NashvillePost.com

NashvillePost.com is a locally focused digital news service serving Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Its core coverage spans business, politics and sports, with additional reporting on health care, technology, government, real estate, transportation, retail and food and beverage. The publication positions itself as a distinctly local alternative to larger or chain-owned media organizations whose coverage includes more substantial national and nonlocal reporting. The service was conceived in 1999 by Bill Carey and David A. Fox, both former business reporters at The Tennessean, and began publishing in early 2000. The founders obtained venture capital from Solidus Co., a locally owned investment company. Carey left the organization at the end of 2000, while Fox continued until the service ceased online publication in 2005. During its first period of operation, NashvillePost.com broadened its presence through the acquisition of the monthly magazine Business Nashville in 2001. The magazine was renamed Nashville Post magazine and later developed a statewide business orientation under the name Business Tennessee. Solidus revived the online service in 2005 after Fox departed to work with a hedge fund and pursue a seat on the Nashville school board. A new operating team included former Tennessean business journalist Richard Lawson, political operative Ken Whitehouse, journalist and author E. Thomas Wood, and publisher Todd Staff. The relaunch produced a redesigned website and a renewed emphasis on breaking local business and political stories. The publication also pursued an open-records lawsuit against the Tennessee Lottery concerning documents related to the dismissal of a senior executive after sexual-harassment allegations; a Nashville judge ordered the lottery to release the records in May 2006. NashvillePost.com grew its audience during the relaunch period, reporting an increase of more than 80 percent in monthly pageviews between May 2006 and May 2007. On January 15, 2008, it was acquired by SouthComm, a regional niche-media company created and majority-owned by Solidus. Geert De Lombaerde became editor. Under SouthComm, the publication received another website redesign and added Post Politics, focused on rapid local and state political coverage, and Post Business, which aggregated locally relevant business news. SouthComm also acquired The City Paper and Nashville Scene, creating a larger Nashville-oriented media group around the Post. The magazine operation was relaunched in March 2010 with a reported circulation of 15,000 copies and continued as a quarterly publication. William Williams became managing editor in October 2011. Sports coverage expanded in 2013 when David Boclair joined from The City Paper, giving the publication a fuller sports operation. Over the following years, the Post combined veteran editors with younger reporters covering the region's business, health-care, government and technology sectors. In May 2018, Nashville Scene and Nashville Post were acquired by Freeman Webb Publishing, a company co-founded by Bill Freeman and Jimmy Webb and affiliated with the real-estate company Freeman Webb. Editorial and management changes followed. Boclair left in August 2019 to join Sports Illustrated, and Heather Cantrell Mullins was named publisher in April 2020. De Lombaerde left the editor role at the end of August 2021 after approximately 13.5 years, with Stephen Elliott serving as interim editor. Elliott later stepped down in February 2024 to join the Nashville Banner. In summer 2024, Kevin Spain, a former USA Today editor responsible for NBA coverage, became editor. The organization remains an active local news brand with a subscription-supported digital service and associated magazine publishing.

NashvillePost.com emerged from Nashville's local newspaper and business-reporting community at the turn of the 21st century. Bill Carey and David A. Fox, both former business reporters for The Tennessean, conceived the service in 1999 and began publishing online in early 2000. The project was financed in part by venture capital from Solidus Co., a locally owned investment company. Its editorial proposition was to provide concentrated coverage of Nashville-area business, politics and sports, with a more local orientation than large daily newspapers and national or chain-owned media outlets. Carey left at the end of 2000. In 2001, the company expanded beyond its digital service by acquiring the monthly magazine Business Nashville. The title became Nashville Post magazine and was later reconceived with a statewide business emphasis as Business Tennessee. The online service continued until 2005, when it ceased publication after Fox left to work with a hedge fund and pursue a campaign for Nashville's school board. Fox was elected in August 2006, but Solidus revived the publication after the online shutdown. The relaunch brought together Richard Lawson, a former Tennessean business journalist; Ken Whitehouse, a former political operative; journalist and author E. Thomas Wood; and Todd Staff, the service's first full-time publisher. A redesigned site appeared in 2006, accompanied by a renewed effort to break local business and political stories. One of the relaunch period's most consequential episodes was the publication's legal challenge to the Tennessee Lottery's refusal to release records concerning the firing of a senior executive following sexual-harassment allegations. In May 2006, a Nashville judge ordered the lottery to turn over the requested documents. The publication also reported substantial audience growth, with monthly pageviews increasing by more than 80 percent between May 2006 and May 2007. On January 15, 2008, NashvillePost.com was acquired by SouthComm, a regional niche-media company established and majority-owned by Solidus. Geert De Lombaerde became editor. SouthComm later expanded its Nashville portfolio through the acquisition of The City Paper in 2008 and Nashville Scene in 2009. The Post received another website redesign and added Post Politics, a rapid-response political product covering local, state and occasional national matters, as well as Post Business, a locally relevant business-news aggregation service. The print side of the operation was relaunched in March 2010 as a quarterly Nashville Post magazine. William Williams became managing editor in October 2011 after contributing to the publication and working with The City Paper. Sports reporting expanded in 2013 when David Boclair joined the Post. From 2013 through the middle of 2018, the newsroom combined veteran editors with younger journalists reporting on health care, government, technology and other sectors of the regional economy. In May 2018, Nashville Scene and Nashville Post were purchased by Freeman Webb Publishing, a company co-founded by Bill Freeman and Jimmy Webb. Freeman Webb Publishing is affiliated with Freeman Webb, a real-estate company operating across several southeastern and midwestern states. Boclair departed in August 2019 to work for Sports Illustrated. In April 2020, publisher responsibilities passed to Heather Cantrell Mullins, a longtime employee whose career with the related Nashville media operation began in sales and marketing at The City Paper in 2005. De Lombaerde left the editor role at the end of August 2021 after roughly 13.5 years. Stephen Elliott became interim editor. The newsroom in September 2021 included Williams and Elliott alongside art, health-care, technology, government, general-assignment, sports and subscription staff. In 2023, John Glennon joined the sports operation, while Hannah Herner, Mary Louise Meadors and Nicolle Praino were among the staff members identified in the publication's evolving editorial team. Elliott left in February 2024 to join the Nashville Banner. In summer 2024, Kevin Spain, formerly associated with USA Today's NBA editorial coverage, was named editor. The publication continues as an active local news brand centered on subscription-supported digital journalism and related magazine publishing.

