Missoula Independent staff want to launch paper

Lee Enterprises shut down the alternative weekly paper Missoula Independent in September. Now a group of former reporters, writers, and editors from the paper are looking to launch a new paper, KPAX of Missoula reports. 

The area community has been an inspiration in getting the group to move on the idea, one of the people involved in the effort told the TV station.

“Just having the experience of people being so supportive has been sort of overwhelming but in a good way,” says Erika Fredrickson, former arts editor at the Indy. 

Along with the Indy, Lee also shuttered Montana Magazine.

The group held a session at a local art gallery Oct. 11 to discuss their plans with the community, Montana Public Radio reported. 

A new paper would not be a copy of the Indy, said Derek Brouwer, a former reporter for the Indy.

Anyone who wants to express support or has ideas for the group can email missoulajournalism@gmail.com.

Meanwhile, Sarah Aswell, who contributed to the Indy for years as a freelancer, has launched The Missoula Tempo through Medium.com. 

She and other volunteer staff provide articles on area arts, as the Indy’s art section did, the University of Montana’s Montana Kaimin reports.

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