AAN News
Chicago Reader Reprints 1972 'Manifesto'new
Someone at the Reader office recently found an old manifesto written by the alt-weekly's founders in 1972, and the paper published it last week on its blog. Responding to the question "Why do we continue with this crazy project?," the manifesto reads: "1) We are convinced it will be successful eventually. 2) We really enjoy our work. 3) The paper seems to be fulfilling a definite need for 'alternative' publications which are nonetheless not 'radical.' 4) We are bringing exposure to some (potentially) great writers." MORE: "[The document is] a brash artifact of an era where, all across the country, small groups of news innovators took a flyer on an untested business model and editorial format," CJR's Clint Hendler writes. "And what they birthed, the alt-weekly, became the home to some of the country's best writers and best journalism."
Chicago Reader |
02-23-2009 8:50 am |
Industry News
New York Press Film Writer Discusses His Criticismnew
Armond White, who recently took over as the new chairman of the NY Film Critics Circle, has tastes and opinions that have proved controversial in critic and fan circles. There's even a blog, "Armond Dangerous," devoted to "parsing the confounding film criticism of Mr. Armond White." But White says he doesn't mind, and that he's not stirring the pot just to stir the pot. "I don't say these things to call attention to myself or to get a rise out of people. I say them because I believe them," he tells New York. "We're living in times when critics get fired if they don't like enough movies. People don't need to hear what mouthpieces for the movie industry tell them. They need to hear the truth."
New York Magazine |
02-20-2009 11:07 am |
Industry News
Metro Pulse Parent Company Implements Pay Cutsnew
E.W. Scripps Co. exempt employees will see a 5 percent pay cut and the salaries of nonexempt employees will decline by 3 percent. The cuts also include a suspension of the company's 401(k) match and a freeze of the Scripps pension plan. The pay freezes are expected to last for at least a year.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel |
02-20-2009 8:28 am |
Industry News
Yelp Responds to East Bay Express Storynew
"Today the East Bay Express ran a lengthy story that accuses Yelp of manipulating review order for money," the user-generated review site's CEO Jeremy Stoppelman writes. "As we've said many-a-time we do not do this." He criticizes the story for relying heavily on anonymous sources and adds that the piece essentially overturns its "accusatory thrust" at the end.
Yelp.com |
02-19-2009 11:35 am |
Industry News
Tucson Weekly Kicks Off Year-Long 25th Anniversary Celebration
"It's a big deal for any business to survive for 25 years," editor Jimmy Boegle says. "But after looking at what the Weekly's accomplished over 2 1/2 decades, I can say this paper didn't just survive; as far as its content, it's thrived." To celebrate, the paper will release a 25th Anniversary issue on Feb. 26, launch a new website in March and host the 32nd Annual AAN Convention in June. "Seeing daily newspapers collapse all around us is unsettling," publisher Thomas P. Lee says. "But Tucson will have the Tucson Weekly to kick around for many years to come. We have our excellent staff, and our loyal readers, to thank for that."
(FULL STORY)
Tucson Weekly Press Release |
02-19-2009 9:28 am |
Press Releases
Port Folio Weekly's Print Edition to be Suspendednew
As part of ongoing cost-cutting by its parent company, the 26-year-old alt-weekly will publish its last print edition next week. Its website will remain, and the paper may resume publishing when the economy improves, according to Maurice Jones, president and publisher of the Virginian-Pilot, which owns Port Folio. The Pilot is also laying off 30 employees, including some at Port Folio.
The Virginian-Pilot |
02-19-2009 9:11 am |
Industry News
Federal Shield Law Reintroduced in Senatenew
A federal shield law that would protect reporters from testifying about confidential sources was re-introduced in the Senate on Friday, just two days after shield legislation was re-introduced into the House. The Senate bill, S. 448, was introduced by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.). The bill is similar to a previous shield law that was passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2007.
Newspaper Association of America Press Release (PDF) |
02-18-2009 4:18 pm |
Press Releases
Tags: Editorial, Management
Another AAN Diversity-Program Alum Pens Cover Story
Since we made note last week of Academy for Alternative Journalism graduate Ling Ma's recent Chicago Reader cover story, we'd be remiss not to mention that fellow class of 2008 alum Rich Knight also had a cover story in the Reader recently. Knight's Jan. 8 piece profiled Chicago's Michael "Frosti" Zernow, who some speculate could become the first superstar in the emerging sport of parkour.
AAN News |
02-18-2009 2:00 pm |
Honors & Achievements
Pilot Demands Alt-Weekly's Notes in Suit Against Whistleblowersnew
Last month, Phoenix New Times reported on three flight attendants facing a lawsuit from a US Airways pilot for daring to report their safety concerns to federal regulators. "Now New Times is getting sucked into the litigation," the paper reports. "[The pilot's attorney] filed a subpoena last week demanding that we turn over all our notes, as well as any documents provided to us by the flight attendants." New Times reports that the attorney is also attempting to subpoena information about people who've posted messages on a fund-raising website erected by the flight attendants.
