The Freep Online

CARRBORO FREE PRESS BUCKS LENDING TREND AND GOES CO-OP

CARRBORO, NC, May 25, 2009—

Carrboro Free Press, a weekly community newspaper, recently announced that it is becoming a cooperative. The heretofore privately owned publication, affectionately known as “the Freep,” is being sold by the current publisher, AEA Media, to West Main Press.

Carrboro Free Press (CFP) debuted on October 10, 2007. After 20 months and 82 issues, circulation has increased by 150 percent, and original content has increased by more than 100 percent. In March of 2009, CFP introduced The Distillery, a monthly arts and literature supplement. Readers’ overwhelmingly positive and consistent response helped the new publishers see a possibility for a community ownership model.

“I believe that the recent macro-corporate newspaper model has led to the overall corruption and decline of the newspaper industry,” said CFP founder Ashley Atkins. “Something radical must happen, but the answer is more involved than a sweeping transition to online-only publications. This is the perfect opportunity to try something completely innovative with the community journalism model: make Carrboro Free Press a cooperative.”

The CFP Co-op is currently governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Annual memberships are available on personal and professional levels, with benefits including voting power, free annual content contribution and discounts on advertising. Annual memberships are available now. The first membership drive event will be held Friday, June 19, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Open Eye Café in Carrboro. Personal memberships are $40; professional memberships are $100.