The paper ceased publication in July 1998, with its advertising base and paid circulation acquired by the Houston Press, part of the New Times Media alternative newspaper chain.

[4] Jim Sherman, who wrote articles for the newspaper in the 1980s, described it as "the only publication that a lot of people that are alienated by the mainstream media thought had any integrity" and that "It was almost like the tribal drums of the inner loop counter-culture for 16 years."

[sic] [1] Marty Racine of the Houston Chronicle wrote that "the uneven Public News has a fiercely independent if Houston-Proud spirit that puts it in a category of its own.

"[3] Claudia Kolker, from the same newspaper, wrote that many Houstonians thought of the Public News as being their "community property" even while admitting that it "had many flaws".

[1] He graduated in December 1979, and worked for UH until April 1983 as activities advisor and coordinator of Sundry School, a program on non-credit courses.

[citation needed] Public News evolved throughout its history, from its beginnings covering mainly the punk rock scene in Houston, to a general purpose alternative weekly with a determined focus on Houston—Houston-based musicians, artists, theater groups, the club scene, and feature stories with a local slant.

PN also featured the semi-snarky weekly Public Noise column, Red Connelly's Sports for Heretics, several Houston-based cartoonists and many photographers.

[4] $70,000 of the purchase price (about $130853.41 inflation-adjusted) went to pay accumulated tax debt and money owed to the printer, Mirror Publishing, in League City.

[citation needed] According to Woodall, the paper's fate was sealed due to two advertising quarters revenue insufficient cover printing costs.

At the same time, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wanted him to pay the agency $20,000 (about $37386.69 inflation-adjusted) each month to discharge existing tax debts.

[1] Most of the paper's equipment and furnishing were distributed to the displaced staffers, and newspaper racks were given to Leisure Learning Unlimited, a non-credit class program operated by Ted Weisgal, a long time friend of Woodall.

[citation needed] The paper offered a steady diet of reviews, previews and features primarily spotlighting music, movies, art, theater, records, and books.