Phoenix New Times |
02-18-2009 10:50 am |
Legal News
Columnist to Alt-Cartoonists: 'Don't Tell Me About Hard Times'new
"You're not picking cotton under a blazing Mississippi sun, man. You're not digging ditches in pools of raw sewage. You draw cartoons," San Diego CityBeat columnist Edwin Decker writes in response to alt-weekly cartoonists who've recently lamented the downturn in the alt-cartoon market. "There are a bizillion artists out there, writing, drawing and sculpting in obscurity, never to be paid a dime for their labor of love, or receive fanfare -- going out of their effin' minds every day craving something that resembles an audience or a paycheck." MORE: Lloyd Dangle of "Troubletown" responds, calling Decker's column "some of the most humorless, self-pitying, gen X, real-artists-must-starve hyperbole I've seen in a long time." And comic artist Jason Yungbluth has a bit of advice for Decker: "Let me suggest that you actually demonstrate some solidarity with the brothers of your profession instead of evacuating your bowels on them."
San Diego CityBeat |
02-18-2009 10:35 am |
Industry News
More Accusations of 'Extortion' by Yelpnew
Six businesspeople tell the East Bay Express that sales reps from the popular user-generated review site promised to move or remove negative reviews if their business would advertise. "In another six instances, positive reviews disappeared -- or negative ones appeared -- after owners declined to advertise," the Express reports. Similar accusations were made by California small business owners last fall. Yelp officials deny that they move negative reviews. "We wouldn't be in business very long if we started duping customers," chief operating officer Geoff Donaker says.
East Bay Express |
02-18-2009 8:32 am |
Industry News
Four AAN Members Win Scores of Regional Press Awardsnew
Boston Phoenix staff writer David Bernstein was named Journalist of the Year by the New England Press Association. He also brought home two additional first-place awards for the Phoenix -- in the Investigative Reporting and Serious Columnist categories. "Mr. Bernstein's in-depth articles are compelling and hyper-relevant, challenging myths and assumptions with sharp, clear reporting and a highly readable writing style," the judges write. "Very impressive!" All in all, the Phoenix won another nine awards, including additional first-place wins for Convergence and Reporting on Religious Issues. Worcester Magazine took home six awards, including first-place finishes in the Personality Photo, Social Issues Feature Story and Local Ad: Color categories. Boston's Weekly Dig won four awards, finishing first in Educational Reporting, Infographics and Transportation/Commuter Reporting. The Portland Phoenix also won four awards, and placed first in the General News Story category.
New England Press Association (PDF) |
02-17-2009 8:38 am |
Honors & Achievements
More on the Alt-Comics Meltdownnew
Washington City Paper recently saved $8,000 by dropping all of its syndicated comics, the Chicago Reader's Michael Miner reports. City Paper still carries one local strip, "Dirtfarm," only because author Ben Claassen lets the paper run it for free. "City Paper feels like family to me," Claassen tells Miner by way of explanation. But Lynda Barry, who quit her "Ernie Pook's Comeek" strip, and her friend Matt Groening are feeling less familial these days about their former alt-weekly clients. Nevertheless, Groening keeps plugging away, creating "Life in Hell" every week even though his success with The Simpsons has left him financially secure. "I like sitting down once a week and knocking something out all by myself," says Groening. "The rest of my life is full of collaborators."
Chicago Reader |
02-13-2009 3:30 pm |
Industry News
Phoenix New Times Duped by NBA Tattoo Cap Hoaxnew
Takes one to know one? Maybe not. Despite New Times' propensity to publish the occasional tall tale, staff writer Niki D'Andrea admits that this time the paper fell victim to another publication's spoof. In a lengthy cover story about the tattoos of Phoenix Suns basketball players, D'Andrea credulously reported that NBA Commissioner David Stern was proposing a "tattoo cap" limiting each team's "roster as a whole to 61 percent tattoo coverage of the 'upper arms and necks.'" D'Andrea says she picked the story up from Foxsports.com, which posted an item originally published on a blog called the Gerbil Sports Network. Bloggers Alana G, who first caught New Times' mistake, and Heat City, weigh in on the incident.
Phoenix New Times |
02-13-2009 2:36 pm |
Industry News
News Editor Reflects on 10 Years at the Providence Phoenixnew
"I've been privileged to enjoy the alt-weekly journalist's brief of reporting and writing lengthy articles on the various topics, from the serious to the fanciful, appealing to the wide-ranging interests of Rhode Islanders," writes Ian Donnis. He is leaving the alt-weekly to become public radio station WRNI's political reporter.
The Providence Phoenix |
02-13-2009 12:09 pm |
Industry News
