AAN News

As Belts Tighten, Ad Execs Are Considering Fewer Outletsnew

Ad salespeople are expected to have to face increased competition for a dwindling number of media slots being planned by ad executives, according to a new report by Advertiser Perceptions Inc. "The study finds that the number of media brands being 'considered' by advertisers and agencies has declined precipitously, meaning individual media outlets will be facing their toughest competition ever when vying for a slice of what are also likely to be smaller advertising pies," Media Daily News reports. The two mediums facing the greatest reduction in consideration slots? Online and print, respectively.
Media Daily News  |  10-01-2008  10:20 am  |  Industry News

More on Creative Loafing's Bankruptcy Protection Filing

When Creative Loafing filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection yesterday, the news was widely reported. AAN News scoured the wires, separated the wheat from the chaff, and collected some of the pertinent information and opinion. (FULL STORY)
AAN News  |  09-30-2008  1:27 pm  |  Industry News

Pro-Voting Public Service Ads Available for AAN Members

Portland-based ad agency Borders Perrin Norrander has created a campaign urging people to vote this fall and is offering the ads for AAN members to run between now and election day. Much like the presidential campaign, the ad campaign's theme is change, with the tag line "Don't Vote. Things Are Just Fine the Way They Are," paired with striking visual representations of some of the country's most pressing problems. Willamette Week publisher Richard Meeker says the agency is OK with AAN members turning to other advertisers to help sponsor the advertisements and perhaps get them more prominently placed within the paper. Meeker adds that WW is trying to secure ad dollars from MoveOn.org so they can run the Borders ads on full pages, rather than on a space-available basis. To view the ads, visit ThingsAreFine.org.
AAN News  |  09-30-2008  9:51 am  |  Industry News

Creative Loafing Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protectionnew

The company, which owns Creative Loafing papers in Atlanta, Charlotte, Sarasota and Tampa, as well as the Chicago Reader and Washington City Paper, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning, the St. Petersburg Times reports. City Paper editor Erik Wemple reports that CEO Ben Eason discussed the filing with top company officials in a conference call this morning, and said that the bankruptcy filing would allow CL's six papers to establish a greater online presence while the company reorganizes its operations. A corporate memo on the filing says it "has little to do with the acquisition" of the Reader and City Paper last year. Eason also said that the move entails no liquidation or layoffs. In fact, the Chapter 11 filing will roll back editorial staff cuts at the papers, Wemple writes. MORE: Read more about the move from Creative Loafing (Tampa), the Reader, Crain's and Bloomberg News.
The St. Petersburg Times | Washington City Paper  |  09-29-2008  12:15 pm  |  Industry News

Washington City Paper Shifting to More Web-Centric Approachnew

The Georgetown Voice's nearly 3,000-word story on the alt-weekly looks at how it is evolving under the ownership of Creative Loafing, and how the paper is fighting to maintain its identity -- and market share -- despite having fewer resources. "You want to create a rich environment and then bring it down into the print," says CL CEO Ben Eason, who is currently focused on uniting the company's six papers as a national web presence. "Without a doubt, the web is a far richer environment than print." Editor Erik Wemple says he sees the paper a year from now as being "very, very, very much a web machine." But publisher Amy Austin adds that, while online advertising revenue is quickly growing for City Paper, it still only makes up approximately 5 percent of the paper's total revenue, which has been in decline. By 2006, the paper's net revenue -- traditionally around 15 percent -- had fallen to 4.7 percent.
The Georgetown Voice  |  09-26-2008  4:27 pm  |  Industry News

Boise Weekly Eliminates Ad Director Position

Longtime ad director Nancy E. Spittle is leaving the Weekly after seven years "to pursue new professional adventures," according to a press release. Her position will not be filled -- instead, the Weekly has hired two additional account executives. "Even though Boise Weekly still has positive revenue growth over last year, the economy requires all companies to tighten ship and work hard to increase revenue and improve performance in sales," the press release notes. (FULL STORY)
Boise Weekly Press Release  |  09-26-2008  8:00 am  |  Press Releases

Ad Spending Falls At Steepest Rate Since 2001new

Spending across the major U.S. media fell 3.7 percent during the second quarter of 2008, and 1.6 percent during the first half of the year, according to new data released this morning by ad tracking service TNS Media Intelligence. Media Daily News reports the decline, the steepest since 2001, reflects the worsening of the U.S. economy, and a slackening of demand from major marketers for most major media. TNS senior vice president for research Jon Swallen notes that spending in 2008's second half is likely to be "bolstered by the Summer Olympics and political elections," but warns that "sustained improvement will most likely depend on a turnaround in consumer spending that rejuvenates corporate profits and encourages marketers to expand their advertising efforts." The newspaper sector was the hardest hit, with total newspaper ad spending down 7.4 percent year-over-year, and local newspapers down 7.1 percent.
Media Daily News  |  09-24-2008  8:47 am  |  Industry News

Media Owners Brace for Tougher '09new

Advertising Age  |  09-22-2008  11:26 am  |  Industry News

Missoula Independent Wants City's Legal Noticesnew

At the Monday meeting of Missoula's city council, Independent owner and publisher Matt Gibson said he wants the city to be able to place its mandatory legal notices in the alt-weekly, rather than in a paid newspaper, the Missoulian reports. Gibson told the council that Missoula County places such ads in the Independent, and saves about $20,000 a year by doing so. The problem is that Montana law says cities must run the legal notices in a paid newspaper. Gibson told the council he'd like the Montana League of Cities and Towns to take up the matter during the upcoming legislative session.
The Missoulian  |  09-17-2008  9:57 am  |  Industry News

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