AAN News
Senate Judiciary Committee Passes Federal Shield Billnew
The bill to protect reporters' confidential sources in federal court cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 14-to-5 vote yesterday. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press says it is "a new milestone this year for legislation that has been tabled, debated and amended for months in the committee." If the Senate approves the bill, it will still have to be reconciled with a different version already approved by the House.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |
12-11-2009 12:45 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Gannett Quietly Closes Distribution Network in Jackson
A few years ago, threatened by media giant Gannett's attempt to control local print distribution via The Distribution Network (TDN), the Jackson Free Press and other local publishers banded together to form the Mississippi Independent Publishers' Alliance (MIPA). MIPA then began a process of buying, placing and managing its own system of multi-publication news boxes around the city. Now it looks like MIPA's efforts paid off. JFP publisher Todd Stauffer tells AAN News that the Gannett-owned Jackson Clarion-Ledger has quietly picked up all their TDN boxes and apparently closed out their program. "I'm not sure if this is a trend company-wide for Gannett, but it looks like the 'control-free-distribution' chapter is no longer in the Gannett playbook for Jackson," he says.
(FULL STORY)
AAN News |
12-10-2009 3:02 pm |
Industry News
Reporters: Need Climate Change Answers During Copenhagen Conference?
AAN News has learned of two great resources for anyone who is writing about the United Nations Climate Change Conference or climate change right now. First, climate scientists from the American Geophysical Union will be providing round-the-clock support for journalists reporting on the conference through Dec. 18. In addition, NOW Magazine's editor and CEO Alice Klein, who is attending the conference, is available for interviews about what's happening in Copenhagen. To set up an interview, email jasonh (at) nowtoronto.com or call 416-364-1300 ext. 372.
AAN |
12-10-2009 2:34 pm |
Industry News
Seven Days Snags Seven State Press Awards
The Burlington alt-weekly took home seven total awards in the Vermont Press Association's 2008 newspaper awards contest, including first prize in the non-daily newspapers General Excellence category. It marks the fourth time in five years the paper took home first in that category -- and the association didn't give awards one year. "At this point, it would be sort of embarrassing if we didn't win," associate publisher and online editor Cathy Resmer says. Seven Days also took home first place wins in the non-daily division for Best Local Story and Best Feature Story, and in combined competition for Arts Criticism.
(FULL STORY)
Seven Days Press Release |
12-10-2009 1:43 pm |
Press Releases
VVM's Voice Local Network Grows Revenue in First Six Months
Village Voice Media says that revenues from its Voice Local Network have doubled month-over-month since the network's launch in June, while the number of advertisers has more than quadrupled. In addition, VVM reports that the network has been bringing in high CPM rates across the board, averaging $10 gross CPMs and higher.
(FULL STORY)
Village Voice Media Press Release |
12-10-2009 12:48 pm |
Press Releases
Restaurant Steals 'Ask a Mexican' Logo for Adnew
Gustavo Arellano reports that an unnamed Mexican restaurant in Dana Point has grabbed the logo for his column and is running it in ads that appear in the Dana Point Times -- a local competitor to OC Weekly. While he points out that it is not the first time someone has swiped the Mark Dancey-designed logo, Arellano says he was surprised to find the thievery so close to home. Did the restaurant and the paper "really think they'd get away with using my column's logo and making money off of it without me eventually finding out and throwing barbs back at them?," he asks. "Especially considering it's a Mexican restaurant?"
OC Weekly |
12-10-2009 12:38 pm |
Industry News
Pasadena Weekly Arts Writer Co-Hosting Radio Shownew
Carl Kozlowski, who is also a stand-up comic, is the co-creator and host of "Grand Theft Audio: The Jake, Brant & Carl Show," a weekly comedy show that launched in July on internet radio station LA Talk Radio.
