardino.
- “Politics, Persians, and Pride” by Orange County Democratic Party Executive Director Melahat Rafiei, covering among other things, the inside dirt on the plans to turn Orange County Blue.
- “Ask Another Mexican”, featuring commentary by Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, who will muster the full resources of city hall to find the answers to questions Gustavo Arellano doesn’t care to answer in his popular column, “Ask a Mexican.”
“The OC Weekly will bring a strong advertising base to the LiberalOC.com’s anemic blog ads and despite its leadership in Strip Club ads, plugs for Bikini Bars and Escort listings, The OC Weekly still trails the OC Register in the sheer number of massage parlor ads,” said Prevatt. “The new LiberalOCWeekly.com hopes to change all that.”
About TheLiberalOC.com
Founded in 2006 by Mike Lawson, TheLiberalOC.com is a leading progressive political blog routinely ranked among the top political blogs in California. TheLiberalOC.com covers progressive issues and challenges Orange County’s right-wing noise machine. Updated daily and run by dedicated progressive volunteers, no one on the LiberalOC staff earns a dime from political consulting. Progressive Politics is our passion, not our business.
I can’t wait to ask Pulido why he appointed a Minuteman to our Library Board!
The OC Weekly has brought public awareness for freedoms of speech, press, opinion and the public’s right to be fully informed about government and politics in a very Republican-dominated Orange County, California. With this new acquisition, Orange County’s children may still have a chance to witness the freedoms that made the United States of America, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights one of the most studied subjects in elementary, secondary and college educational institutions. Afterall, whether you are Republican or not, last I studied these subjects, the fair administration of justice is a civil right we all should enjoy and respect.
So glad to hear the the OC Weekly will finally get the fair and balanced reporting that it has always needed.
Congrats to The Liberal OC!
Two things.
1. Didn’t you hear Ask a Mexican was defunct?
2. You’re fired.
Love,
Ted
THe liberaloc acquired the OC weekly.
I thought the bigger entities acquired the smaller ones.
I guess it the timing, April 1st.
Right!!
I think there may be a bit of April Fool’s going on here
::skeptical::
TheLiberalOCWeekly.com could not find a publisher and senior editor more competent than Chris Prevatt. Congratulations and God speed!