I'm not sure why I've never thought to review Columbus Underground. I mean... they're a local…read morebusiness -- and a damn fine one too. Maybe it's because it's something virtual? Anywho... moving on. I think back to when I first moved to Columbus a decade ago and what really made me fall in love with the city and decide to call it home. Two things: Yelp (for real, not a plug) and Columbus Underground. Since this isn't a review for Yelp, I'll stick with CU for now. CU is my favorite local website because it's everything I love -- tons of heart, positive and uplifting, and really scrappy. Scrappy is good, I swear. If you want to know anything that's going on in the city, you can find it here. I feel like so many news media outlets are simply wrap-ups or summaries of what has already happened, but CU is more about the cool things that are *about* to happen. They're always on the cusp of the next big thing. Or the next small thing. I love that CU doesn't just focus on the big, mega-popular happenings -- they also give lots of love to the small, scrappies of Columbus. Want to know about a tiny new bakery in Hilliard? They'll feature it. Or how about a social entrepreneur who's trying to make the city better? Yep, CU will tell you all about it. One last thing I heart about Columbus Underground -- the people. Every single person I've interacted with at CU has been wonderful. They take pride in their work and are all passionate about the city. You can feel their Columbus love.

Columbus Underground is the 411 for the 614. The best online news source, and probably the best…read moreplace to receive what's going on when planning a weekend out, like the Other Paper used to be, and Alive tries. But it is more than just that. CU is a cheerleader for urban living and development, leading the charge for livable downtown and increase density, sometimes to a fault. They are pro-future, pushing for modern public transportation--trains and light-rail--that so far alludes the city. They are on top of every development projects, at work and proposed, in town. Solid objective news stories offered here often beats the Dispatch to the punch, and are written in a high professional manner. Colorful writing also exist here: reviews of restaurants, art, and events are top notch and sophisticated. The website has a forum that often carry interesting conversation of local and national issues. The messageboard conversations are often intelligent and generally free of trolling. I love accessing them through may facebook feed where they post important stories. They do short shift covering stories of the non-professionals, the poor, and underclass--the under privaledge whose suffering the darkside if gentrification is often handwaved by the editors. Sometimes they are tone deaf to issues of preservation and community flavor in their zest to promote modern change, and seem to have a pro-developer biases even in hard news articles. This is its one-star mark I have against them. Otherwise, I love their pro-urbanization stance, their citywide coverage, and their great well written reviews.

First off thank you Nicole W. for reminding me about this great FREE! publication that I now miss…read moreand want to read again. I picked it up every thursday at myu local grocery stores but also at bookstores, bars or restaurants downtown. Its written well, easygoing and fun, not too stuffy, like I like my newspapers, covering any and everything going on in the area that week. Always a good inspiration for weekend fun ideas, great paper!

I'm a big fan of Columbus Alive. It seems like you see the crew out everywhere, and everyone there…read moreis so young. They give interns a shot, and they hire young writers. It's tough finding a good gig like this when you're young. Kudos to Alive for taking chances on young talent. That aside, Alive is a good read too. The staff seems to be up on all the current events. I like that they cover entertainment, fashions, food, everything every week. My favorite section is the weekly question, which is answered by the staff and by people on the street. The questions are usually fairly bizarre and have hilarious answers. This week: What's your favorite Italian export? Someone answered 'Giada De Laurentiis.' Agreed! I was once caught by the team and asked where the worst place to go for a first date; I said the cemetery and made it into print! Celebrity status? Maybe not, but it was fun. My favorite issue of the year is the Best of Columbus. Everyone in the city votes on all their favorite stuff from best bathroom and best billboard ad to best gyro and best place for live jazz. This issue makes a terrific to-do list.

Horrible, horrible customer service. No way to reach a live person and chats are not helpful in…read moreresolving delivery issues. I have to go back and chat repeatedly to get a credit for a missed delivery. Our delivery person has no back-up, so when she is sick or has car trouble, we get no newspaper. I don't know how much longer I can put up with this nonsense.

The Columbus Dispatch used to be a respected and qulaity newpaper. It has become one of the worst…read morenewspaper currently being printed. Let's start with the quality of the editing. The Dispatch prints the same story multiple times in the paper almost daily...probably to just fill space. Then, they will print the same story multiple times in a week...again to fill space. The editing is also terrible. Many articles have spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. It looke like some of the reporters are still in elementarty school...and the editor is asleep on the job to allow the mistakes to happen. Now, let's talk content. The Dispatch is obviously an extreamly liberal newpaper and prints articles that I think few people actually read. The Dispatch constanly backs liberal elected officials and their agendas while constanly bashing the conservative officials. I would just ask the Dispatch to be more objective and not what they currenly are. Currently the only thing worth reading in the Dispatch is abou two or three comics.

No idea how long I've been listening to WCBE. 25 years? They were good then, and better now…read more Before I got satellite radio, they were my favorite, playing music and news during the day and the BBC at night. Now, they are still my favorite. The music is eclectic and amazing. Local people, foreign groups, national favorites. They even occasionally play my quirky faves like the Dead and Southern Culture on the Skids (and of course have the Dead Hour.) I mean, come on: jazz (if you're into that.) Blues. Rock. Country. Salsa. House. Reggae. Celtic. Really, anything you can think of, they will play it eventually, and probably have a specific show devoted to it. Staff have always been cool when I've called in with requests, questions, trying to win tickets (and they're always giving away tickets to great shows.) Also cool when I've met a few in person at their yard sales- you should check those out too, for music, computers, etc. News in the morning and evening. Car Talk and other goofiness on the weekends. Dance shows weekend nights. Interviews during the week (Fresh Air is a national treasure.) Even a cooking show. And, they hooked me on my favorite author with a show they used to have, Radio Reader. Community supported, community driven, community centered. Public radio in general is awesome, and we are lucky to have such a great example. Donate if you can, enjoy listening without commercials even if you can't give.