LA Observed |
12-10-2009 9:55 am |
Industry News
Tags: Pasadena Weekly
Editor & Publisher Ceasing Operationsnew
Editor & Publisher |
12-10-2009 11:51 am |
Industry News
Tags: Management
Santa Fe Reporter Heralded for its Coverage of Wild Animals and Domestic Violencenew
The Reporter is among the "fabulous papers" cited in a Morning News piece by Leah Finnegan that looks at "papers that defy boundaries, the internet, and, oft times, common reason." Calling the alt-weekly "tiny but hardy," Finnegan says it "covers two things very well: Wild animals and domestic violence," pointing to a quartet of recent stories on those very subjects. "The paper can also boast one of the country's most non-sequitur parenting columns, titled 'Daddy Needs a Drink,'" she writes. That led The Awl's Choire Sicha to dub "Daddy" writer Rob Wilder "our second-favorite parenting columnist."
The Morning News |
12-09-2009 2:52 pm |
Industry News
White House Releases Long-Awaited Open Government Directivenew
The White House has finally sent the head of every federal department and agency an Open Government Directive on how agencies should increase "transparency, participation, and collaboration." The response from open-government groups was cautiously optimistic, according to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. "Today the White House released a 'roadmap' for transparency, but how agencies respond is where the rubber hits the road," says Rick Blum, coordinator of the Sunshine in Government Initiative, a group to which AAN belongs.
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |
12-09-2009 10:57 am |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Miami New Times is Switching to Glossy Coversnew
"For more than two decades, Miami New Times hasn't changed much," the paper says in a blog post. "On January 1, the weekly paper will become something altogether different. A glossy cover, staples, and perfect trimming with give this old dog an impressive new trick."
Miami New Times |
12-09-2009 10:47 am |
Industry News
AAN West Schedule and Hotel Accommodations All Set
After a one-year absence, AAN West is returning to the Bay Area this winter. The conference will be held on Jan. 29 and 30 in Berkeley immediately after the Web Publishing Conference in San Francisco. The conference website is now live, and it has all the info you need on programming, hotels and registration.
(FULL STORY)
AAN |
12-08-2009 4:31 pm |
Association News
Bay Guardian Seizes and Auctions Off SF Weekly Vehiclesnew
The San Francisco Bay Guardian last week auctioned off two vehicles owned by the SF Weekly as it tries to collect the multi-million-dollar judgment it was awarded in the predatory pricing trial against the Weekly and its parent company New Times, now known as Village Voice Media. The Guardian, which seized the vehicles in November, says the move "prove[s] wrong the predictions of New Times executives that the Guardian would never collect a cent on its judgment." VVM maintains that it won't owe the Guardian any money until its appeals are completed.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
12-08-2009 4:16 pm |
Industry News
SPD: Dallas Observer's Covers Among 'Most Creative of Any Publication'new
The Society of Publication Designers takes a look at the work being done at the Observer by art director Alexander Flores, who says he does almost all of the cover work himself. The SPD highlights a collection of Flores' covers that are quite diverse; the art director says that's intentional. "I try look at the paper as a collective volume; I try to not design similar-looking covers in tone, color palette, style, etc. in consecutive weeks," he says. "I want to make sure that the readers notice the new issue on the stand and pick that one up too, instead of not, because from 10 feet away it looks like last week's issue which they already grabbed."
The Society of Publication Designers |
12-08-2009 10:56 am |
Industry News
Sarah Palin Almost Signs City Pages Parody Covernew
Instead of bringing Going Rogue to be signed, an attendee at a recent Palin appearance at the Mall of America brought a copy of the Nov. 18 City Pages issue that parodied Palin's book cover, featuring U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in place of Palin, with the title Going Crazy. The former vice presidential candidate "smiled vapidly at everyone and started to sign it, apparently not noticing it wasn't her face on the cover image," City Pages reports. "Unfortunately one of her handlers yanked the paper away at the last second and tossed it in the corner."
City Pages |
12-08-2009 8:27 am |
Industry News
