AAN News
Creative Loafing Names New Chief Digital Officernew
Creative Loafing, Inc. has named Alex Kam its chief digital officer to oversee the digital operations of the company's six publication. Most recently, Kam was vice president of digital media for ALM/Incisive Media North America (publisher of The American Lawyer and other journals), and he has also served as general manager of new media for Major League Baseball. "It's not about building something and they will come. It's about understanding what users want and bringing them to you," Kam says in a note to employees. "Digital allows you to do this in many different ways ... but it's driven first and foremost by content." He will work out of D.C.
Chicago Reader |
05-27-2010 9:14 am |
Industry News
Four AAN Members are Finalists in SPJ Green Eyeshade Awardsnew
The Society of Professional Journalists has named the finalists for the 60th annual Green Eyeshade Awards, a regional competition open to news organization in 11 southeastern states. Miami New Times has six finalists in six categories and the Memphis Flyer has six finalists in five categories, while the Jackson Free Press is a finalist in four categories and New Times Broward-Palm Beach is competing in three. Winners will be announced at a banquet this summer.
Green Eyeshade Awards |
05-27-2010 9:07 am |
Honors & Achievements
SoCal Journalism Award Finalists Include a Handful of Alt-Weekliesnew
The Los Angeles Press Club has announced the finalists for its 52nd Annual Southern California Journalism Awards, and four AAN members and one alt-weekly affiliated columnist are in the running this year. LA Weekly has 23 finalists in 14 categories, including Journalist of the Year (Patrick Range McDonald and Christine Pelisek), Entertainment Journalist (Scott Foundas), Designer (Darrick Rainey) and Online Journalist (Dennis Romero). OC Weekly has five finalists in five categories, including Journalist of the Year (R. Scott Moxley) and Designer (Kelly Lewis). The Pasadena Weekly has seven finalists in six categories, and the Ventura County Reporter has one finalist. Meanwhile, Advice Goddess Amy Alkon is a finalist for five awards, including Journalist of the Year. Winners will be announced on June 27.
Los Angeles Press Club (PDF) |
05-27-2010 8:54 am |
Honors & Achievements
Gustavo Arellano, Maher Arar Tapped as Lunch Speakers for Convention
AAN has confirmed the guest speakers for its two lunches at this
year's Toronto Convention. Ask a Mexican's Gustavo Arellano will
reprise his role as host of the AltWeekly Awards banquet on
Friday, July 16. And at the next day's Free Speech Lunch, attendees
will hear from extraordinary rendition and torture victim Maher Arar,
who was arrested by American immigration officials in 2002 and later
deported to Syria. Despite being cleared of all ties to terrorism by
Canadian officials, Arar remains on a U.S. terrorist watchlist, so
you're not likely to see him speak in America any time soon.
AAN |
05-26-2010 1:07 pm |
Association News
Phoenix New Times Music Editor Gets Book Dealnew
New Times' Martin Cizmar has sold his book Chubster to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Publishers Marketplace describes it as an "appropriately snarky weight-loss and lifestyle guide for hipsters looking to shed pounds and stay cool," according to Grub Street New York. (Publishers Marketplace is available to subscribers only.) "Expect the core program to center around a regimen of street-cart tacos, Old Granddad, and cigarettes," Grub Street writes.
Grub Street New York |
05-26-2010 11:47 am |
Industry News
Colorado Springs Independent Turning Readers into Headhunters
The Indy is hiring a new ad director, sales executive and news reporter, and "instead of turning to an expensive headhunter," the paper says it is offering cash rewards to readers who refer successful candidates.
(FULL STORY)
Colorado Springs Independent Press Release |
05-26-2010 9:03 am |
Press Releases
Six Alt-Weeklies Pick Up Regional SPJ Awardsnew
The Society of Professional Journalists' Pacific Northwest Excellence in Journalism competition, unlike many others, features its own alt-weekly division, which pits publications from Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho and Montana against each other. This year, the Pacific Northwest Inlander led the pack with 13 total awards -- six of which were first-place finishes. Five of the Willamette Week's nine total awards were in first place, and Seattle Weekly won 13 total awards and three firsts. The Missoula Independent won five awards, with two first-place wins. The Eugene Weekly won five awards and the Portland Mercury won one.
Society of Professional Journalists Region 10 (PDF) |
05-26-2010 8:53 am |
Honors & Achievements
Appeals Court Sets June Hearing for SF Weekly/Bay Guardian Legal Fightnew
The California Court of Appeals has scheduled a June 11 hearing on SF Weekly's appeal of the San Francisco Bay Guardian's $21 million judgment in the 2008 predatory-pricing case.
The Stranger |
05-25-2010 9:17 am |
Industry News
Chicago Mayor Threatens to Shove Gun Up Chicago Reader Staffer's Butt
At a press conference last week on gun control, Reader staff writer Mick Dumke asked Mayor Richard Daley how effective he thought the city's restrictive gun laws have been, considering the shootings and murders have continued at a high rate. Daley, rather than addressing the issue, picked up a rifle and addressed Dumke directly. "It's been very effective," he said, chuckling. "If I put this up your butt, you'll find out how effective it is. Let me put a round up your, you know." The next day Daley said he regretted his choice of words, while his spokesperson said Dumke was "missing the point" with his line of questioning, a view not shared by the reporter. "Actually, they're missing the point, and they're of course doing it on purpose. They want to miss the point," Dumke writes. "The point is that there's a critical discussion that needs to take place around here about gun control, violence, an understaffed police force, neglected neighborhoods, chronic joblessness, the war on drugs, failing schools, and the priorities of public officials. But Mayor Daley has shown no signs of being interested in it. He's decided what needs to happen, and we're either with him or against him."
