Judge Opens Arena To Newspaper

A weekly newspaper in Manchester has won its fight to get into the city?s arena. A judge ruled yesterday that the HippoPress weekly has the right to be distributed at Verizon Wireless Arena. The arena?s management had signed an exclusive contract with the Union Leader newspaper. But Superior Court Judge Arthur Brennan found that if the Verizon Wireless allows one paper, it must allow them all. The judge gave the arena twenty days to stop distributing the Union Leader, or start distributing both papers. Union Leader publisher Joe Mcquaid said yesterday his paper will likely appeal. Mcquaid said the arena is not a public forum, and the Union Leader wants to protect its marketing arrangement. Hippo Press Publisher Jody Reese spoke with NHPR?s Trish Anderton.