Anonymous writes: On Monday long-time editor & founder of the C-ville Weekly was ousted by fellow owners Bill Chapman & Rob Jiranek. While still a 1/3 owner of the paper, Hawes was forced to relinquish the stewartship of Charlottesville’s must read weekly. from the website “C-Ville Weekly is published by Portico Publications, Ltd. Portico Publications, Ltd. is William G. Chapman, Robert Jiranek, and Hawes C. Spence”. Curious minds want to know more but insiders have speculated that Chapman has plans that Spencer refused to agree with.
Though this from an anonymous source, the existence of this rumor has been confirmed by two independent sources, including the staffer of another local media outlet.
So, normally, we could count on a story like this being covered in a gratuitous and gossipy fashion by the C-Ville Weekly. But since the C-Ville is now the object, rather than the reporter, of this news, who can we count on to dish the dirt? Who will stand up and deliver the goods that we are accustomed, and, I dare say, entitled to? Who will reveal the shadowy goings-on, the infighting, the angry emails, the clashing egos?
Perhaps now is the time for a cvillenews.com agent provocateur…
I nominate Hawes Spencer on the basis of his impeccible reputation as an experienced gossip hound and a collector of local intrigues. And yes, a presumable increase in spare time.
Let me be the first to say that Hawes Spencer’s employment situation is really no one’s business.
What if he DID get fired? What if it was you, or someone in your family? Would you want the sordid details on display for all to see?
What if he just decided to move on, that it was simply time to try something else?
I concede the point that he may, in fact, have brought the collective eye of the probing public down on himself (in the “what goes around comes around” category), but one more wrong STILL won’t make a right.
Curiosity does not equal malice. We know him; we care what happens to him. Is that so wrong?
You’re right, of course. Being curious doesn’t lead automatically down the malicious path. Folks who know him, however, could just ask him. Friends who care aren’t likely to air any dirty laundry.
AND WHERE WOULD THIS BE WRITTEN? After Gail Bentley the interest in his dismisal would be there. And after being the public face of a media outlet I would like to know. If Waldo was ousted in a hostile takeover I would like to know that it happened.
Well, you make a good point but that point was shot down this morning (Wednesday) by WINA putting it on the air with comments by Hawes Spencer about his own firing. Apparently there were a lot of details: originally the management decisions were to be unanimous but that was changed in order (I guess) to fire him. He was supposed to have signed a noncompetion clause, confidentiality (i.e., not to say that he did get fired or why), and some other things. In return he would get $5,000. In the WINA newscast, he said that he wouldn’t lie for $5,000. (Of course, I cynically said to my husband, how much would it take for you to lie about something like this?).
Well, if he wants to talk about it, who am I to argue otherwise?
— ObserverBoss (I forgot to log in)
Well, if this isn’t all about that nasty pretend-interview with Dave Matthews on the last page of this week’s C-ville, then I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.
what were Hawe’s partners beef? Don’t they know he is the heart and soul of that paper, not just an employee. Well, I guess that will be put to the test in the next couple of months. By the way who the hell is Rob Jiranek?
Couldn’t you turn over your city council coverage to Hawes. He probably the most qualified person that you could find and he has got the time. It could be wicked fun!
Rob Jiranek is the guy behind Blue Ridge Outdoors and as I am told has nothing to do with the operation of C-ville. He also gives weak quote in the DP “Hawes in a minority position became disruptive to the direction we’re trying to take our company.” Now wait just a moment, how disruptive can a 1/3 partner be. I mean what did he do, assert his rights, ask for fairness. I read Hawes founded the company and because he didn’t want to take $5,000 in hush money offered by the other two and he’s “disruptive”?
