The past six months at the Seattle Weekly have encompassed a mass exodus of staffers — including the publisher, advertising director, production director, design director, music editor, and multiple writers. Most recently, the paper's EIC Knute "Skip" Berger left the Weekly high and dry as well.

Staffers, naturally, fear the corporate changes that new ownership under Village Voice Media (or, previously known as New Times Media until they company bought the Voice) would bring. Their greatest concerns, obviously, are trying to leave before they are potentially axed … and before their newspaper faces the tragic fate of resembling anything close to the Village Voice.

The company already has begun to shake up New York's venerable Village Voice, another recent acquisition, touching off a staff revolt that has attracted national notice. Some longtime staff members there have been fired.

It's only a matter of time, several observers say, before the company begins to recast Seattle Weekly in its image as well.

And being recreated in any other pub's image (especially the Voice's) is any big city's paper biggest fear.

Uncertain times at Seattle Weekly [Eric Pryne, Seattle Times]