Portland Mercury Explained

Portland Mercury
Type:Alternative bi-weekly
Format:Tabloid
Foundation:June 2000
Owners:Brady Walkinshaw
Publisher:Rob Thompson
Editor:Wm. Steven Humphrey
Language:English
Circulation:45,000
Circulation Date:June 2014
Circulation Ref:[1]
Headquarters:115 SW Ash St., Suite 600
Portland, OR 97204
USA

Portland Mercury is an alternative bi-weekly newspaper and media company founded in 2000 in Portland, Oregon. It has a sibling publication in Seattle, Washington, called The Stranger.[2]

History

A prior version of The Mercury was published from 1869 and into the 1930s. The current Portland Mercury launched in June 2000.[3] The paper describes their readership as "affluent urbanites in their 20s and 30s."[4] Its long-running rivalry with Willamette Week began before its first issue was even printed when Willamette Week publisher Richard Meeker asked a Portland law firm to pay $10 to register the Mercury name with Oregon's Corporation Division, thus preventing it from being used for 120 days.[5]

As of 2020, the newspaper's revenue was almost entirely dependent on advertising and sales of tickets for events and concerts with nearly 95% of its revenue coming from advertisements.[6] [7]

Former managing editor Phil Busse's controversial tenure included charges of plagiarism, a favorable review for a restaurant that hadn't yet opened, a bid for mayor, and a cover featuring him wearing women's underwear, dollops of whipped cream, and a hard hat.[8] Shrill, a television series based on Seattle-based writer Lindy West’s memoir and essay collection of the same name, was inspired by The Stranger and Portland Mercury and starred actress Aidy Bryant.[9] The paper has also published articles and columns written by Chuck Palahniuk and Dan Savage.[10] [11]

Portland Mercurys print edition was published weekly until fall 2018[12] when it changed to bi-weekly beginning with the issue released on September 13, 2018.[13] Its name as displayed on the nameplate was shortened to just Mercury as well.[12] [14]

On March 14, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the paper temporarily suspended print publication and switched to online only.[15] In addition, it laid off 10 employees, which comprised half of the publication's staff.[16] [17] A special newsstand edition, titled 'Say Nice Things About Portland: A Manifesto,' was released in May 2023. It was Portland Mercurys first print publication since the beginning of the pandemic.[18]

In July 2024, the paper, along with the related The Stranger were sold by Index Media to Noisy Creek, a media company founded by Brady Walkinshaw.[19]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Portland Mercury . April 19, 2019 . .
  2. Web site: How Alternative Weeklies Are Weathering The Pandemic. Meza. Claudia. March 17, 2020. Oregon Public Broadcasting. en. 2020-04-27. the Mercury and its Seattle sister paper, The Stranger.
  3. News: The Triumphant Return of The Mercury. Humphrey. Wm. Steven. June 1, 2000. Portland Mercury. April 19, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20081115064158/https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/the-triumphant-return-of-the-mercury/Content?oid=22163. November 15, 2008. live.
  4. Web site: Ad-info. Mercury readers are affluent urbanites in their 20s and 30s with impressive disposable incomes and an appetite for everything the city has to offer..
  5. News: No welcome mat for this Stranger. Brenneman. Kristina. April 9, 2000. Portland Business Journal. October 17, 2020.
  6. Web site: How Alternative Weeklies Are Weathering The Pandemic. Meza. Claudia. March 17, 2020. www.opb.org. en. 2020-04-29.
  7. Web site: Portland Mercury Halts Print Editions Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns. Mesh. Aaron. March 14, 2020. Willamette Week. en-US. 2020-04-29.
  8. Web site: Butler. Grant. April 3, 2009. White Bird hires controversial Phil Busse as general manager. October 17, 2020.
  9. Web site: Portland-filmed 'Shrill' renewed for Season 3 on Hulu. March 31, 2018. October 17, 2020.
  10. News: Chuck Palahniuk Article Archive. Palahniuk. Chuck. Portland Mercury. October 17, 2020.
  11. News: Dan Savage Article Archive. Savage. Dan. Portland Mercury. October 17, 2020.
  12. News: Gormley. Shannon. Starting This Fall, The Portland Mercury Will Publish a Paper Every Other Week. May 24, 2018. Willamette Week. October 12, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190415091704/https://www.wweek.com/news/2018/05/24/starting-this-fall-the-portland-mercury-will-publish-a-paper-every-other-week/ . April 15, 2019. live.
  13. News: Humphrey . Wm. Steven . Good Morning, News: Merkley Spills the Tea, GOP in Serious November Trouble, and the New Biweekly Mercury . October 12, 2019 . Portland Mercury . September 12, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190124094308/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2018/09/12/22816783/good-morning-news-merkley-spills-the-tea-gop-in-serious-november-trouble-and-the-new-biweekly-mercury . January 24, 2019 . live.
  14. Web site: Portland Mercury, News, Entertainment, Trouble. https://web.archive.org/web/20180913184326/https://www.portlandmercury.com/. dead. September 13, 2018. September 13, 2018. April 15, 2019.
  15. Web site: The Mercury Is Temporarily Switching to Online Only. Portland Mercury. en. 2020-04-16.
  16. Web site: Portland Mercury temporarily cuts 10 staff, will publish online only. Davis. Rob. 2020-03-14. oregonlive. en. 2020-04-26.
  17. Web site: Coronavirus woes causing cutbacks at Portland Mercury. March 14, 2020. Portland Tribune. 2020-04-28.
  18. Web site: Say Nice Things About Portland: A Manifesto. 2020-05-17. Portland Mercury. en. 2023-06-15.
  19. News: Robertson . Katie . 2024-07-30 . The Stranger in Seattle Gets a New Owner, With Plans for Expansion . 2024-07-30 . The New York Times . en-US . 0362-4331.

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