And Jiranek says the direction we wanted to take “our” company. Curious words for a partner.
rob jiranek might be the sleaziest, back-stabbing, a-hole to ever waltz into this town. he bought into the portico publication fold a few years back and runs the blue ridge outdoors magazine. complete napoleon complex. short guy, big mouth, not much between the ears….
and chapman? oh my god. dont get me started…what a wanker he turned out to be. well they screwed the pooch on this one.
without spencer, they have no paper as far as i’m concerned. i’m dropping my advertising account today. i cant believe they did this to the guy who started the paper!! if they were unhappy, why didnt they leave?
jiranek and chapman are evil, evil little creatures. i hope they get squashed.
From what I know–this has been going on for quite a while. Chapman (AKA Mr. Worrell as his friends call him)and Spencer and Jiranek have been splitting blood at each other for years. Some of it is the fact that Chapman and Worrell are big FRIENDS OF DAVE AND CORAN CAPSHAW.
What Chapman and Jiranek dont get is this: Hawes Spencer IS the cville weekly. If all they have there is Chapman and Jiranek now running the ship–oh, Jesus. Let’s form a boycott or something. I will no longer advertise in that paper and I will tell all my friends the same.
And on a side note: Spencer’s wife Mary is due for their third baby in a month. Nice timing Chapman! Hey, didn’t Spencer start this paper? Nice way of treating him and his family guys. Really.
Ace
Jiranek is such a slimeball. He’ll get his in this life or next.
Anyone who ever met Rob Jiranek can attest to his infinite ability to grate and mesh on any sane man’s nerves.
What that boy needs is an enema.
I for one will not take this. It’s their company, but it’s my money that is running the ship with my weekly advertising checks sent to them.
If this is how they treat the founder of this company, then I will no longer support their paper.
Boycott Cville Weekly! All you advertisers! Boycott!! Boycott!!
This whole situation sucks. Despite its faults, C-Ville Weekly is the closest thing this town’s got to real live journalism. And much of that is due to Hawes Spencer.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I, and many others, will never forgive Hawes for handing over so much content to those awful Barbara hags (Rich and Nordin) during a 2-3 year spell back there. God was the paper in a bad rut back then. But he’s since redeemed himself, and his paper, by nurturing outstanding writers like Coy Barefoot and John Borgmeyer and by making C-Ville a consistently enjoyable read. And I for one LOVED the whole Gail Bentley series. Hawes, ye shall be missed.
c-ville weekley has lost its soul. We can only hope it doesn’t lose its way.
the bottom dollar boys have sold their soul..actually fired their soul. It is a shame this couldn’t be worked out. Guess there wasn’t enough money/power to go around.
I always liked c-ville because it wasn’t run by suits guess they were suits on the inside.
Okay, granted, Cville Weekly, under Hawes Spencer’s leadership has been an important part of this community. They understand and report on the issues and people in a way that no other media outlet (excepting, perhaps, this very site) does.
I’m sorry to hear about his departure and the personal agony that he’s got to be going through, but I have every confidence that he’ll land on his feet and find a way to continue to contribute to the community through some new press outlet.
BUT, that “interview” with Dave Matthews printed in last week’s C’ville Weekly was a disgrace! Not funny. Not informative. Not witty. Just nasty. And why? What purpose was there in attacking this man, who’s been a credit to Charlottesville? Dave Matthews has worked hard, found success and contributes to many charities and good works. Hawes Spencer should apologize in public for permitting that piece to be printed.
duh, if you were getting your ass handed to you on a paper plate, would you give a shit what was running? I think he had other things he was worried about, like two kids and one on the way…
screw those guys. I’ve read my last cville
pony
Crush those bastards Hawes! You know what to do!
It’s the end of the world as we know it. First Hawes Spencer and now the end of Talk magazine and Tina Brown. What WILL we do!????
I’m thinking dropping your advertising would have a much greater impact if you let the readers of this forum know what advertising you are responsible for. You might even gain a few supporters!
It’s not the end. Just the beginning. Just look around town on the 31st.
Pulling your advertising dollars from the most-read paper in town will hurt you a lot more than it will hurt C-VILLE.
So speaks C-ville Weekly.