The struggling Village Voice has tapped Will Bourne, who has a long background in finance and tech journalism, to be editor of the nation’s oldest alternative weekly.
Bourne was most recently an editor-at-large at Inc. Magazine and before that, executive editor of Fast Company from 2005 to 2010.
He replaces Tony Ortega, who oversaw several rounds of layoffs before his departure in September.
“Even if [Bourne] is the greatest thing since sliced bread, he still has to have editorial freedom,” said one former staffer. “The question will be: What is his budget? Will they let him hire and build it up?”
Bourne could not be reached for comment.
Ortega decamped just days before a management-led group, including CEO Scott Tobias and Executive Editor Christine Brennan, purchased the Voice and 11 other weeklies to form a new company, Voice Media Group.
A controversial sex ad site, Backpage.com, which critics said promoted sex trafficking, stayed with the old owners, who are based in Phoenix.