About the Noise?
Ask and ye shall receive! If your curiosities have gotten the better of you, why not spend an extra 15 minutes of your earthly existence on this page filling up your eager grey matter with the past, present, and future of the Noise and Weavel Inc. Time spent, definitely. Time well spent?
That is up to you!
WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE? WHERE IS MY LIFEBOAT?
A Letter from the Publisher
What began as an experiment in October 2001, while the rest of the country scrambled in turmoil with noxious gases and tumbling buildings, is now the cozy media in your hands right now. At that whirlwind place in time, it seemed appropriate to start some Noise in a sleepy little city on the brink of change and on the edge of the Colorado Plateau.
Not only did it seem new voices needed hearing but that things were coming down the pike, things that required introspection, analysis, and another point of view. Alternative was the anthem, and independent carried a flag blazoned with the black and white (and one rotating spot color) of mainstream revolution.
If this paper were picked up a few years back, the grit and angst would surely rub off onto the fingers, making no excuse for its lack of polish. Now, faced with stiff competition from the 4th largest newspaper conglomerate in the nation, there is a sobering air lingering in this makeshift home office, where a handful of dedicated souls manifest a morsel for public consumption every month. Throughout the years we’ve operated the Noise, the questions “what fer?” “why cuz?” and “who dun?” frequently become a part of everyday conversation. And sadly, with all the stuff we try to cram into an issue (while vital prose are left on the chopping block), there is rarely a chance to answer them in print.
Well, finally. Here goes.
The Noise is in stark contrast to Lee Enterprises, out of Iowa, which now publishes the Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff Live, Direct Impressions, Mountain Living, and a mash of perennials, and boasts revenue in the hundreds of millions, employs upwards of ten thousand, and promises an “advertising blitz” to rival last quarter. Nor are we anywhere similar to Western Newspapers, out of Yuma — which publishes the Verde Independent, Kudos, Navajo-Hopi Observer, Winslow Mail (now defunct), Williams Grand Canyon News and Prescott Courier — and owns 11 other publications.
This paper is very much a homegrown operation, as our office space lends credence. Totally community-founded and funded, it remains as one of only two printed media in Northern Arizona published without a large corporate bankroll (not counting ad-only papers).
Yet the Noise is only an entity as big as the people who contribute to it. The individuals who give a little piece of themselves every edition for crumbs of compensation are truly the backbone of our paper. Without their tenacity for something different, we truly would be left with the status quo.
And credit must be given to our loyal band of sponsors, who’ve watched us as we’ve grown, blundered, and matured a nip — their spirit has kept us going when student loan checks ran out and we desperately needed to run another issue to press.
These are exciting times we live in, and it is up to us, as a community, to make the most of them. Our aim is to bring the issues of our day to light, candidly, with humility and honesty, and we hope you will join us.
Sincerely,
Charles Seiverd
Publisher
THE PAST IS AMAZING!
Four high school students, Eric Charron, Jason Phillips, Joseph Grumbo and Charles Seiverd, founded Weavel Inc. in 1993 when their rural school district’s budget cuts lead to the cancellation of the school newspaper. Determined to not allow free expression to die, the quartet embarked on creating their own newspaper, called the Noise, and enlisted the town’s printing press and several young artists and writers.
Since that time, Weavel Inc. has operated an underground art gallery in downtown Phoenix for two years, created two small-scale literary magazines, and developed the Noise (after a seven-year hiatus) for the Northern Arizona community, which has been running continuously since October 2001.
Weavel Inc. is now a 501c3 nonprofit arts and education organization, producing the Noise on a monthly basis and collaborating with local artists and arts organizations to better promote the arts throughout Northern Arizona.
The Noise is a free forum for ideas and expression which aims to engage the communities it serves in thoughtful discussion of pressing issues unique to Northern Arizona, propel new community art into the public mindset, enhance the lives of individuals through an accessible cultural medium, and promote reading and individual participation in the creative arts.
Distributed monthly to seven communities and circulated to nearly 30,000 readers, the Noise captures the essence of current community thought and publishes new fiction, fresh poetry, and original art accomplished by local residents.
Q&A
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR THE NOISE
Q. What are you guys doing this for?
A. Well, It ain’t for “fortune and glory.” We believe there are few places where people can really have a voice left in this country, let alone Northern Arizona. A free paper seemed like a good thing to have. Besides, if we didn’t do it, all we’d be left with to read would be contrived entertainment news. Ack!
Q. Independent?
A. That just pretty much means we have no one paying for us (except from ad revenue) and we don’t have to answer to anyone besides you, the public and ourselves. We take pride in being 100% homegrown.
Q. This thing make a lot of money?
A. Nope. And what it does make pretty much pays for printing, distribution, and a little money for the people who are kind enough to help out.
Q. Woah! I thought you guys were a big paper?
A. What? Because we look nice? Actually, this paper is done out of a “home office.” Just because you aren’t rich doesn’t mean you have to look bad — keen thrift store hunting is a great example. It shouldn’t take millions of dollars to create something interesting to read.
Q. Who is the office assistant?
A. Kiki. A 19-year old cat who keeps seats warm but isn’t too keen on keeping up with her phone answering duties. Makes a mean cup of coffee. There is a new office assistant in training too — 1-year old Lulu. We hire out cat labor and pass the savings on to you!
Q. You guys have interns?
A. We now have a program set up with the English, Journalism, and Marketing Departments of Northern Arizona University. Independent as we may be, we have a lot we can teach to people. An internship with the Noise is a great place to get your feet wet in the wonderful world of mass communication!
Q. Where are you going with this paper?
A. Our aim is to become the finest source for thought-provoking news, new art, and independent ideas in Northern Arizona. Perhaps being able to include 3-D glasses free with every issue would be nice too, but time will tell.
The first of the “new” Noise issues, October 2001