1. 2024Kevin Spain becomes editor

   Spain was appointed editor after Stephen Elliott left for the Nashville Banner.

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2. 2021Editorial leadership changes

   Geert De Lombaerde left as editor and Stephen Elliott assumed the interim editor role.

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3. 2020Heather Cantrell Mullins becomes publisher

   Mullins was named publisher after years working in the Nashville media operation.

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4. 2018Freeman Webb Publishing acquisition

   Freeman Webb Publishing acquired NashvillePost.com and Nashville Scene.

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5. 2013Sports coverage expands

   David Boclair joined the publication, giving it a fuller dedicated sports operation.

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6. 2011William Williams becomes managing editor

   Williams took on the managing editor role after contributing to the Post and working with The City Paper.

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7. 2010Quarterly magazine relaunch

   Nashville Post magazine returned as a quarterly print publication.

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8. 2008SouthComm acquisition

   SouthComm acquired the publication and appointed Geert De Lombaerde editor.

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9. 2008Post Politics and Post Business launch

   The publication introduced dedicated political coverage and a business-news aggregation product.

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10. 2006The service is revived

    Solidus relaunched NashvillePost.com under a new operating team and redesigned website.

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11. 2006Open-records lawsuit succeeds

    A Nashville judge ordered the Tennessee Lottery to release records sought by the publication.

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12. 2005Online publication is suspended

    The digital service ceased publishing after David A. Fox's departure.

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13. 2001Business Nashville is acquired

    The monthly magazine Business Nashville was acquired, renamed Nashville Post magazine and later developed into the statewide-oriented Business Tennessee.

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14. 2000Publishing begins

    NashvillePost.com began publishing online in early 2000 with venture funding from Solidus Co.

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15. 1999NashvillePost.com is conceived

    Former Tennessean business reporters Bill Carey and David A. Fox developed the concept for a locally focused Nashville news service.

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A locally owned, subscription-supported Nashville news outlet emphasizing original coverage of regional business, politics, sports and civic affairs rather than the broader nonlocal reporting typical of large newspaper chains.

• NashvillePost.comDigital news service2000

  The flagship subscription-supported online publication provides original reporting on business, politics, sports and civic affairs in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Its editorial identity is based on concentrated local coverage rather than the broad national and nonlocal mix associated with larger daily newspaper chains.

• Nashville Post magazinePrint magazine2001

  A magazine operation acquired from Business Nashville in 2001 and later relaunched as a quarterly publication. The title has carried business and regional coverage and was reported to have a circulation of 15,000 when relaunched in 2010.

• Post PoliticsPolitical news vertical2008

  A dedicated news product created after the SouthComm acquisition to provide fast coverage of Nashville and Tennessee politics, with occasional national political reporting when relevant to the local audience.

• Post BusinessBusiness news vertical2008

  A locally oriented business-news product that aggregated and organized business reporting relevant to Nashville and the surrounding region, complementing the Post's original journalism.

• 2024Change in editorial leadershipStrategy

  Stephen Elliott left the editor position to join the Nashville Banner.

  What changed. Kevin Spain was named editor in summer 2024.