Chicago Reader | Chicago Tribune |
05-25-2010 9:07 am |
Industry News
City Pages Wins a Dozen First-Place Awards in Local SPJ Contestnew
City Pages won 12 first-place trophies at the annual Page One awards Friday, in competition against all of Minnesota's major dailies. The alt-weekly says it is the second year in a row in which they've picked up more first-place wins than both local dailies, the Star Tribune and the Pioneer Press.
City Pages |
05-25-2010 8:22 am |
Honors & Achievements
Phoenix New Times Celebrates 40th Anniversarynew
New Times, which got its start in 1970 as a reaction to the Kent State shootings, hosted a party over the weekend to celebrate 40 years in existence. Native Arizonan and former alt-weekly writer and NPR editor Bill Wyman takes the anniversary occasion to look back and take stock of what New Times has built; it was the first paper started by Michael Lacey, who now oversees the Village Voice Media chain with business partner Jim Larkin. After saying he has "no reason to suck up" to Lacey and Larkin, Wyman concludes: "Aren't they everything we supposedly value about the press in the U.S.? They are idiosyncratic and uncorruptible, uncompromising and fearless; unlike a lot of places that adopt the motto, Lacey and Larkin really do print the news and raise hell. And as this troubled time for a troubled industry continues, they just may end up being the last men standing."
Phoenix New Times |
05-25-2010 8:17 am |
Honors & Achievements
AAN Opens Voting for Editorial Panel Competition
AAN's 2010 editorial panel competition garnered 16 proposals for topics ranging from video production to nonprofit grants to transportation politics (and everything in between). AAN members now have the opportunity to vote on these proposals. The proposal with the most votes will be featured at the July 15-17 annual convention in Toronto, and its creator will receive a free registration to the convention.
The editorial panel competition was spearheaded by AAN's editorial committee as a means of soliciting new ideas for programming in Toronto and beyond. "No matter who wins this competition, there are a lot of great ideas here, and I'm hoping some of the runner-ups will be game to bring their ideas to the convention as part of the editorial roundtable sessions," said AAN Editorial Chair Julia Goldberg.
Voting will close on Thursday, May 27 at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 2.
CLICK HERE READ THE PROPOSALS AND VOTE (FULL STORY)
The editorial panel competition was spearheaded by AAN's editorial committee as a means of soliciting new ideas for programming in Toronto and beyond. "No matter who wins this competition, there are a lot of great ideas here, and I'm hoping some of the runner-ups will be game to bring their ideas to the convention as part of the editorial roundtable sessions," said AAN Editorial Chair Julia Goldberg.
Voting will close on Thursday, May 27 at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 2.
CLICK HERE READ THE PROPOSALS AND VOTE (FULL STORY)
AAN |
05-24-2010 5:45 pm |
Association News
Asking More of Your Staff With No Budget for Additional Resources?
Sales teams are now required to sell print, web, phone and other products. Writers are stretched to capacity with added blogging and social media responsibilities. Designers must learn new skills to produce additional ads and content for web, mobile and now the tablet. How do you create and maintain an environment that continues to motivate your staffs when more is required of them each and every day?
Jan van der Hoop of HiringSmart will be in Toronto to help us tackle this issue -- one faced across all departments. With more than fifteen years of HR experience, Jan will walk convention attendees through a concrete process to understand the driving factors of performance, measure what truly matters and plan the necessary steps to help ensure your paper remains competitive through the contributions of your staff.
So join us in Toronto for this timely discussion on how to get the most out of your employees.
Jan van der Hoop of HiringSmart will be in Toronto to help us tackle this issue -- one faced across all departments. With more than fifteen years of HR experience, Jan will walk convention attendees through a concrete process to understand the driving factors of performance, measure what truly matters and plan the necessary steps to help ensure your paper remains competitive through the contributions of your staff.
So join us in Toronto for this timely discussion on how to get the most out of your employees.
AAN |
05-24-2010 10:23 am |
Association News
Tags: Financial, Management
Veteran Print Sales Executive Joins Bartash Team
Sidney Simon, owner and CEO of Bartash Inc., one of the nation’s leading
manufacturers of magazines, newspapers and niche publications, proudly
announces that industry veteran Bob Senske has joined Bartash as its newest
Sales Executive. Mr. Senske brings over 25 years of graphic arts experience
to Philadelphia’s largest coldset web printer. Most recently, he spent 10
years in sales with A.F.L. Web Printing of Voorhees, NJ.
(FULL STORY)
Bartash Printing Press Release |
05-19-2010 11:06 am |
Press Releases
Tags: Management, Bartash Printing
The Trick to Selling? It's Not Selling, According to Convention Speaker
Does your sales team, or your overall sales approach, need a shot in
the arm? Sales trainer Richard Farrell of Chicago-based Tangent
Knowledge Systems will be at the Toronto Convention to offer a new
tool that just might help you boost sales and land new clients. On
Friday, July 16, he'll walk convention attendees through his
unorthodox nonselling sales process, touching on things salespeople
should be focused on, like understanding the customer's needs, and
what they shouldn't be, like over-communicating their sales messages.
AAN |
05-13-2010 5:17 pm |
Association News
