AAN News
Copyright Case Against Santa Barbara Independent Moves Forwardnew
In July 2006, a reporter for the Santa Barbara News-Press wrote an article describing what occurred in the paper's newsroom the day a handful of top editors resigned. The story never made the paper; instead, the Independent got a hold of a draft and posted it on its website. The parent company of the News-Press then sued the Independent in federal court for copyright infringement. A federal judge yesterday indicated he was inclined to rule that the Independent did indeed infringe the News-Press' copyright on the article, the Santa Barbara Daily Sound reports. However, he expressed concern that the case was even brought to court, according to blogger Craig Smith, saying that while it did appear there had been a "technical" violation of copyright laws, he was at a loss to see what the damages or harm could possibly be. The judge also said that the doctrine of "fair use" would not provide a sufficient defense for the Independent. He said he will issue a final ruling after more thought on the case.
Santa Barbara Daily Sound | Craig Smith's Blog |
10-30-2007 8:25 am |
Legal News
Dallas Observer Editor is Stepping Down to Write Booknew
Julie Lyons, also known as "Bible Girl," announced yesterday that she's leaving the paper in January to write a book loosely based on her 1992 story "My Life as a Holy Roller" -- her first assignment at the Observer. "When I leave, I'm sure I'll write a long, meandering post about some of the strange and wonderful experiences I've had here over the years, but for now, that's all," Lyons writes. "I will continue writing for the Observer in some capacity. Bible Girl isn't ready to hang up her cape just yet."
Dallas Observer |
10-30-2007 7:54 am |
Industry News
The Santa Fe Reporter Picks Up Some State Press Awardsnew
In this year's New Mexico Press Association contest, the alt-weekly took home a first place award for business writing; a second place award for investigative reporting; and honorable mentions for reviews and design & typography.
Associated Press via the Clovis News Journal |
10-29-2007 8:26 am |
Honors & Achievements
Tribune, Gannett Partner to Launch Metromix in Top 30 U.S. Marketsnew
Editor & Publisher |
10-29-2007 11:45 am |
Industry News
Tina May Begins Tenure as Editor of Monterey County Weeklynew
"The focus of daily journalism, where I have spent my entire career, has changed dramatically, especially in the past few years," writes May, who comes to the Weekly from the Arizona Republic. "Many daily newspapers have become increasingly corporate and less focused on printing stories that right wrongs, question the establishment and tell readers what they really need to know. Newspapers like the Weekly fill that void and prove that readers do have an appetite for a good story." She replaces Eric Johnson, who left the paper earlier this year.
Monterey County Weekly |
10-26-2007 10:46 am |
Industry News
Phoenix New Times Challenges Law Used in Investigationnew
The alt-weekly has filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming that the 8-year-old Arizona law used to investigate it for publishing Sheriff Joe Arpaio's home address on its website infringes on the First Amendment, the East Valley Tribune reports. The paper's attorneys want Judge Robert Broomfield to block prosecutors anywhere in the state from using the law. The County Attorney's office is crafting a response to the suit, according to the Tribune.
East Valley Tribune |
10-26-2007 9:12 am |
Industry News
Orlando Weekly Drops Adult Ads This Week; Cops Release Transcriptnew
"Adult services will not be running this week because Orlando Weekly cannot ensure that doing so will not result in additional arrests of its employees by local police," reads the page in the alt-weekly where such ads would ordinarily appear. Instead, the paper printed the text of the First Amendment. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation has released a transcript from the investigation that led to last week's arrests, but the Weekly's attorney cautions against reading too much into it. "We should not rush to judgment based on the release of a transcript from a single conversation from a two-year investigation," Bill Schaefer tells Local 6 TV. "We should examine the propriety of the release of potential evidence prior to judicial proceedings. It may deny the defendants a fair and impartial trial."
