Chicago Reader insiders, what's the deal with the redesign?

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Picked up a copy of the Reader for the first time in a few weeks, and whoa, it's all colorful and more Red Eye-like. Plus they got the non-inky paper for Section 1.

How long has this been in the works? Is the Reader trying to compete more with the "hip" Trib/Sun-Times 25 cent dailies?

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Saturday, 18 September 2004 02:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the idea of a tabloid wraparound front page, but this first stab at it is just badly designed. I think goos things will be done with it eventually, but this week is kinda half-assed.

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 18 September 2004 02:55 (twenty-one years ago)

more Red Eye-like

Bite your tongue!

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 18 September 2004 02:59 (twenty-one years ago)

It is crazy!!

Unfortunately, I don't think any of the Reader staff (Sterzinger/Nemtusak/Bayne) post here anymore. :(

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I did have a fun conversation a couple months back with a Reader copyeditor (coincidentally, Ira Gl@ss's gf), who gave me lots of dish on music critics there.

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Ooh... I got lots of that from Ann, too. Convinced me not to work for the reader, it did.

Then again, since Ann doesn't post here anymore I can safely say that she's crazy and her opinions are a little suspect.

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:47 (twenty-one years ago)

She still posts on ILB, I think!

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:51 (twenty-one years ago)

nonsensically.

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I say this now because as of tomorrow, I move out of her neighborhood and am not likely to randomly run into her again.

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

How's the packing going?

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 18 September 2004 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I am packing right now. I am NOT posting on ILE.

― Tonight at ten (kenan), Saturday, 18 September 2004 05:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Uh-huh.

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 18 September 2004 05:16 (twenty-one years ago)

At least Liz Armstrong will still be able to write about bands of young 20-somethings who wear goofy masks and play "confrontational" music with their homemade instruments.

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:32 (twenty-one years ago)

ann posts on ILB : /

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

haha

xpost

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:44 (twenty-one years ago)

i think all my posts to ilx in the future will read:

haha

xpost

-- amateur!!!st (---...) (webmail), September 18th, 2004 2:44 PM. (amateurist) (later) (link)

― amateur!!!st (amateurist), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I believe in 1 out of 8 x-posts.

― cºzen (Cozen), Saturday, 18 September 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I too have heard a bit of dirt about Reader writers (one likes to be peed on! one can never get the xerox to work!) but only know that the redesign has been in the works for a while...
Liz Armstrong's coverage of the Vice mag party in the inaugural color ish was a sort of milestone for her, I think.

― anon., Sunday, 19 September 2004 07:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Chicago ain't that large. I mean, compared to other cities.

― Kerry (dymaxia), Sunday, 19 September 2004 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Is the Reader trying to compete more with the "hip" Trib/Sun-Times 25 cent dailies?

I'd guess it's them preparing to compete with Time Out Chicago.

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Monday, 20 September 2004 03:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Bingo.

― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 20 September 2004 04:01 (twenty-one years ago)

twenty-one years pass...

I've been late catching up with the ups and downs of the Reader, but I didn't know it had become a monthly until now. With arts coverage, does this translate to 1/4 of the reviews and features they used to do, or is this mitigated by larger issues that publish more of them?

― birdistheword, Saturday, 28 February 2026 19:02 (three months ago)

I believe February was the first monthly issue

― jaymc, Saturday, 28 February 2026 23:17 (three months ago)

Liz Armstrong's coverage of the Vice mag party in the inaugural color ish was a sort of milestone for her, I think.
― anon., Sunday, September 19, 2004 7:17 AM (twenty-one years ago) bookmarkflaglink

Ah yes, Spending the weekend with Vice magazine’s Gavin McInnes

― Come On, (Eazy), Saturday, 28 February 2026 23:47 (three months ago)

(not a complimentary "ah yes" but boy if that is not a snapshot of a 2004 scene that I steered clear of even back then)

― Come On, (Eazy), Saturday, 28 February 2026 23:50 (three months ago)

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