AAN News

Former Creative Loafing Ad Director Offers $1 Million for Atlanta Papernew

Patrick Best, who spent four years as CL's advertising director before starting rival publication The Sunday Paper, told Atlanta Magazine's Steve Fennessy last week he's willing to pay Ben Eason $1 million for Creative Loafing (Atlanta). Fennessy notes that it is unclear whether the purchase would even be possible, given CL's Chapter 11 status, but Best says "it's not unusual for businesses that are in bankruptcy to sell off pieces of their company in order to raise capital." MORE on Creative Loafing: Former senior editor (and current shareholder) John Sugg writes about CL's "death spiral," and Creative Loafing's Mara Shalhoup responds. And departing senior writer Andisheh Nouraee discusses why he is leaving with Atlanta Progressive News.
Atlanta Magazine  |  12-01-2008  1:41 pm  |  Industry News

Philadelphia City Paper Makes Shopping Locally Easy with Trunk Show

While more than 70 papers are asking their readers to pledge to spend $100 of their holiday shopping locally this year, in Philadelphia, one alt-weekly has taken it a step further. The City Paper is hosting a Trunk Show on the most overhyped of mall shopping days, the day after Thanksgiving, aka Black Friday. The show will feature clothing, jewelry, bags, stationery, housewares and more from local designers, craftspeople and boutiques. AAN News recently caught up with City Paper associate publisher Roxanne Cooper via email to find out more about the initiative. (FULL STORY)
AAN News  |  11-25-2008  11:59 am  |  Industry News

Alt-Weeklies Around the Country Ask Readers to Shop Local

As part of an initiative launched earlier this month, AAN members from Hawaii to New York are running inventive marketing programs to get their readers to shop locally this holiday season. The papers are urging readers to spend at least $100 of their holiday money this fall at locally owned stores in their communities -- a move that could pump more than $2.9 billion into urban economies during this recession-plagued season. Links to several papers' efforts can be found here. If your paper is missing from our link list, please contact Jon Whiten at jwhiten (at) aan.org and we'll add it to the list. (FULL STORY)
AAN News  |  11-25-2008  10:59 am  |  Industry News  |  Comments (1)

The Stranger and Ace Hotel Launch 'Trainsetters' Programnew

In collaboration with Travel Portland and Amtrak Cascades, Ace Hotel and The Stranger have launched Trainsetters -- a program that encourages train travel from Seattle to Portland and supports Portland's independent shops this holiday season. The program is aimed at an emerging travel market: younger travelers who are sick of the hassle and high costs of driving and air travel, and who prefer the train's practical and aesthetic benefits. Trainsetters will be promoted via design collaborations between The Stranger and Ace Hotel, including postcards, posters and custom coffee sleeves on the train, ads in The Stranger, and also on the web at www.trainsetters.com.
The Stranger Press Release (pdf)  |  11-25-2008  9:58 am  |  Press Releases

Creative Loafing Creditor Objects to Hiring of Financial Advisornew

Atalaya Capital Management, which lent CL's Ben Eason $30 million to buy the Chicago Reader and Washington City Paper, has filed a motion (pdf file) asking that Eason not be allowed to hire the investment banking firm Skyway Capital Partners to help him emerge from bankruptcy. The main thrusts of Atalaya's argument are that Skyway is not a disinterested party, that Skyway's role will extend beyond mere financial advising into possibly brokering a sale of CL, and that Skyway is not a competent financial advisor. More from the Reader's Michael Miner.
Atlanta Magazine  |  11-24-2008  9:57 am  |  Industry News

As Parent Company Cuts Costs, Port Folio Weekly's Future is Unclearnew

Plagued by an advertising decline, The Virginian-Pilot is cutting at least 125 positions, mostly through layoffs and shutting affiliated publications. The company has closed Link, a free daily tabloid, but publisher Maurice Jones said on Friday the Pilot "has not decided whether to continue Port Folio Weekly."
The Virginian-Pilot  |  11-24-2008  7:42 am  |  Industry News

What's In Store for the 2009 Online Ad Spend?new

While Borrell Associates recently predicted that online ad spending will top out next year, Online Media Daily reports that some industry leaders are challenging the firm's prognosis. One eMarketer senior analyst says that while they see the slowest year of growth since '03, "we do see growth." Meanwhile, another study, by Advertiser Perceptions Inc., finds that the number of media brands ad executives plan to place ads in over the next six months is expanding for online media, but declining for print outlets. And in another bit of online ad news, mobile web ad provider Admob reports that requests for iPhone ads have increased 1000 percent in four months, making it the top device on the Admob network.
Online Media Daily | The Industry Standard  |  11-20-2008  10:46 am  |  Industry News

Alt-Weeklies Using SelectAlternatives See Significant Growth in '08

SelectAlternatives has released a study of 15 papers using its personals/social networking software comparing Jan.-Oct. 2008 against Jan.-Oct. 2007. The study found that total revenues are up 8 percent; personals revenues are up 16 percent; and adult Revenues are down five percent. Web traffic also saw significant increases, with total page views increasing 12 percent, to 60.7 million in '08. (FULL STORY)
Sutcliffe Associates, LLC Press Release  |  11-20-2008  9:04 am  |  Press Releases

Boise Weekly Raises Nearly $13K at Cover Art Auctionnew

On the seventh anniversary of the event, the Weekly once again auctioned off a year's worth of cover art to fund a worthy cause. Last week's haul brings the total to date raised by the event to more than $78,000. The beneficiary of this year's auction has yet to be determined, but in the past the paper has funded causes like childrens' arts organizations and a work of public art.
Boise Weekly  |  11-18-2008  11:00 am  |  Industry News

Two New Motions Filed in Creative Loafing Bankruptcy Casenew

Last week, Creative Loafing asked a bankruptcy judge to authorize CEO Ben Eason to hire the investment banking firm that brokered the Reader/City Paper purchase to evaluate the company's business plan, seek new financing, and prepare the company to be sold if necessary, Atlanta Magazine's Steve Fennessy reports. Meanwhile, Eason's largest creditor, Atalaya Capital Management, asked the judge to lift the automatic stay that prevented CL from defaulting on its loan, arguing that the value of the company is falling with each passing day due to the bankruptcy filing and to "downward trends in the advertising industry." Eason tells Fennessy he stands by his decision to expand. "I think it's one of the smartest things we've done," he says. "I'd rather be navigating [the economic downturn] with Washington City Paper and Chicago Reader and [syndicated column] Straight Dope than without them." MORE: The Reader's Michael Miner weighs in, and City Paper consolidates its office into one floor.
Atlanta Magazine  |  11-17-2008  12:11 pm  |  Industry News

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