Eric LaFontaine, CEO of the fledgling Eastside Media Corp. (EMC), has gotta be beyond busy these days!
Since co-founding EMC in early 2019, with the aim of bringing a new daily newspaper, accompanied by a heavy digital component, to the Eastside, LaFontaine has taken a number of side steps.
They began with his acquisition of the Woodinville Weekly, founded in 1976 by Carol Edwards, in July 2019. The circulation at that time was estimated at 30,000. LaFontaine has since converted to a subscription-based circulation model that has substantially reduced the circulation figure.
In the May 27 issue of the Weekly, LaFontaine announced EMC’s acquisition of the quarterly OutdoorsNW magazine, founded by Carolyn Price in 1988. You can read that story here. Price will continue to write for the publication.
And a couple of issues ago, LaFontaine announced plans to publish Woodinville Magazine this July, in partnership with Woodinville Wine Country and the Woodinville Chamber of Commerce. One issue is planned this year and two next year.
Finally, LaFontaine will be facing direct competition when the new Northshore News begins weekly publication on June 16, with a free circulation of 15,000 in the Woodinville, Bothell and Kenmore areas. The News publisher is Bob Kirkpatrick, formerly managing editor of the Weekly.
Beyond busy, indeed!