DigBoston—formerly known as the Weekly Dig and known colloquially as The Dig—is a free alternative newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts. It covers news in the Greater Boston area and offers commentary on music, arts, politics, business, film, sex, food, drink and more, as well as providing local bar, entertainment and club listings. DigBoston is distributed Thursdays, free of charge, in self-serve newspaper dispensers located throughout the city, as well as in local businesses.
History
The Weekly Dig was founded in September 1999, by Jeff Lawrence. Previously, Lawrence had published a monthly magazine called Shovel founded in 1997. Shovel discontinued publishing in the Spring of 2000, where it had become an insert to the Weekly Dig. In September 2003, Lawrence moved to change the editorial direction by dismissing founding Editor Joe Bonni. Assistant Editor Seth McM. Donlin was named interim editor; Joe Keohane was appointed the replacement editor later in 2003. In October 2004, Boston magazine publisher Metrocorp announced that it bought a majority stake in the Weekly Dig. Metrocorp, which has operated Boston magazine since 1971, also publishes Elegant Wedding, Concierge, Home & Garden and New England Travel and Life. It also has operated Philadelphia since 1946. Three months later, in January 2005, the paper went through a relaunch that offered a new, updated design and broader content. Since then, its circulation has more than doubled to about 70,000 copies distributed weekly. In May, 2007, Lawrence announced that he had purchased the paper back from Metrocorp in what both sides called "an amicable divorce". In 2009, Arts and Entertainment Editor David Day was made editor-in-chief. Shortly thereafter, the name Weekly Dig was dropped, and the organization was re-branded as DigBoston, featuring a completely overhauled website, . Day left in 2012, and the new editor was former Managing Editor J. Patrick Brown. When the Boston Phoenix folded in March 2013, DigBoston became the area's only remaining alt-weekly publication. A new staff was installed, including Dan McCarthy, Chris Faraone, Susanna Jackson, Kris Jenson, Sean Maloney, and Marc Shepard. DigBoston was acquired by Dig Media Group in June 2017. The new owners and top staff were Marc Sneider, Chris Faraone, Jason Pramas, and John Loftus. In September 2018, Dig Media Group announced that Marc Sneider had stepped down as publisher and that its board of directors "elected DigBoston Business Manager John Loftus to be the new publisher.”