News 13 Central Florida | WFTV | Local 6 TV |
10-25-2007 11:43 am |
Industry News
Why Isn't the East Bay Express Part of the Chauncey Bailey Project?new
A few weeks back, we noted that the San Francisco Bay Guardian had joined a number of Bay Area groups in the investigative project to continue the slain journalist's work. But there was one glaring omission from the list of participating organizations: The East Bay Express, which five years ago investigated the group Bailey was writing about and whose staffers suffered death threats because of it, was not included. "It's definitely odd that the one newspaper that owned the story of Your Black Muslim Bakery wasn't invited to participate in this project until after it was formally announced," Express editor Stephen Buel tells SF Weekly. Buel says he'd heard that one of the news outlets in the Bailey Project had a beef with his paper, but that a project organizer recently assured him that it was not an intentional snub and invited the Express to participate. The paper has declined the belated invitation, and will continue to pursue the story on its own.
SF Weekly |
10-24-2007 11:48 am |
Industry News
Alt-Weeklies Protest Arizona Officials' Outrageous Abuse of Power
To show solidarity with Phoenix New Times, members of AAN are providing links on their websites that direct their readers to the many
places on the internet where the home address of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is listed. Last week, New Times disclosed that its executives, writers, and even its readers were the target of a sweeping grand jury probe relating to the paper's publishing the sheriff's home address online; this disclosure led to the paper's co-founders being arrested. One day later, all charges against New Times were dropped. "Our association and its members won't tolerate this
sort of attack on the right of a member paper to publish information that is
and ought to be public record," says Tim Redmond, AAN First Amendment Chair Tim Redmond and executive editor of the San
Francisco Bay Guardian.
(FULL STORY)
Association of Alternative Newsweeklies Press Release |
10-23-2007 11:10 am |
Press Releases
Philadelphia City Paper Wins State Press Awardnew
The alt-weekly was named the 2007 Non-Daily Newspaper of the Year by the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. City Paper also took home first place awards in General & Departmental News Coverage and Diversity, where it finished in a tie with Philadelphia Weekly.
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association |
10-23-2007 10:14 am |
Honors & Achievements
Orlando Weekly Hits Back on Prostitution Probenew
The first thing you notice when you land on Orlando Weekly's home page these days is an audio stream of Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" -- a message the paper is clearly taking to heart. In a story nearing 5,000 words published late yesterday, the alt-weekly comes out swinging at the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI), which arrested three of its employees on Friday on charges of deriving proceeds from prostitution and aiding and abetting prostitution. (The MBI also got a grand jury indictment for criminal racketeering against the paper.) The Weekly says that the arrests were simply retaliation for publishing critical stories about the agency, and as proof points to a host of other publications that carry similar ads, yet have not been targeted by the MBI. "The MBI is an inept, inefficient police organization, answerable to no one," the paper writes. "And if you dare confront the agency on their appalling record, they will try to put you out of business."
Orlando Weekly |
10-23-2007 8:08 am |
Industry News
Film Critic J. Hoberman Celebrates 30 Years at The Village Voice
The Village Voice Press Release |
10-23-2007 2:30 pm |
Press Releases
Society of Professional Journalists Condemns New Times Arrestsnew
Society of Professional Journalists Press Release |
10-23-2007 8:35 am |
Press Releases
State Bar Investigates New Times Case; Daily Paper Seeks Documentsnew
As we reported late on Friday, all charges against Phoenix New Times have been dropped. The paper and its executives faced charges for publishing Sheriff Joe Arpaio's home address on the internet and for disclosing grand jury information. Now the Arizona Republic is reporting that the State Bar Association has launched an internal investigation into Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and special prosecutor Dennis Wilenchik, in part for their actions in the New Times case. In addition, attorneys for Phoenix Newspapers, Inc., which publishes the Republic, have filed a motion to unseal all transcripts and court filings related to the case. Lastly, New Times reports that the disorderly conduct charge that reporter Ray Stern received last week for looking at public documents has not been dismissed.
Arizona Republic | Phoenix New Times |
10-22-2007 1:19 pm |
Industry News
Chemical Co. Drops Suit Against Monterey County Weeklynew
The alt-weekly was being sued by Suterra for referencing one of its product's "inert" ingredients in print, but on Friday afternoon lawyers from the company notified the paper that the suit was being dismissed "without prejudice," the Santa Cruz Sentinel reports. Then over the weekend, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered the ingredients be made public, and also ordered that the state immediately resume spraying the product, known as Checkmate LBAM-F. It is being used to eradicate the light brown apple moth.
Santa Cruz Sentinel | Monterey County Herald |
10-22-2007 8:36 am |
Legal News
