Riverfront Times

The ''Riverfront Times'' (''RFT'') was a free progressive weekly newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri, that consisted of local politics, music, arts, and dining news in the print edition, and daily updates to blogs and photo galleries on its website. the ''Riverfront Times'' had an ABC-audited weekly circulation of 81,276 copies. A 2024 sale immediately ended print distribution and laid off all staff. The website primarily features aggregated content and OnlyFans promotions.

History

The paper was founded in 1977 by Ray HartmannUnderground
''The Christian Science Monitor'', May 20, 1980 (noting "Ray Hartmann's fledgling Riverfront Times ...")WELL ESTABLISHED: RAY HARTMANN HAS TURNED AN ALTERNATIVE PAPER INTO A 20-YEAR-OLD COMMUNITY FIXTURE
''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', November 16, 1997 who, along with co-owner Mark Vittert, sold the newspaper in 1998 to New Times MediaRiverfront Times being sold to chain
'' St. Louis Business Journal'', September 24, 1998PHOENIX CHAIN BUYS RIVERFRONT TIMES PRICE IS ESTIMATED AT $6-10 MILLION
''St. Louis Post-Dispatch'', September 25, 1998 (later known, following a 2006 merger, as Village Voice Media).Riverfront Times turns 30
''St. Louis Journalism Review'' (October 2007)
'' St. Louis Business Journal'', October 24, 2005 In September 2012, Village Voice Media executives Scott Tobias, Christine Brennan and Jeff Mars agreed to purchase Village Voice Media's papers and associated web properties from its founders and formed Voice Media Group. In 2015, Euclid Media Group acquired the ''Times'' from Voice Media Group.

The paper has received more than three dozen awards from the Missouri Press Association, along with the group's Gold Cup. The paper and website also currently feature a weekly syndicated column by relationship and sex advice writer Dan Savage. In the past, the paper carried Chuck Sheppard's News of the Weird column. Former journalists that wrote for the paper include Suzanne Langlois, who won the 1994 Con Lee Kelliher award for distinguished achievement.

In June 2019, editor-in-chief Sarah Fenske announced her departure after being selected to host ''St. Louis on the Air'' on St. Louis Public Radio. News editor Doyle Murphy was selected as interim editor-in-chief. Murphy served as editor-in-chief until he announced in the February 9, 2022, edition that he would be leaving the paper to work for St. Louis Public Radio. Ben Westhoff, the executive editor of Euclid Media Group, served as interim editor-in-chief following Murphy's resignation, but announced on February 24, 2022, that Rosalind Early, who was then serving as deputy managing editor for ''Washington Magazine'' at Washington University in St. Louis, would be the paper's next editor in chief, starting in March.

In August 2023, Euclid Media Group dissolved and the newspaper was sold to Chris Keating, operating under the name Big Lou Holdings LLC. The paper was sold again in May 2024 to an unnamed buyer and all staff were laid off.

See also

* Wm. Stage, RFT columnist
* St. Louis Beacon
* Suburban Journals
*St. Louis Post-Dispatch

References

External links

RFT website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riverfront Times, The
1998 mergers and acquisitions
2012 mergers and acquisitions
2015 mergers and acquisitions
1977 establishments in Missouri
Alternative weekly newspapers published in the United States
Newspapers published in St. Louis
Newspapers established in 1977