AAN News
Dallas Observer Stories Play Key Role in Nabbing 'Religious Charlatan'new
Sandra Camille Powers was arrested in South Carolina last week with an assist from the Dallas alt-weekly, the Brunswick Beacon reports. Powers, a two-time Observer cover subject, faces five felony fraud charges for swindling an elderly woman. Powers' con unraveled when a suspicious local realtor did a Google search and discovered the articles written by the Observer's Glenna Whitley. The crucial information on Powers' past motivated the realtor to report her, and led to her eventual arrest.
The Brunswick Beacon |
03-14-2007 2:05 pm |
Industry News
Style Weekly Editor to Make Appearance on Basic Cablenew
Deveron Timberlake, the food & drink editor for the Richmond alt-weekly, is one of two local judges on an upcoming episode of Throwdown! With Bobby Flay, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. The Food Network show pits celebrity chef Bobby Flay against a local chef known for a regional speciality. The show arrived this week in Richmond for a ribs cookoff, where Flay challenged -- and lost to -- Buz Grossberg of Buz & Ned's Real Barbecue.
Richmond Times-Dispatch |
03-14-2007 11:03 am |
Industry News
SGI Applauds House for Improving Freedom of Information Act
Sunshine in Government Initiative Press Release |
03-14-2007 11:00 pm |
Press Releases
Tags: Editorial
RedEye Introduces a Weekend Editionnew
Tribune Press Release via Poynter Online |
03-14-2007 12:11 pm |
Press Releases
AAN to Name Annual Award After Molly Ivins
The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies will honor Ivins' contribution to journalism by bestowing an annual First Amendment award to a North American journalist whose work best embodies the spirit of Ivins' legacy. "She got her basic training at one of our
member newspapers, and when she left she continued to speak truth to power
with wit and style. Her work speaks for itself, and speaks volumes about how much difference one courageous journalist can make," says Kenneth Neill, AAN President and publisher of The Memphis
Flyer.
(FULL STORY)
Association of Alternative Newsweeklies Press Release |
03-13-2007 11:20 am |
Press Releases
OC Weekly's Founding Editor to Launch New Papernew
Will Swaim, who resigned in January over "philosophical differences" with the alt-weekly's new owners, is starting The District, a weekly paper covering Long Beach, Orange County Business Journal reports. Swaim has heavily recruited ex-OC Weekly staffers to work at The District, including the Weekly's former art director, sales director and sales manager. Former staff writers Steve Lowery, Dave Wielenga and Theo Douglas have also migrated to The District, which launches April 11, according to the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Meanwhile, LA Observed reports ex-staff writer Ellen Griley is also on board. For Swaim, the new location was a no-brainer. "Long Beach is the largest North American city without an independent newsweekly," he says.
Orange County Business Journal (Reg. req.) |
03-13-2007 8:15 am |
Industry News
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Web Gains, Print Losses for Alt-Weekliesnew
That's what this year's "State of the News Media" reports, chronicling the slight decline of print readers and "enormous growth" online in 2006. The Project for Excellence in Journalism (PEJ) also looks at the VVM/New Times merger, which it cited as "the biggest issue on the horizon" for the industry in last year's report. "Economically, the early indications are that the merger may not have as dramatic an effect as many in the industry expected," says PEJ.
Project for Excellence in Journalism |
03-12-2007 2:35 pm |
Industry News
VVM's Michael Lacey: 'We Didn't Expect Things to Go Smoothly'new
In a conversation with the New York Times' David Carr, Village Voice Media's executive editor addresses the editorial merry-go-round at the chain's flagship paper. "We didn't expect things to happen overnight," Lacey says. He also tells Carr that a move to New York might be in the cards once his kids leave for college. "I'm not going to edit the paper hands-on," he says, "but I will be close enough to make whoever is editing the paper more miserable than they already are."
The New York Times |
03-12-2007 8:38 am |
Industry News
Port Folio Weekly's Inquiry Leads to Investigation of Navy Officernew
Lt. Cmdr. John Sharpe was temporarily relieved of duty last week after a Port Folio Weekly reporter asked about Sharpe and "alleg[ed] his involvement in possible supremacist activities," the Navy Times reports.
Navy Times |
03-12-2007 8:16 am |
Industry News
More OC Weekly Staffers On the Way Outnew
Steve Lowery, who was acting as interim editor in the wake of Will Swaim's departure, announced today that he is leaving the paper effective immediately, according to a farewell e-mail obtained by LA Observed. Effective March 23, OC Weekly will also be without Features Editor Theo Douglas, who gave his two weeks' notice today. In addition, OC Blog reports that two production staffers are leaving.
LA Observed |
03-09-2007 5:42 pm |
Industry News
Senator's 'Official Secrets Act' Amendment in Limbo
Last week we noted that Sen. Jon Kyl, R-AZ, was prepared to introduce an amendment in the Senate Judiciary Committee that would -- like Britain's Official Secrets Act -- criminalize the communication or publication of broad swaths of classified information. A couple of days later
we reported that the senator had reconsidered and withdrawn the bill. Since then, Kyl has returned with another, less onerous yet-still-dangerous amendment that he apparently intends to take straight to the Senate floor. Tucson Weekly and San Francisco Bay Guardian both report this week on the twists and turns.
Tucson Weekly | San Francisco Bay Guardian |
03-09-2007 4:07 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Changes -- Big and Small -- Afoot at AltWeeklies.com
It's been almost three years since AAN launched AltWeeklies.com as a web portal for alt-weekly content and a story-sharing site for AAN member papers. As web journalism and the news industry evolve, AltWeeklies.com is taking steps to move forward as well.
(FULL STORY)
AAN News |
03-09-2007 9:20 am |
Association News
Fulbright Scholar Research Awards for Professional Journalists
Council for International Exchange of Scholars Press Release |
03-09-2007 11:17 am |
Press Releases
Tags: Editorial
Mayor Dogged by Jackson Free Press Sent to Jailnew
Mayor Frank Melton of Jackson, Miss., was jailed yesterday for violating the terms of his probation that were established last fall after he pleaded guilty to three gun charges. Stories by the Jackson Free Press led directly to those gun convictions, and last month, the alt-weekly broke the news that Melton had violated his probation by breaking midnight curfew. The Jackson Free Press' coverage also led directly to five felony charges Melton faces in April for allegedly leading police officers and juvenile friends on a warrantless raid.
Jackson Free Press |
03-08-2007 2:54 pm |
Industry News
House Committee Approves FOIA Reform Bill
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved H.R. 1309 this morning, just two days after it was reported out of subcommittee.
It's "the most comprehensive legislation to reform the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in a decade," says the Sunshine in Government Initiative, a coalition of media groups that includes AAN. The bill restores meaningful deadlines for government agencies; requires agencies to create hotlines and tracking systems for requests; creates an ombudsman to resolve disputes and avoid litigation; makes it easier to recover legal fees if a requester is forced to sue; and penalizes agencies for delays. H.R. 1039 is scheduled to hit the House floor next Tuesday. AAN members are encouraged to contact their representatives to voice support for the bill.
(FULL STORY)
Sunshine in Government Initiative Press Release |
03-08-2007 1:08 pm |
Press Releases
