AAN News
Court Appoints Receiver to Investigate SF Weekly's Finances in Bay Guardian Casenew
The California Superior Court has appointed a receiver to investigate the finances of SF Weekly and its parent company, with an eye towards developing a plan to pay the San Francisco Bay Guardian the $22 million it is owed in the predatory-pricing lawsuit. "This is a very significant step forward in our collection efforts," Guardian editor and publisher Bruce Brugmann says. The Weekly has said all along it won't pay any damages until it has exhausted its appeals. As we noted earlier in the week, the California Court of Appeals has scheduled a June 11 hearing to hear the Weekly's case.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
05-28-2010 6:36 pm |
Industry News
AltWeekly Awards Finalists to be Announced June 1
After several months of heavy reading and two rounds of evaluating nearly 1,100 entries, the judges of AAN's annual journalism and design competition have rendered decisions. The finalists for the 2010 AltWeekly Awards will be announced on Tuesday, June 1--with the final rankings to be revealed at the AltWeekly Awards banquet on July 16 during AAN's Annual Convention in Toronto.
Now in its 15th year, AAN's editorial awards contest expanded in 2010 to include three new online categories: Individual Blogger, Multimedia, and Music Blog. The awards luncheon in Toronto will be hosted by Gustavo Arellano, staff writer for OC Weekly and author of the nationally syndicated weekly column '¡Ask A Mexican!'.
Now in its 15th year, AAN's editorial awards contest expanded in 2010 to include three new online categories: Individual Blogger, Multimedia, and Music Blog. The awards luncheon in Toronto will be hosted by Gustavo Arellano, staff writer for OC Weekly and author of the nationally syndicated weekly column '¡Ask A Mexican!'.
AAN |
05-28-2010 3:48 pm |
Association News
David Carr to Speak in Toronto
AAN prodigal son David Carr has been confirmed to speak at the the 2010 Annual Convention in Toronto. The former Washington City Paper editor will take time away from his prolific twittering and columnizing for the New York Times to explain how the rise of user-generated content and social media has changed the way readers, er, consumers obtain information. In a Saturday morning session, Carr will impart his wisdom on how to rise above the clutter (hint: teach your pet to play a musical instrument) and stay on top of the news feed.
Never one to shy away from new technology, Carr wrote in January that the yet to be unveiled iPad would be "an opportunity to renew the romance between printed material and consumer." So come renew the romance with AAN in Toronto and join this discussion about what new media and crowdsourcing--along with some brand-new terms that Carr will invent on the spot--mean for the future of professionally generated content.
Never one to shy away from new technology, Carr wrote in January that the yet to be unveiled iPad would be "an opportunity to renew the romance between printed material and consumer." So come renew the romance with AAN in Toronto and join this discussion about what new media and crowdsourcing--along with some brand-new terms that Carr will invent on the spot--mean for the future of professionally generated content.
AAN |
05-28-2010 12:59 pm |
Association News
The Village Voice Does a Fold-In Covernew
This week the Voice pays homage to the classic Al Jaffee fold-in back covers for MAD magazine -- but on the front cover. Designer Robert Newman guesses that it is "probably the first time" a fold-in has been on the front of a publication. The cover, put together by art director John Dixon and illustrator Jason Edmiston, poses the question "What's the scariest ride at Coney Island?" and once properly folded in, readers get to learn the answer.
Society of Publication Designers |
05-28-2010 11:59 am |
Industry News
More Fashion Designers Turn Alt-Weeklies into Dressesnew
Dresses made entirely of pages from the Sacramento News & Review were recently on display when the alt-weekly celebrated its 21st birthday and new green headquarters, as part of a Design Challenge the paper had put together. This comes on the heels of a LA Fashion Week show in March, "Paper Dresses," that featured clothes made out of the L.A. Weekly.
Alternative Weekly Network |
05-28-2010 11:52 am |
Industry News
Maui Time Art Director Creates Cool Covers on a Tight Budgetnew
Designer Robert Newman leaves the mainland for his latest profile of compelling alt-weekly cover designers. He says Maui Time's Chris Skiles creates "bright, bold, passionate, provocative, and engaging" covers on an average budget of about $20 per issue. "Normally for each cover I have about a day or two to figure out what I'm going to do and execute," Skiles says. "I usually can pull off my covers without using any budget, so I try to save up those unused budgets to hire illustrators from time to time. But even then, it's a bit of begging and bartering to make it happen."
Society of Publication Designers |
05-27-2010 11:06 am |
Industry 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
