Memphis Flyer

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Alternative newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee

title: "Memphis Flyer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["newspapers-published-in-memphis,-tennessee", "newspapers-established-in-1989", "alternative-weekly-newspapers-published-in-the-united-states"] description: "Alternative newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis_Flyer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Alternative newspaper in Memphis, Tennessee ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox newspaper"]

Field	Value
name	Memphis Flyer
image	Memphis_Flyer_newspaper_dispenser_Memphis_TN_2012-07-21_001.jpg
caption	Memphis Flyer newspaper dispenser
at the University of Memphis
type	Alternative weekly
format	Compact
staff_writers	Michael Donahue, Jon W. Sparks
founded	February 14, 1989
owners	Contemporary Media, Inc.
founder	Kenneth Neill
publisher	Contemporary Media, Inc.
editor	Shara Clark
associate_editor	Toby Sells
managing_editor	Samuel X. Cicci
language	English
publishing_country	United States of America
headquarters	65 Union Avenue, 2nd Floor
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
United States
publishing_city	Memphis, TN
sister_newspapers	Memphis Magazine
oclc	57010949
website
free	https://issuu.com/contemporarymedia/stacks/fc48c538ed954050beb06a48c4948f60
::

The Memphis Flyer is a free weekly alternative newspaper serving the greater Memphis, Tennessee, area. The Flyer covers Memphis news, politics, music, entertainment, sports, food, and spirits.

The Flyer was founded February 14, 1989 by Kenneth Neill. The current editor is Shara Clark. She was preceded in the role by Jesse Davis, who took over for Bruce VanWyngarden, the editor of the flyer from 2001-2021, on May 12, 2021.

The Flyer is a publication of Contemporary Media, Inc. which also publishes Memphis Magazine, Memphis Parent, and Inside Memphis Business. The current CEO of Contemporary Media is Anna Traverse Fogle.

The Memphis Flyer is distributed throughout the Mid-South on Wednesday morning. The Flyer touts that they have 600-plus distribution points. (see External Links) The paper touts that it has more than 222,000 regular readers. Exact circulation numbers are unclear.

Traditionally, free publications have used advertisements in order to pay for their publications. With alt-weeklies, that often meant running ads from risqué sources, sometimes including paid escorts. In a 2003 interview, VanWyngarden stated that the Flyer began refusing ads from anyone who was not a "legally licensed business" by the mid 1990s.

In October 2019, Kroger stores stopped allowing free newspapers and magazines to be distributed via their stores. Nationwide, they removed the racks and informed the publications of the change. The Flyer reported at the time that they moved 9,000 papers weekly through Kroger stores alone.

During COVID-19, the Flyer changed to bi-weekly circulation. "We will print the April 2nd issue of the Flyer. Our next print issue after April 2nd will be April 16th, and we will proceed on a biweekly schedule thereafter. We plan to reevaluate our status and the community’s status in June, and to consider ramping back up to a weekly schedule at that time." While cutting back on its circulation, the paper worked to help keep local artists afloat by creating a coloring book campaign. The proceeds were split equally between the contributing artists and the Flyer. The initiative was popular enough to be continued in 2021, but it does not appear to have carried forward.

The Flyer's website, Memphisflyer.com, features daily posts of local news, politics, music, food, and entertainment. Content from the ''Flyer'''s weekly print edition is posted on Thursday morning. Back issues for the prior year can be viewed via issuu (see External Links).

References

"Local Newspapers {{!}} Shelby County, TN - Official Website".
Finlayson, Rebecca. (2008). "Insiders' Guide to Memphis". [[Globe Pequot]].
Neill, Kenneth. (2019-07-25). "A Brave New World — And the Memphis Flyer Jumped Right Into It 30 Years Ago {{!}} Time will tell how much Memphians still care about local journalism.". Memphis Magazine.
"Memphis Flyer". Library of Congress.
Traverse Fogle, Anna. (2022-11-02). "Announcing Several Flyer Promotions {{!}} Say hello to Shara Clark, the new editor of the Memphis Flyer.". Memphis Flyer.
Traverse Fogle, Anna. (2021-05-12). "The Memphis Flyer Announces Its New Editor". Memphis Flyer.
Burnham, Maria. (2010-08-16). "Magazine Keeps Emphasis On 'Business'". Memphis Daily News.
"Anna Traverse Fogle {{!}} LinkedIn".
Tilleros, Holly. (2021-04-23). "From Harvard to Home: Anna Traverse Fogle Shares Her Professional Journey".
Schaffer, Sarah. "Alt-weeklies Play Hard to Get with Adult Ads". [[American Journalism Review]].
Ellis, Susan. (2019-08-23). "Kroger to remove free magazines, newspapers from its stores". Memphis Business Journal.
(2020-03-30). "Memphis Flyer moving to biweekly print publication". Daily Memphian.
Traverse Fogle, Anna. (2020-03-30). "Flyer to Print Bi-Weekly, Offers Home Delivery". Memphis Flyer.
"Memphis Flyer Coloring Book".
Traverse Fogle, Anna. (2021-05-31). "Call for Artists: The Second Annual Memphis Flyer Coloring Book". Memphis Flyer.

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