This radio station has real, live hosts who curate wide-ranging and creative playlists. WCBE is a…read moretreasure beyond measure and is one of the great jewels of the Columbus Ohio art scene.

The Short North Gazette is the ultimate chronicling agency in the Short North. For over twenty…read moreyears they've been pumping out detailed articles with corresponding pictures telling about every new business, every change in leadership, every district discussion, every everything. If you want to be in the know about the Short North, read the Gazette. Even better, if you need to go back in time to answer a question, use the Gazette's website. (Or just use it for fun; you'll learn a lot of interesting things.) The website has all the old articles, and though they're not 100% accurate, they're usually pretty close. Even when you do a Google search, the Gazette usually pops up between the first and third spot with an article. The website also has a great A-Z directory of businesses in the district. It's mostly up-to-date, and I like that they keep the addresses of old businesses on there for quite a while too or the old locations if a business moves. Sometimes that stuff comes in handy. The only bad things about the website are that the photos and info on the homepage don't change very often and the site itself has some pretty shoddy layout, but when you have a small staff, you don't have much time to focus your energy on a website. The hardcopy publication comes out once a month. I like the hardcopy print better just because I like being able to hold something tangible in my hands. I even like getting a little newsprint on me from time to time. But the web/hardcopy combo is helpful in many situations.

If you are in the neighborhood of the Short North and want to pick up a paper reflecting events…read morecurrently going on, but also want a feel for the history of this independently minded neighborhood, then you get all of that in the Short North Gazette.

It is easy to get the wrong idea about (614) (the parentheses are part of its name), the free…read moremagazine available monthly at various places in town; it is not a rag to discover what weekend events are happening, what band are playing where, nor will it get you free entry to a gouging strip club like say the extinct Other Paper did. Though they do have monthly schedules, smart phones have put an end to prints that specializes in only that. What it does, as magazines do, is publish feature articles; stories from a wider perspective and more in-depth than hard news. For me, its deeper coverage of Columbus' culture and goings-on is my feature writing supplement to columbusunderground hard info. Together I am out of the dark about the community's civic and cultural trends. The covers are always graphically and photographically eye-catching. They make the issues look glossy, an illusion as one touch reveals its lower grade paper stock, a fact not to be disparage for a free publication. Still the artistry of the illusion should be applauded; often with city landmarks transported behind animated avatars they appear like old super hero comics--the city behind rendered like Gotham. Their photos laid covers are just as well done. Articles are usually well written and edited, with various levels of sophistication and acumen, but never underserving; I appreciate the general artsy style here than the tranquilized tone of the Dispatch's Art Section The February 2016 addition is typical of what you will find every month: the story of a local musician battling back after break up of his former band due to a theft; an electrically written interview with the band Animal Collective; a look into the art competition involving the Arnold Sports Festival; A look at the annual Dude-a-thon at Studio 35; a look back at the NFL's roots in Columbus; and a great article viewing the benefits and challenges of the social enterprise model embarked by Hot Chicken Takeover and other businesses in town. Packed with info and interests, it was a joy to read. Ending each addition are short-short stories written by Columbus area writer showcasing the talent in town. (They also have poetry that I think misses, but I am picky about that art form.) I usually pick one up while eating after a long work week. It is a must for anyone interested in the city's culture.

There are a core group of publications that I must have by my bedside to find what's coming up and…read morethe latest Columbus news. This is one of them. (614) is published each month and is in a nice, large format that is full color and chock full of useful local information. The tone of the magazine is similar to 'Alive' but with a bit more refined flavor. For example, the April 2010 issue has articles on African restaurants around town next to articles on the best Columbus locations to buy a house and how to go about getting a good deal. Their events section is beautifully laid out with large descriptions of each event and pictures accompanying each one which makes it nice to see something other than an endless sea of type. The stories and events are Columbus centered so you have a good chance of seeing someone that you know (if not yourself) in its pages. I usually pick up (614) at Cup O'Joe but they are scattered all about town with a high concentration in the Short North. But pick one up fast as they go quickly!!

Do you have to be gay to enjoy Outlook Weekly? Absolutely not! I love, love, love Outlook…read more I'm super impressed by the quantity and quality of their writing since they have such a small staff. They pump out a full set of articles every seven days, and they're really great articles. I love the quirky topics and the fun writing style. They also tackle serious issues. The graphics always keep my interest. I think they use a local cartoon artist a lot of the time. Everything they do fits together somehow. It's a good look. The boys at Outlook are huge community supporters too. If it's happening in the Short North or in the gay community in general, it's guaranteed to be in Outlook Weekly. The community supports them too. You can't swing a dead cat in the Short North without hitting an Outlook Weekly stack (another testament to the power of their tiny staff - hell yes for distribution technique). This is a great information source and a great entertainment source too. Pick it up.

Outlook Weekly is now Outlook Monthly…read more so ...... we all have to guess what might be trendy for the weeks in-between.