New Corrales Comment owner Pat Davis. (courtesy photo)
The Corrales Comment has been sold to Albuquerque city councilor and newspaper publisher, Pat Davis.
Owner and founder Jeff Radford, a journalistic icon in Corrales, has retired after 40 years in the business. Under Radford’s direction, the newspaper provided village residents a local, independent news source since 1982.
Whether it was a recap of a city council meeting, a photo spread of the Harvest Festival, or an in-depth examination of water issues, the comment kept residents current on village activities.
Davis declined to disclose the purchase price.
Because he’s a councilman, Davis said he will remain in Albuquerque and oversee the Comment’s operation from there.
Asked how he will ensure the paper reflects the village’s concerns when he’s not living in Corrales, Davis says he plans on changing very little about the newspaper. The paper will continue to be published twice a month. Its slogan: “Reporting As If Democracy Matters. Since 1982” will remain, as will many of the paper’s current employees.
Retaining current employees will help ensure the Comment has the same feel and focus as he ushers in the paper’s newest chapter, Davis said.
“[W]e have extended offers to all 3 employees and 6 regular contributors to stay on,” Davis said. “They have until the end of the month to decide, but verbally all have agreed to stay.”
Radford himself will stick around, at least for a while, and continue to cover the city council, Davis said.
Local, independent newspapers, such as the Comment, are important to Davis, as they can provide balance and an alternative point-of-view to mainstream media.
“Democracy exists in its finest form in late night village council meetings and small businesses live or die by the customers they meet on the back pages of local papers,” Davis said. “Too many local communities have lost both when their paper died. I’m lucky enough to have the ability to help the Comment avoid the fate of a big corporate buy out or closure. I’m honored that Jeff has entrusted us with his 40-year legacy and it is my sincerest hope that we can help the Comment and the village live up to his high standards another 40 years.”
In 2020, after a deal to buy the independent Alibi fell through, he launched Albuquerque’s newest independent newspaper, The Paper.
Wanting employees who had experience with alternative news reporting, Davis hired many of the Alibi’s employees to work on The Paper, and to ensure the new paper was natural successor to the Alibi.
The next edition of the Comment and first under its new owner will come out in early July.
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