And Then There Were None

Just when you thought that the alt media couldn't get anymore corporate, it goes and swallows more of its own. It was [just announced] that Creative Loafing Inc. acquired longtime independent papers, [Chicago Reader](www.chicagoreader.com) and [Washington City Paper](www.washingtoncitypaper.com). It's a surprise to some of us since there had been major rumblings that [Creative Loafing](www.creativeloafing.com) (which owns its flagship paper in Atlanta along with papers in Tampa, Sarasota and Charlotte, NC) was in financial straits and would be gobbled up by one of the altweekly behemoths (full disclosure: I used to work at the Atlanta Creative Loafing). Now they go and glom on to two others. The deal also involves the acquisition of the "[Straight Dope](www.straightdope.com)" column so they can further their move into more electronic markets. In a time of fewer and fewer independent voices, we wonder how long it is before the alt media all joins into one big circle jerk.