Oh, how appropriate...it's Sunday.
I had some hope that this would be a consistantly decent weekly publication when it first came out about 3 or so years ago. I'll admit that while I enjoy Creative Loafing, sometimes it too damn hip for it's own good and I have absolutely no idea about half the subject matter in some issues. It's the journalistic equivalent of a trip to a pretentious record shop. You can also count on CL to lean to the left on almost everything, which I have no problem with. I thought The SP would bring a more fair and balanced(heh) viewpoint on issues that affect Atlantans.
Sadly, this paper has turned into not much more than a local tabloid. Here's the formula: Run story on an issue that's loaded with hysteria and has little relevance to the average reader's life and milk it for all it's worth(ex. this week's story on "Hooker School"). Run a weekly story on the same small circle of Atlanta celebrities that are constantly having their ass kissed by local media(Usher, Andre 3000, Ludacris, Jane Fonda, Ted Turner). "Discover" the new trends months after they've become old news in other publications.
I will give this pub some credit for at least having a sports section, although it's not particularly thorough.
I will agree that this paper does have an identity crisis. It wants to appeal to the trendy and fashionable while at the same time cover local issues. I will say that it fails miserably in presenting issues that matter to Atlantans in an in-depth way. Whatever news story that has the most shock value, as opposed to actual value, at press time is bound to be the cover story.
SP is always parading the pathetically short list of Atlanta A-Listers. These celebrities, if they were ever much to celebrate, fade quickly. It's the nature of the beast. Are these people even relevant in their respective fields anymore?
So an opportunity to be more than advertising space and mindless reactionary news is wasted. Don't expect this publication to make you think. read more