Carrboro Free Press goes cooperative

The Carrboro Free Press, a free weekly paper, is becoming a cooperative.

On its blog, the paper, sort of a “zine,” announces it is being sold by the current publisher, AEA Media, to West Main Press.

The Carrboro Free Press (CFP) has put out 82 issues since debuting in October 2007. In March it added The Distillery, a monthly arts and literature supplement.

“I believe that the recent macro-corporate newspaper model has led to the overall corruption and decline of the newspaper industry,” founder Ashley Atkins said on the blog. [personal aside: ouch!] “Something radical must happen, but the answer is more involved than a sweeping transition to online-only publications. This is the perfect opportunity to try something completely innovative with the community journalism model: make Carrboro Free Press a cooperative.”

The CFP Co-op is currently governed by a five-member Board of Directors. Annual memberships are available with benefits including voting power, free annual content contribution and discounts on advertising. The first membership drive event will be held June 19 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Open Eye Café. Personal memberships are $40; professional memberships are $100.

Read more here.