After overseeing Sound Publishing’s Eastside news group since last fall, Eric LaFontaine has additionally been named the new publisher Seattle Weekly.
With a passion for community journalism and a knowlege of the digital realm, LaFontaine was most previously the publisher of the daily Columbia Basin Herald—the largest newspaper in Grant County—as well as the Hagadone Media-owned weekly newspapers in the Moses Lake area.
“I am very humbled to have this opportunity to re-brand the Seattle Weekly and return the publication to a relevant voice of the community,” say LaFontaine.
A Richland, Washington native, LaFontaine received a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Washington, and an MBA from Regis University. He also served as a journalist in the Naval Reserve. LaFontaine and his wife, Ali, have three children in college with a fourth as a junior in high school. The avid marathon runner and his family live in Beaux Arts.
He believes the strength of the various Sound Publishing papers will help Seattle Weekly stay on top of regional coverage.
“With the Seattle Weekly now part of my newspaper group, our strength lies in our staff and tremendous journalism talent we have in the field on the daily basis,” he says.
He hopes to not only connect Seattle Weekly to the community in Seattle, but become a part of it.
“Our audience drives our vision forward and with our audience at the forefront, our path becomes a little more clear each day.”