AAN News
While in Portland, DesertNet Will Help You Stay Connected
AAN knows a few conference attendees get a little anxious when separated from their papers. Are your writers meeting deadline? Did the cover image turn out the way you wanted? Are your ad reps making their numbers this week? Fear not, nervous nelly: DesertNet has channeled the power of the internet so you can check in with your staff whenever the urge hits. The Tucson-based web developers are sponsoring free wifi in the Hilton meeting rooms, and for those who like a little privacy with their email, the Hilton provides complementary hi-speed lines in each guest room.
PortlAANd 2007 |
06-07-2007 2:49 pm |
Association News
Confront Your Prius Envynew
Toyota's hybrid Prius is already a common sight in commuter heavy places like D.C. and L.A., but have you gotten to drive one yet? Toyota and a number of its hybrid, alternative fuel and future technology experts will be available to answer questions during the convention. Green and environmental reporters take note: The company's interactive exhibit will feature a full array of current model Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles -- the Prius, Camry and Highlander -- that can be taken for a test ride or drive. To sign up for the
hybrid ride and drive experience, talk to the reps staffing the Toyota booth in the trade show.
PortlAANd 2007 |
06-07-2007 1:24 pm |
Association News
Convention Attendance Shattering Records
It feels like the late 90's again here at AAN! As of this afternoon, there are approximately 580 members, non-members and exhibitors registered for this year's convention in Portland, which is now only one week away. We haven't seen numbers like this since the Phoenix convention in 2000. For a list of member and non-member registrants as of May 30, download this PDF.
PortlAANd 2007 |
06-06-2007 9:23 pm |
Association News
Alt-Weekly Investigation Reveals ID-Theft Entrepreneur's Shady Pastnew
Last week, Phoenix New Times revealed that Robert J. Maynard, Jr., a founder of LifeLock, a company that offers to protect people from identity theft, is himself suspected of being an identity thief. Among New Times' findings: Another company Maynard owned, a credit-repair company called the National Credit Foundation, was investigated by state and federal authorities and was suspected of stealing money from its customers. Court records show that the company "withdrew funds from consumers' checking accounts without authorization." As Wired notes, Maynard denied wrongdoing, but the federal government issued a permanent injunction banning him from "advertising, promoting, offering for sale, selling, performing, or distributing any product or service relating to credit improvement services." In the meantime, one of LifeLock's competitors, Truston, seized the opportunity to offer a 50 percent discount to any current LifeLock customers.
Wired |
06-06-2007 8:31 am |
Industry News
Free Transportation from the Airport
And we won't make you blog to qualify! If you were registered for the convention as of last week, be on the lookout for a Willamette Week envelope. For inside that envelope is a TriMet ticket good for a Max train ride from PDX to downtown Portland. The train leaves the airport every 15 minutes; after a 29-minute ride, it'll drop you at Pioneer Square, which is two blocks south of the Hilton.
PortlAANd 2007 |
06-05-2007 7:58 pm |
Association News
Alt-Weeklies Face Off In SPJ Contestnew
In the Society of Professional Journalists' Pacific Northwest Excellence in Journalism Contest, alternative newsweeklies have their own category. This year, Eugene Weekly and Seattle Weekly were the big winners, each taking home five first-place awards. Willamette Week was close behind with four first-place awards. The Pacific Northwest Inlander and the Missoula Independent each won one first-place award, and The Source Weekly took home one third-place award. In addition, the Oregonian reports that Willamette Week writer Beth Slovic won the Bob Chandler Rookie of the Year award. Winners were announced Saturday evening.
Society of Professional Journalists (PDF file) |
06-05-2007 8:51 am |
Honors & Achievements
Jackson Free Press Blogs the James Ford Seale Trial
Jackson Free Press Press Release |
06-05-2007 9:58 am |
Press Releases
Eleven Board Seats Up for Election in Portland
The election will be held during the association's annual meeting on Saturday, June 16. Current members of the board have indicated their intention to run for nine of the open seats. Other AAN members who are interested in running for the board should contact executive director Richard Karpel at 202/289-8484 or rkarpel at aan.org.
