Black & White

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Black & White cover.jpg

Black & White, "Birmingham's City Paper" was a bi-weekly alternative newspaper in print from 1992 to 2013. It was published by advertising executive Chuck Geiss and edited by Kerry Echols. The paper, distributed for free in the Birmingham area, was based on the Chicago Reader and the L.A. Weekly. It primarily covered entertainment and leisure, with some coverage of politics, local news and sports, along with commentary. The paper claimed more than 90,000 regular readers, based on an assumption that each copy published was read by three individuals.

Black & White's editorial offices were located at 2210 2nd Avenue North. Geiss and investor Bill Mudd, husband of executive editor Alison Nichols, purchased the 7,000 square foot building from architect Tammy Cohen in 2005. Prior to the move, the newspaper was based at 1312 20th Street South for 11 years. The paper spent its first two years at Dr Pepper Place.

The staff of Black & White included executive editor Alison Nichols, sales manager John Montgomery, associate editor David Pelfrey, and staff writers Paul Brantley, Christina Crowe, and Ed Reynolds. Other regular contributors included Christopher Denny, Bart Grooms and J. R. Taylor.

The design of Black & White was notable. It was published in an oversize tabloid format with four-color covers usually reproducing the work of local or regional artists. Early in its publication history, the art directors worked with advertisers to create unique advertising panels for the paper — often using public-domain engraved illustrations from the 19th century. Although that practice was phased out, the paper continued to take pride in its clean, organized graphic design.

Black & White evolved to distinguish itself from Birmingham's other alternative newspapers, Weld For Birmingham and Birmingham Weekly, by featuring syndicated opinion pieces from conservative national columnists such as Charles Krauthammer, Jeff Jacoby, Michelle Malkin, Mark Steyn and Ann Coulter.

Publisher Chuck Geiss' columns and reports about the investigation of Natalee Holloway's disappearance were widely cited during the national frenzy of media attention on that case.

In the January 10, 2013 edition, Geiss announced the paper would be suspending operations with plans to retool and relaunch later that year. Geiss died that September and the publication did not return.

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