When I first moved to Austin, I definitely got hooked on the Austin Chronicle and even said, if they had more comics with TV listings, you don’t need to buy the pro-Cancer (aka “Growth”) rag know as the Austin American-Statesman, a sad excuse of a daily paper. The Statesman is hardly a newspaper, it’s just another Monopoly board piece for a shitty, greedy hedge fund.
Times have changed though. The Internet exploded from its infancy in 1994 and I’m glad the weekly is rolling with it. I continue to pick up a physical copy out of habit in pro-COVID times. Now I’m getting accustomed to the e-mail alerts to push me toward their site to read the larger stories. It used to be movie and concert listings. No more need. I only go to Alamo, so their site has me covered. Ditto for the concert venues. I was never a fan of their film reviews since I find their tastes pretentious and lopsided on certain variables.
Personally, I’m surprised they didn’t file for bankruptcy when this former co-worker I knew from the dorm joined their staff. She (remaining nameless) was a lazy, piece of shit, lying thief who embezzled from the workplace. However, I’m confident she plays her “minority” status as cover for having a broken moral compass.
Back to why I do enjoy the Chronicle.
They do more for the community than other publications and they’re more transparent. One element happens to be political endorsements, something the dying newspaper business has been dodging. With them, who are they crappin’? We know the “publishers” want the Republicans and the NeoLiberals, the assholes who made their flagging empires possible in the past. The Chronicle leaning to the left isn’t a surprise. They just make a better argument and even when they’re conflicted, they’ve said so. A great example about a decade ago was the city-wide smoking ban. At first they endorsed “for/pro,” with all the health concerns, litter and overall quality of life. They followed with why they were torn and elaborated on the “against” point: some staffers still smoke, smoking goes hand in hand with drinking and the lame claim of “my lungs, my choice.” Too bad the “against” stance forgot how smoking creeps into everyone else’s lungs and belongings. As I say with ammosexuals, the right to wave your fist around ends where my nose begins; and your cancer cloud doesn’t abide any more than bullets.
Enough about the Chronicle‘s politics. They do story-writing contests. They have polls on what’s the best whatever in Austin. I believe they were instrumental in creating SXSW…for better or worse. They make recommendations for day trips. They’re always welcoming to new restaurants and bars.
They may only be 40 today but they’re very much a cornerstone of Austin as they outlasted at least two competitors that tried to step on their turf. In 1994, the Statesman had a comically awful attempt called the XL Section every Thursday (same day as the Chronicle) or was it Friday? It died a few years later. Sadly, The Onion had a printed edition but this was a serious mis-step 10 years ago; a clear majority of their readers are on online so they were squeezed out for the evaporating ad money.
Congratulations! May you continue for another 40 years in whatever medium is the flavor du jour should I be 93. Most of all, I hope you’re around to cover and hold a Democratic Governor’s feet to the fire. We all know, the Republicans couldn’t give a crap unless you were a Koch brother.