(FULL STORY)
AAN Staff |
06-04-2007 7:03 pm |
Association News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Alt-Weeklies Win 19 Greater Bay Area Journalism Awardsnew
Between them, AAN members the Pacific Sun, Palo Alto Weekly, SF Weekly and the San Francisco Bay Guardian took home 11 first-place and eight second- or third-place awards from the Peninsula Press Club. The Guardian led the pack with five firsts, while SF Weekly had four and Palo Alto Weekly had two. Winners were announced at a reception Saturday evening.
Peninsula Press Club |
06-04-2007 8:22 am |
Honors & Achievements
Tags: Editorial, Management
Alt-Weeklies Win Six Food Journalism Awardsnew
AAN members dominated three categories of the 2007 Association of Food Journalists Award Competition. In Best Newspaper Restaurant Criticism, Besha Rodell of Creative Loafing (Atlanta) and Gail Shepherd of New Times Broward-Palm Beach were both winners. In Best Newspaper Food Column, Blair Campbell of the East Bay Express and Malcolm Gay of Riverfront Times both won. And Besha Rodell won again in Best Newspaper Food Feature (circulation less than 150,000), along with Zack Dundas of Willamette Week. The placement of the winners will be announced August 25.
Association of Food Journalists (PDF file) |
06-01-2007 3:35 pm |
Honors & Achievements
Sen. Kyl Fesses Up: He's 'Senator Secrecy'new
The Republican from Arizona was unmasked following an ultimately successful campaign by the Society of Professional Journalists to publicly identify the senator who placed a secret hold on the OPEN Government Act. The OGA would improve the government's response to public requests for information under the federal
Freedom of Information Act, and is supported by AAN and dozens of other groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the conservative Heritage Foundation. The bill has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 308-117 and was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kyl tells the Associated Press that he'll continue to block a vote of the full Senate until the Justice Department's "uncharacteristically strong" objections to the bill are assuaged. His Republican colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), disagrees: "This is an important, bipartisan issue that deserves the consideration of the full Senate," Cornyn says. AAN encourages its members to call their senators to let them know that you support the OPEN Government Act and oppose Sen. Kyl's obstructionist tactics.
AP via Yahoo! News |
06-01-2007 3:26 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
A Cornucopia of Alternative Newspapers Awaits Your Arrival
As veteran attendees know, the trade show exhibit hall at the AAN Convention is the best place in the world to grab an armful of alt-weeklies. If you want your papers included in this magnificent spread of profane tabloids, you'll need to ship them to arrive by Wednesday, June 13, to the following address: AAN Convention Newspaper Display, Pacific Exposition Decorating Company, 2737 NW Nela Street, Portland, OR 97210. (If your shipper needs a phone number, it's 503-417-8000.) You can send as many papers as you like, but 25 to 50 are generally sufficient. And, yes, remaining papers will be recycled.
PortlAANd 2007 |
06-01-2007 11:49 am |
Association News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Village Voice Media Hires National Web Music Editor
Village Voice Media Press Release |
06-01-2007 4:47 pm |
Press Releases
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden to Speak at AAN Convention
Oregon's senior senator, known for his interest in health care, technology and natural-resources issues, will address convention delegates the morning of Saturday, June 16. Before his election to the Senate in 1996, Wyden served 15 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. In a vote earlier this month, Wyden cosponsored the Feingold-Reid amendment calling for the mandated redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq. In 2002, the Democrat was one of only 23 senators who voted against the authorization of military force in Iraq.
PortlAANd 2007 |
05-31-2007 1:31 pm |
Association News
Jonathan Gold's Pulitzer Win Called 'Groundbreaking'new
"Pulitzer recipients almost always are employees of established daily publications," notes the San Diego Union-Tribune. The paper also points out that Gold's Pulitzer was the first awarded to a food critic. "I always thought you had to have a grown-up job doing something like reviewing operas at The New York Times to get a Pulitzer, not writing about taco stands for the (LA) Weekly," Gold says.
San Diego Union-Tribune |
05-31-2007 1:12 pm |
Honors & Achievements
