Austin Newspapers for NYC?

May 7, 2008 6:38 AM

What is the best Austin, TX newspaper?

I've been checking out The Statesman, The Chronicle, Daily Herald, and even 360 online, but I was hoping that a local Austinite would be able to help me determine which to subscribe to.

I like in NYC, but am moving to Austin in October. Before then, I would like to be able to:

a) look at local listings for apartments (craigslist has become tired)

b) have a weekly resource for activities (to start planing how to immediately integrate into the community)

c) receive insightful news on the Austin area.

I'm not sure a daily publication would be viable, considering the delay having it delivered half way across the country would cause. Other than that, what tips can you give me?

posted by pedmands to society & culture (11 comments total)

The Chronicle is the Voice, more or less. The Statesman is everything else. They are both fairly good for what they are. 360 Online is part of the Statesman. I say keep an eye on both via the web.

I'd also recommend Austinist.com

I've never even heard of the Daily Herald.
posted by dirtdirt at 6:44 AM on May 7

The Statesman is fantastic for Texas politics, local news and it's online calendar.

Craigslist is still a good place for apartments. Welcome to Austin. October is a good time to move.
posted by Pants! at 7:17 AM on May 7

Craigslist is honestly the best place for Austin classifieds, especially for real estate, to the extent that it seems like no one bothers to use the Chronicle for much other than personals and no one much bothers to use the Statesman at all.
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:27 AM on May 7

Aha! the Austin Daily Herald! Austin Minnesota. I was going to be awfully troubled to find out there was a daily newspaper here that I had never even heard of.
posted by dirtdirt at 7:34 AM on May 7

IMO:

Austin Chronicle: openly lefty, has some interesting political coverage.
Statesman: pathetic excuse for a real newspaper.
Daily Herald: huh? I had to look this up. It's the newspaper for Killeen. Killeen≠Austin.

I don't currently subscribe to a daily paper, but when I did, it was the NYT. It's telling that Austin has more NYT subscribers than Newark (admittedly, Austin is bigger).

Depending on what you're looking for, Craigslist may be your best bet for apartment listings. But if you're not finding what you're looking for there, your only bet is to visit the neighborhoods that interest you and look for yard signs.
posted by adamrice at 7:34 AM on May 7

Craigslist is the place for apt listings, but you may want to consider an apartment finder if you want to pre-lease or if you're not having luck with Craiglist. They are free, but they get paid by the landlord/property management of wherever you choose to live, so keep that in mind if you use one.

The Statesman is okay, but not great. I find it kinda fluffy, and sometimes weirdly folksy (and I'm from here).

The Chronicle is free when you live here, but pretty expensive to subscribe to. It's left-leaning; the "alternative" paper. Its music coverage has suffered as of late, but the political coverage is pretty edgy and thorough, particularly all the local coverage.
posted by fructose at 7:56 AM on May 7

There are SO many NYC transplants here! You're going to love it. I am (very sadly) leaving it soon.

Chronicle: best newspaper
Craigslist: best apt finder & furniture finder
Showlistaustin.com: best listing of live shows now now now.

Texas Monthly is a Texas magazine, so it covers the whole state, but it's a great, well-written, left-leaning thing with great discussion on Texas politics and art. I dig it.
posted by cachondeo45 at 10:38 AM on May 7

You can check out Statesman.com if you want to get a feel for more of the paper.
posted by captainzero at 12:01 PM on May 7

And I meant to add this to my last comment. Once you arrive, The Alamo Drafthouse is the ONLY place to see movies.

Until you have been, you haven't really been watching movies.
posted by captainzero at 12:03 PM on May 7

Can I pile on?
Chron has pretty good political coverage and the listings of events are pretty comprehensive (though I have not found a single 999 Eyes show listed in it). I don't read their musical recomendations or their music reviews because I disagree with them. That's the way of the world. You can't agree with everyone.

The Statesman is a pretty pathetic excuse for a paper. About every 5 months they deliver free copies trying to up their subscriptions. The only time I ever pick it up out of the gutter is when I need the paper to lay under some mulch. Or is has become shredded and needs to find its place in the recycle bin.

Texas Monthly contains some interesting stuff, but if you didn't have to skim through all of the Dallas restaurant listings, you could read the good content while standing in the grocery line. This may just be because the South Congress HEB is staffed by people from the Slow Motion Dimension. The content is rarely urgently topical and it is best read in the grocery line, at the dentist's, at the doctor's or at the library. Or you may decide you really like it and get a subscription. I get that urge every year when the Bum Steer Awards issue comes out.

If you are a pinko, the Texas Observer can be a fun read. Jim Hightower is funny.

The Alamo had a float when they were showing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that was made of Young's Chocolate Stout and Chocolate Ice Cream. Somewhere, an unrecognized genius walks the earth. Movies aren't worth watching anymore if I can't get a beer (or a bucket of beer) and some Green Chile Stew to accompany them.
posted by Seamus at 1:41 PM on May 7

For what it's worth, the Daily Texan is published by UT students and might have some housing options... Considering the relative hipness and intelligence of the city, it's a bit surprising there's no knockout punch when it comes to the local press.
posted by rleamon at 7:29 PM on May 9