The Stranger (newspaper)

Infobox Newspaper
name =


caption = The 2004-02-26 front page of
"The Stranger"
type = Alternative weekly
format = Tabloid
foundation = 1991
owners = Index Newspapers, LLC
headquarters = 1535 11th Ave., Third Floor
Seattle, WA 98122
USA
editorial director = Dan Savage
editor = Christopher Frizzelle
publisher = Tim Keck
circulation = 87,874 [cite web |url=http://aan.org/alternative/Aan/ViewCompany?oid=oid%3A88 |title=The Stranger |accessdate=2007-02-23 |publisher=Association of Alternative Newsweeklies ]
ISSN =
website = [http://thestranger.com/ TheStranger.com]

"The Stranger" is an alternative weekly newspaper in Seattle, Washington, USA, noted for its social commentary, political opinion, arts, comics, music coverage, and local news items.

History

"The Stranger" was founded by Tim Keck, who had previously co-founded the satirical newspaper "The Onion", and cartoonist James Sturm. Its first issue came out on September 23, 1991.David Wilma, [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3506 "The Stranger" begins publication in Seattle on September 23, 1991.] , HistoryLink.org, essay 3506, August 22, 2001. Web page also includes a facsimile of the front page of "The Stranger's" first issue. Accessed 19 October 2006.] The paper is distributed to local businesses, newsstands, and newspaper boxes free of charge every Thursday. It calls itself "Seattle's Only Newspaper," an expression of its disdain for Seattle's two dailies (the "Seattle Times" and "Seattle Post-Intelligencer") and "The Stranger's" main rival, the "Seattle Weekly". The paper regularly covers Seattle City Council politics. As with "The Onion", its tone is highly ironic.

In its early days, "The Stranger" had a print run of 20,000, and was focused in Seattle's University District. The paper was a single sheet wrapped around a wad of coupons for local businesses.

Competition

Its principal competitor is "The Seattle Weekly", a weekly newspaper in Seattle, owned by Village Voice Media.

Notable contributing writers

Since April 4, 2001, the paper's editor-in-chief has been Dan Savage, an associate editor since its founding, who made his name writing the paper's most popular feature: the sarcastic and sometimes inflammatory sex advice column "Savage Love". [Eileen Murphy, [http://www.aan.org/alternative/Aan/ViewArticle?oid=oid%3A1151 Dan Savage Takes Editorial Reins at The Stranger] , Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, May 9, 2001. Accessed 19 October 2006.] In September 2007, Savage became the paper's editorial director and was replaced as editor-in-chief by former Arts Editor Christopher Frizzelle. [Regina Hackett, [http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/art/archives/122018.asp The Stranger In Charge] , Art to Go (Seattle Post-Intelligencer), September 18, 2007. Accessed 18 September 2007.]

The paper's masthead includes actor/monologist David Schmader, who writes a rather twisted and often satirical "news of the week" column called "Last Days". When he runs low on space, the later days of the week are often filled with "nothing happened today." When a significant event occurs, Schmader will begin describing the event as "nothing happened today, unless you count..."

Charles Mudede has written a regular weekly column "Police Beat," which has been adapted to an indie film by the same title. Mudede also co-wrote the controversial movie Zoo, a documentary about the life and death of Kenneth Pinyan who died in a bestiality accident in Enumclaw in July of 2005.

Sean Nelson, lead singer of Seattle band Harvey Danger, was "The Stranger" film editor, contributing a weekly column as well as being a staff writer, profiling the band Smoosh when they landed a record deal. During the hiatus of Harvey Danger and when he was a member of The Long Winters, Nelson was a more prominent contributor. With Harvey Danger reunited and recording again, Nelson has taken a step back from "The Stranger" but will occasionally write articles and film reviews.

Former staff writers have included Emily White, who also authored the books "Fast Girls: Teenage Tribes and the Myth of the Slut", (2002), and "You Will Make Money in Your Sleep. The Story of Dana Giacchetto, Financial Adviser to the Stars" (2007).

Contributing writers have included Sherman Alexie, Tao Lin, Travis Jeppesen, and Andrew Sullivan.

"Stranger" ombudsman A. Birch Steen writes acerbic criticism of the paper. He is billed a former member of the OSHA Board of Governors, but is likely a fictional character. The name is an anagram of "Steinbacher", as in Bradley Steinbacher, the paper's Managing Editor since 2003. Steen's harsh critiques, originally appearing on the inside of the back page, now appears above the table of contents and online in a weekly column ("The Stranger: A Critical Overview").

Comics

"The Stranger" has published original comics, illustrations, or graphic art by such notable cartoonists as Tony Millionaire, Peter Bagge, Ellen Forney, Megan Kelso, Al Columbia, Chris Ware, R. Crumb, Jim Woodring, and K. Thor Jensen. In addition, it was the only major Seattle paper to run any of the "Jyllands-Posten" Muhammad cartoons: four of them were used to illustrate an article by Bruce Bawer about the controversy.

Awards programs

Since 2003, in association with the cigarette company Lucky Strike, and later the antismoking arts organization Art Patch, the newspaper has awarded the annual Stranger Genius Awards to four Seattle-area individuals and one Seattle-area arts organization. Besides the recognition, each winner receives a $5000 cash award and a cake. [Christopher Frizzelle, [http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=91117 2006 Stranger Genius Awards] , "The Stranger", October 19 - October 25, 2006. p. 25. Related articles p. 25–44. Accessed 19 October 2006.]

The HUMP! (film festival) provides a venue and awards for home movie erotica. Founded in 2005 by Dan Savage, Hump has since become an annual event that has gained international condemnation from religious fundamentalists allied with second wave feminists.

ee also

*"The Portland Mercury", a spin-off based in Portland, Oregon.
*Mistress Matisse writes a regular column, "The Control Tower", about polyamory, kink and the BDSM culture at large.

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.thestranger.com Official site]
* [http://www.seattlewiki.org/wiki/The_Stranger "The Stranger"] on SeattleWiki.