Memphis Flyer

{{Short description|Alternative newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee}}

{{Infobox newspaper

| name = Memphis Flyer

| image = Memphis_Flyer_newspaper_dispenser_Memphis_TN_2012-07-21_001.jpg

| caption = Memphis Flyer newspaper dispenser
at the University of Memphis

| type = Alternative weekly

| format = Compact

| staff = Michael Donahue, Jon W. Sparks

| foundation = February 14, 1989

| owners = Contemporary Media, Inc.

| founder = Kenneth Neill

| publisher = Contemporary Media, Inc.

| editor = Shara Clark

| assoceditor = Toby Sells

| maneditor = Samuel X. Cicci

| language = English

| publishing_country = United States of America

| headquarters = 65 Union Avenue, 2nd Floor
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
United States

| publishing_city = Memphis, TN

| sister newspapers = Memphis Magazine

| oclc = 57010949

| website = {{URL|memphisflyer.com}}

| free = https://issuu.com/contemporarymedia/stacks/fc48c538ed954050beb06a48c4948f60

}}

The Memphis Flyer is a free weekly alternative newspaper serving the greater Memphis, Tennessee, area.{{Cite web |title=Local Newspapers {{!}} Shelby County, TN - Official Website |url=https://www.shelbycountytn.gov/1242/Local-Newspapers |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=www.shelbycountytn.gov}} The Flyer covers Memphis news, politics, music, entertainment, sports, food, and spirits.{{cite book |last=Finlayson |first=Rebecca |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DLe1DQAAQBAJ&dq=memphis+flyer+print+circulation&pg=PA277 |title=Insiders' Guide to Memphis |publisher=Globe Pequot |year=2008 |isbn=9780762748662 |edition=4th |page=277 |language=en-US}}

The Flyer was founded February 14, 1989{{Cite news |last=Neill |first=Kenneth |date=2019-07-25 |title=A Brave New World — And the Memphis Flyer Jumped Right Into It 30 Years Ago {{!}} Time will tell how much Memphians still care about local journalism. |work=Memphis Magazine |url=https://memphismagazine.com/features/columns/brave-new-world-and-the-memphis-flyer-jumped-right-into-it-3/ |access-date=2023-07-19}}{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=Memphis Flyer |work=Library of Congress |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn2004062303/ |access-date=2023-12-26}} by Kenneth Neill. The current editor is Shara Clark.{{Cite news |last=Traverse Fogle |first=Anna |date=2022-11-02 |title=Announcing Several Flyer Promotions {{!}} Say hello to Shara Clark, the new editor of the Memphis Flyer. |work=Memphis Flyer |url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/announcing-several-flyer-promotions |access-date=2023-07-19}} She was preceded in the role by Jesse Davis, who took over for Bruce VanWyngarden, the editor of the flyer from 2001-2021, on May 12, 2021.{{Cite news |last=Traverse Fogle |first=Anna |date=2021-05-12 |title=The Memphis Flyer Announces Its New Editor |work=Memphis Flyer |url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/the-memphis-flyer-announces-its-new-editor |access-date=2023-07-19}}

The Flyer is a publication of Contemporary Media, Inc. which also publishes Memphis Magazine,{{Cite news |last=Burnham |first=Maria |date=2010-08-16 |title=Magazine Keeps Emphasis On 'Business' |work=Memphis Daily News |url=https://www.memphisdailynews.com/news/2010/aug/16/magazine-keeps-emphasis-on-business/ |access-date=2023-07-19}} Memphis Parent, and Inside Memphis Business. The current CEO of Contemporary Media is Anna Traverse Fogle.{{Cite web |title=Anna Traverse Fogle {{!}} LinkedIn |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-traverse-fogle-74ab6061 |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=LinkedIn}}{{Cite web |last=Tilleros |first=Holly |date=2021-04-23 |title=From Harvard to Home: Anna Traverse Fogle Shares Her Professional Journey |url=https://colliervillechamber.com/from-harvard-to-home-anna-traverse-fogle-shares-her-professional-journey/ |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=Collierville Chamber of Commerce |language=en-US}}

The Memphis Flyer is distributed throughout the Mid-South on Wednesday morning. The Flyer touts that they have 600-plus distribution points. (see External Links) The paper touts that it has more than 222,000 regular readers. Exact circulation numbers are unclear.

Traditionally, free publications have used advertisements in order to pay for their publications. With alt-weeklies, that often meant running ads from risqué sources, sometimes including paid escorts. In a 2003 interview, VanWyngarden stated that the Flyer began refusing ads from anyone who was not a "legally licensed business" by the mid 1990s.{{Cite journal |last=Schaffer |first=Sarah |orig-date=Jan/Feb 2003 |title=Alt-weeklies Play Hard to Get with Adult Ads |url=https://ajrarchive.org/article.asp?id=2762 |journal=American Journalism Review |volume=25 |issue=1 |pages=16}}

In October 2019, Kroger stores stopped allowing free newspapers and magazines to be distributed via their stores. Nationwide, they removed the racks and informed the publications of the change. The Flyer reported at the time that they moved 9,000 papers weekly through Kroger stores alone.{{Cite news |last=Ellis |first=Susan |date=2019-08-23 |title=Kroger to remove free magazines, newspapers from its stores |work=Memphis Business Journal |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/news/2019/08/23/kroger-to-remove-free-magazines-newspapers-from.html |access-date=2023-07-19}}

During COVID-19, the Flyer changed to bi-weekly circulation.{{Cite news |date=2020-03-30 |title=Memphis Flyer moving to biweekly print publication |work=Daily Memphian |url=https://dailymemphian.com/article/12397/memphis-flyer-moving-to-biweekly-print-publication?streamId=12355 |access-date=2023-07-19}} "We will print the April 2nd issue of the Flyer. Our next print issue after April 2nd will be April 16th, and we will proceed on a biweekly schedule thereafter. We plan to reevaluate our status and the community’s status in June, and to consider ramping back up to a weekly schedule at that time."{{Cite news |last=Traverse Fogle |first=Anna |date=2020-03-30 |title=Flyer to Print Bi-Weekly, Offers Home Delivery |work=Memphis Flyer |url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/flyer-to-print-bi-weekly-offers-home-delivery |access-date=2023-07-19}} While cutting back on its circulation, the paper worked to help keep local artists afloat by creating a coloring book campaign. The proceeds were split equally between the contributing artists and the Flyer.{{Cite web |title=Memphis Flyer Coloring Book |url=https://memphismagazinestore.com/products/memphis-flyer-coloring-book |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=Memphis: The City Magazine {{!}} Store}} The initiative was popular enough to be continued in 2021,{{Cite news |last=Traverse Fogle |first=Anna |date=2021-05-31 |title=Call for Artists: The Second Annual Memphis Flyer Coloring Book |work=Memphis Flyer |url=https://www.memphisflyer.com/call-for-artists-the-second-annual-memphis-flyer-coloring-book |access-date=2023-07-19}} but it does not appear to have carried forward.

The Flyer's website, Memphisflyer.com, features daily posts of local news, politics, music, food, and entertainment. Content from the Flyer's weekly print edition is posted on Thursday morning. Back issues for the prior year can be viewed via issuu (see External Links).