AAN News
Editorial Cartoonists Discuss Newspaper Cutbacksnew
"In spite of the bad news that keeps streaming out of newsrooms, editorial cartoonists are not giving up," USC Annenberg publication Neon Tommy reports. "Most of the small community of 300 editorial cartoonists is adapting, experimenting with new media and sharpening its business sense." Among those who discuss the industry's future with Kevin Douglas Grant are Steve Greenberg, who contributes to the Ventura County Reporter, and Matt Bors, whose "Idiot Box" comic appears in several alt-weeklies. "I have a 'last man standing' strategy," Bors says. "I'm living in a shitty apartment, sleeping on an air mattress. I can't go down any further. Or maybe I could, but I don't plan on it."
Neon Tommy |
12-18-2009 10:23 am |
Industry News
Congress Considering Federal Anti-SLAPP Legislationnew
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |
12-18-2009 10:40 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial
LEO Weekly Art Director Also Designs Posters for Marquee Indie Showsnew
In addition to his part-time work at LEO, Ron Jasin has over the past few years created gig posters for Shellac, My Morning Jacket, the Monsters of Folk, Band of Horses, and Connor Oberst. "This started out from staying up all night making flyers at Kinko's," he tells Louisville Mojo. "I feel really lucky to be able to do what I do for a living. In the end, I'm just a fan of the music like everybody else."
Louisville Mojo |
12-17-2009 12:55 pm |
Industry News
Chicago Reader Story on 'Charcuterie Underground' Leads to Raidnew
The Reader's Mike Sula wrote a story a few weeks ago about a pair of suburban stay-at-home dads who make and sell bacon and sausage without having proper USDA certification. This week, a restaurant that was mentioned in the piece was visited by inspectors from the Illinois Department of Agriculture, who confiscated 80 pounds of bacon that lacked a mark of inspection and some headcheese that had been inspected only by Wisconsin officials. The inspectors say their actions were prompted by the Reader's article. Meanwhile, the dads profiled in the original piece say they are ceasing operations until they can make their company "legally operational." Sula tallies up the score: "Nanny State: 2 Real food: 0." MORE from the Chicago Tribune.
Chicago Reader |
12-17-2009 10:09 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Chicago Reader
News Organizations Support Bloomberg's Bailout Suitnew
AAN has joined 12 other media organizations in filing a friend-of-the-court brief that supports Bloomberg LP reporters who are trying to access public records related to last year's financial bailout. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System argues that the records are exempt from disclosure under FOIA's exemption 4, which protects confidential financial information from disclosure. But the media organizations say the board hasn't met the burden of showing that disclosure is likely to cause substantial competitive harm.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |
12-17-2009 9:25 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Survey: 72 Percent of Advertisers See More Digital Spending in 2010new
Media Daily News |
12-17-2009 12:46 pm |
Industry News
Application Deadline for Nieman Foundation Investigative Journalism Award Approachingnew
Nieman Foundation |
12-17-2009 10:52 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial
Study: Email Still Top Content-Sharing Optionnew
Online Media Daily |
12-17-2009 9:27 am |
Industry News
Tags: Electronic Publishing, Management
The Gambit: We've Had a 'Relatively Good Year'new
In a report on the newspaper industry's well-publicized woes, the New Orleans alt-weekly points out that "2009 has been a relatively good year for Gambit and many other locally owned, locally focused newspapers." The paper reports it avoided layoffs by decreasing its newsprint size and taking other cost-cutting measures and says it should fare well as the issues in the industry continue to shake out: "In the long run, the newspapers that survive will be those that have a special bond with their readers -- and we count ourselves among them."
The Gambit |
12-15-2009 9:46 am |
Industry News
Alt-Weekly Staffer-Turned-Politician's Atheism Becoming Hot Issuenew
The professed atheism of Cecil Bothwell, a former staff writer at the Mountain XPress who was elected to the Asheville City Council last month, is becoming an issue in North Carolina. Bothwell is facing a challenge that stems from an odd clause in the state's constitution, which bars politicians who deny the existence of God from holding office. Bothwell's opponents are considering a lawsuit over his being allowed to take office (he affirmed the oath of office last week), even though federal courts have ruled religious tests for public office are unlawful under the U.S. Constitution. Meanwhile, the case has gone nationwide, with the Associated Press, the Huffington Post and others weighing in. Last night, Bothwell appeared on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show.
Asheville Citizen-Times |
12-15-2009 8:49 am |
Industry News
Tags: Management, Mountain Xpress
San Diego CityBeat Debunks Investigative Institute's Reportnew
The Watchdog Institute, a newly formed investigative-journalism organization based in San Diego, recently published its first investigation, which looked at California's public list of registered sex offenders and mapped out how many in San Diego County currently live within 2,000 feet of a school or park. However, as CityBeat notes, the report -- which found that "more than 70 percent of registered sex offenders in San Diego County are violating a state law by living too close to schools and parks," was based on a flawed interpretation of Jessica's Law, the 2006 referendum that placed lifetime residence restrictions on California's sex offenders. The Watchdog Institute has thus far refused to issue a correction, so CityBeat's Kelly Davis launched a "Watchdog Watch" clock, timing how many days pass before the organization issues a correction.
San Diego CityBeat |
12-14-2009 2:00 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, San Diego CityBeat
Search and Video Are Bright Spots In Down Online Ad Marketnew
Online Media Daily |
12-14-2009 2:02 pm |
Industry News
Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Federal Shield Billnew
The bill to protect reporters' confidential sources in federal court cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 14-to-5 vote yesterday. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press says it is "a new milestone this year for legislation that has been tabled, debated and amended for months in the committee." If the Senate approves the bill, it will still have to be reconciled with a different version already approved by the House.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |
12-11-2009 12:45 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Gannett Quietly Closes Distribution Network in Jackson
A few years ago, threatened by media giant Gannett's attempt to control local print distribution via The Distribution Network (TDN), the Jackson Free Press and other local publishers banded together to form the Mississippi Independent Publishers' Alliance (MIPA). MIPA then began a process of buying, placing and managing its own system of multi-publication news boxes around the city. Now it looks like MIPA's efforts paid off. JFP publisher Todd Stauffer tells AAN News that the Gannett-owned Jackson Clarion-Ledger has quietly picked up all their TDN boxes and apparently closed out their program. "I'm not sure if this is a trend company-wide for Gannett, but it looks like the 'control-free-distribution' chapter is no longer in the Gannett playbook for Jackson," he says.
(FULL STORY)
AAN News |
12-10-2009 3:02 pm |
Industry News
Reporters: Need Climate Change Answers During Copenhagen Conference?
AAN News has learned of two great resources for anyone who is writing about the United Nations Climate Change Conference or climate change right now. First, climate scientists from the American Geophysical Union will be providing round-the-clock support for journalists reporting on the conference through Dec. 18. In addition, NOW Magazine's editor and CEO Alice Klein, who is attending the conference, is available for interviews about what's happening in Copenhagen. To set up an interview, email jasonh (at) nowtoronto.com or call 416-364-1300 ext. 372.
AAN |
12-10-2009 2:34 pm |
Industry News
