Chicago Defender ends print edition; shifts to digital only

Second publication this week to call to quits on print In a timed day-after-a-holiday Friday news dump, the owners of the Chicago Defender announced the publication is ending its print edition on July 11 and shifting entirely to digital. The move is not unexpected; numerous smaller newspapers are doing likewise amid a tremendous slump in print as digital has siphoned […]

Johnson Publishing sells Ebony, Jet to private equity group

Longtime African-American publications sold to Texas firm Chicago’s African-American community is mourning yet another loss of an institution. On Tuesday, Johnson Publishing Co. announced it was selling its Ebony and Jet magazines to an Austin, TX.-based private equity firm Clear View Group. Re-christened Ebony Media Operations, the publication will remain headquartered in Chicago but will now be owned by out-of-town […]

Why is Chicago still hung up on Oprah?

A few days ago, Oprah Winfrey announced she put her Harpo Studios up for sale. The facility, which hasn’t been used much since her talk show ended in 2011, could fetch over a million bucks in the real estate market. On Thursday, the Sun-Times’ Neil Steinberg slammed her for not being “Chicago” enough, or something. Great article. If it were […]