First they left the Village.
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The Village Voice, an alternative weekly founded six decades ago, has been bought by the owner of a Pennsylvania newspaper whose family has been involved in the industry for generations.
It was sold on Monday to Peter Barbey, a member of one of America’s wealthiest families, reports the New York Times.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Voice Media will manage the publication’s operations through February during a transition period, according to the statement. VMG will also continue to sell national advertising for the Voice. Barbey is purchasing the 60-year-old paper through his investment company, Black Walnut Holdings, and will keep it separate from Reading Eagle, which publishes a newspaper of the same name, among other properties. Both Barbey and VMG said that upon assuming control of the Voice in 2016, the two companies will maintain a collaborative editorial relationship, sharing their award-winning film and television coverage.
Barbey, who vowed to invest in the paper, said it had “a unique journalistic role in New York” and “deserves to survive and prosper”.
“We were impressed with VMG’s professionalism and creativity, and we wanted to continue to partner with them on concepts that are beneficial to readers and our clients”, Barbey said. Today the Voice maintains a robust online presence alongside its weekly print offering and continues to serve the community with events such as the Obie Awards for local theater.
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Insiders are hoping the new ownership finally ends the chaos that has plagued the company in recent years.