  Aftermath. Spain became responsible for editorial leadership of the active local news brand.

  Source
• 2018Sale to Freeman Webb PublishingM&A

  The publication was part of the Nashville-focused media portfolio that included Nashville Scene.

  What changed. Freeman Webb Publishing acquired NashvillePost.com and Nashville Scene.

  Aftermath. The brand became part of the Freeman Webb corporate group and continued operating as a local news publication.

  Source
• 2010Nashville Post magazine relaunchProduct launch

  The brand maintained a print extension alongside its digital news service.

  What changed. Nashville Post magazine was relaunched as a quarterly publication.

  Aftermath. The magazine continued as a recurring print product; a circulation of 15,000 copies was reported at the time of relaunch.

  Source
• 2008Sale to SouthCommM&A

  SouthComm was expanding a regional portfolio of niche media properties with backing and majority ownership from Solidus.

  What changed. SouthComm acquired NashvillePost.com and appointed Geert De Lombaerde editor.

  Aftermath. The publication received a further website redesign and added Post Politics and Post Business.

  Source
• 2005Decision to revive the online serviceStrategy

  The original online service had stopped publishing after David A. Fox's departure.

  What changed. Solidus chose to restart NashvillePost.com with a new editorial and operating team.

  Aftermath. The relaunch included a redesigned site, renewed local reporting and substantial reported audience growth during 2006–2007.

  Source
• 2001Acquisition of Business NashvilleM&A

  The publication sought to extend its local business-media presence beyond the online service.

  What changed. NashvillePost.com acquired the monthly magazine Business Nashville and renamed it Nashville Post magazine.

  Aftermath. The magazine was later reconceived with a statewide focus as Business Tennessee and subsequently relaunched as a quarterly Nashville Post magazine.

  Source

• 2006Tennessee Lottery records disputeControversy

  NashvillePost.com sued the Tennessee Lottery after the agency refused to release records connected with the firing of a senior executive following sexual-harassment allegations. A Nashville judge ordered the lottery to provide the documents in May 2006.

  Source

• 2024Stephen Elliott leaves to join Nashville Banner

  Elliott stepped down as editor and accepted a position with the Nashville Banner.

  Leadership change
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• 2024Kevin Spain becomes editor

  Kevin Spain, formerly an editor overseeing USA Today's NBA coverage, was named editor of NashvillePost.com.

  Leadership change
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• 2023John Glennon joins the Post sports team

  Veteran local sports journalist John Glennon, formerly of The Tennessean, replaced David Boclair in the publication's sports operation.

  Leadership change
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• 2021Geert De Lombaerde leaves editor role

  De Lombaerde left the editor position after approximately 13.5 years, with Stephen Elliott taking over on an interim basis.

  Leadership change
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• 2020Heather Cantrell Mullins named publisher

  Freeman Webb Publishing president Frank Daniels appointed veteran Post employee Heather Cantrell Mullins as publisher.

  Leadership change
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• 2018Freeman Webb Publishing acquires Nashville Scene and Nashville Post

  Freeman Webb Publishing, co-founded by Bill Freeman and Jimmy Webb, purchased Nashville Scene and Nashville Post.

  M&A
  Source
• 2013David Boclair joins for expanded sports coverage

  Former City Paper sports editor David Boclair joined the Post, strengthening its dedicated local sports reporting.

  Leadership changeProduct generation
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• 2011William Williams becomes managing editor

  William Williams, who had contributed to the publication and previously worked with The City Paper, was named managing editor.

  Leadership change
  Source
• 2010Nashville Post magazine is relaunched

  The print magazine was relaunched as a quarterly publication with a reported circulation of 15,000 copies.

  Product launch
  Source
• 2008SouthComm acquires NashvillePost.com

  SouthComm acquired NashvillePost.com during an expansion of its regional niche-media portfolio, and Geert De Lombaerde became editor.

  M&ALeadership change
  Source
• 2008Post Politics and Post Business are introduced

  Following the SouthComm acquisition, the publication expanded with dedicated political coverage and a locally focused business-news aggregation product.

  Product launch
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• 2005Online service ceases publication

  NashvillePost.com stopped publishing online after David A. Fox departed, although Solidus later decided to revive the service.

  Other
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• 2005NashvillePost.com is relaunched under a new operating team

  Solidus revived the news service with a new management and editorial group led by experienced Nashville journalists and publisher Todd Staff.

  Other
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• 2001NashvillePost.com acquires Business Nashville

  The publication acquired the monthly magazine Business Nashville and renamed it Nashville Post magazine before later developing a statewide business focus.

  M&A
  Source
• 2000NashvillePost.com launches as a local online news service

  The service began publishing after being conceived by former Tennessean business reporters Bill Carey and David A. Fox.

  Other
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1. NashvillePost.com
2. NashvillePost.com official website