The Syracuse New Times, one of the oldest, locally owned alternative newsweeklies in America (founded 1969), delivers a welcome dose of insight and irreverence to a region otherwise dominated by corporate-owned media. Each issue contains news, features and commentary on politics, sports, visual arts, entertainment, food, film, music, real estate, the area's most complete events calendar and its most readable classified. The award-winning Syracuse New Times currently distributes 46,000 free copies each Wednesday through more than 1,100 outlets in a metro area of a half-million people. Long active in community events and charities, The New Times has established its own annual Street Painting Festival with more than 100 participating artists and thousands of spectators. The New Times also sponsors such entertainment events as the Syracuse Area Music Awards (Sammys), the Syracuse Jazz Fest, the New York State Budweiser Rhythm and Blues Festival, and the Taste of Syracuse.