The Reader is back — new leadership. New era. Same fearless Reader.

The Chicago Reader returns to print on Wednesday, Feb. 4, under new ownership group Noisy Creek. This is the first issue from Sarah Conway, a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist, as editor in chief. She will lead the legacy organization’s award-winning editorial team into a new era. The leadership change was announced on Dec. 2, and Conway began her new role on Jan. 5.

“The Reader is launching a new era of Chicago journalism, blending fearless reporting, unforgettable features, and bold, innovative arts and culture coverage to capture this great city’s true heartbeat: its people and their power,” said Conway.

The cover of this new iteration of the Reader, designed by Noisy Creek creative director Corianton Hale, features an egg just beginning to crack open, symbolizing rebirth as the more-than-half-a-century-old publication enters an ambitious new chapter.

Chicago can expect a continued investment in feature-length, community-driven journalism in a new magazine format. The new edition of the Reader will be available on the first Wednesday of every month at more than 600 locations across the city, with plans to expand distribution in spring 2026.

As the Reader looks to the future, it is celebrating its first five decades with a limited-edition coffee-table book, edited by Christopher Hass. “Free Chicago: 50 Years of the Reader” launched on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, where over 1,600 people backed the project. The book is available to order, featuring behind-the-scenes stories, interviews, and archival images at https://chicagoreader.com/reader-50-book-sales/.

About the Chicago Reader:

Established in 1971, Chicago Reader is a community-supported, fearless, innovative and nationally respected media voice covering Chicago arts and culture for more than 50 years. In print and online, the Reader is made up of tastemakers, incisive critics and agenda-setters. The community looks to them for what’s new, what’s now, what’s next and depends on them to hold local government and other public authorities accountable. The paper has a print circulation of 63,000 per month.

About Noisy Creek:

Noisy Creek is a new media company dedicated to revitalizing beloved alternative media brands across the country. Noisy Creek was founded in July 2024 by Brady Walkinshaw, a former CEO of the nonprofit newsroom Grist and a former Washington State legislator. Its network currently includes Seattle’s The Stranger, the Portland Mercury, the Chicago Reader, EverOut.com, Bold Type Tickets, Noisy Podcasts and Noisy Productions.