Whether you’re new to Memphis or a long-timer, what you’re reading right now (whether in print or online) is one of the best sources of info about the Bluff City. Memphis magazine has been describing the character of the Mid-South with long-form stories, features, and columns for more than 43 years. We’re happy you’re reading us, and of course you should subscribe (it’s incredibly inexpensive), but we’re glad to list other sources that tell you what’s happening.
Memphis magazine, you should know, has some award-winning sister publications here at Contemporary Media, Inc. The free weekly Memphis Flyer brims with news, politics, culture, and is the best source of arts and entertainment info — look for it in racks and boxes all over town. CMI also publishes the quarterly Inside Memphis Business magazine and the free monthly Memphis Parent newspaper, the definitive guide to raising children in the Mid-South.
The Commercial Appeal has been the dominant daily newspaper in the city in one form or another since the nineteenth century. As has happened to other dailies around the country in recent years, the CA has cut back in staff and reporting and now is one of six Tennessee newspapers owned by Gannett. It continues to print and deliver daily.
There’s a new kid in town, the Daily Memphian, which launched in September last year as an online-only source.
A business publication of note is the Memphis Business Journal. Its parent company, American City Business Journals, has some 40 other news sites. MBJ has a print version, but its digital presence is updated frequently.
For neighborhood goings-on, you may find the social network Nextdoor useful. It’s a bulletin board with a wide range, from posting about break-ins to lost pets and items for sale.
Education-related information is available on Chalkbeat, a nonprofit group devoted to improving schools. It’s a national endeavor that focuses on seven regions, Tennessee being one of them.
High Ground News is a weekly digital publication that covers issues of importance to Memphis, including neighborhoods, corporate growth, innovation, and economic development.
The Memphis New Tri-State Defender is one of the longest continuously published African-American newspapers in the Southern United States. Its print and online versions cover the gamut of news, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle.
Television, of course, brings you all the stories that have visuals, and you can find them at WREG-TV News Channel 3, WMC-TV ActionNews5, WHBQ FOX13, and Local Memphis, which is ABC’s WATN-TV Channel 24 and CW’s WLMT-TV Channel 30. Also noteworthy is WKNO-TV Channel 10, particularly its FM radio companion that does arts coverage.
What makes Memphis Memphis? StoryBoard Memphis offers a wide-ranging look at the city’s history within the context of what’s happening today in neighborhoods.
Many blogs and websites galore document what’s going on around town. Naturally, we suggest you first check out the variety of blogs on the Memphis Flyer site: news, politics, music, sports, food, film, arts, and more.
Other worthy sites include Choose901, a Memphis booster run by City Leadership, a nonprofit that aims to attract millennials to town. The useful site has, among other things, a thorough listing of things to do.
The I Love Memphis Blog is maintained by Memphis Tourism and is packed with people, places, lists, and ongoing events.
The ArtsMemphis website has a solid arts/entertainment calendar of events.
Political and economic issues get fresh examinations at Smart City Memphis, a part of Smart City Consulting, a public policy and planning group.
The Caramelized blog is a food and entertainment (and stylish) foray into those things that make a good life better.
The award-winning Bigger Than Your Head blog is a wine lover’s necessity. It pulls corks but no punches in its look at wines and the winemaking industry.
Crème de Memph showcases the design and history of Memphis. Historic Memphis delves into the city’s yesteryear in stories and photos. And history buffs shouldn’t forget our very own Vance Lauderdale.
There’s lots more, but this should get you started.
