AAN News
Alt-Weekly Writers Bag Book Deals
Freelance journalist Becky Oberg wanted to expand her reportage for NUVO, an Indianapolis alt-weekly, into a book. Carlo DeVito, publisher of Chamberlain Bros., a Penguin imprint, was looking for new projects. Despite the fact that Oberg was, in her words, "an unknown, unagented, first-time author," DeVito called her and asked if she'd turn her story about an Army private's desertion to Canada via an "underground railroad" into a book. Why was a publisher scouring alt-weeklies for book ideas? Says DeVito: "We're always looking for a good story and a new point of view, and that's what a lot of these papers express."
(FULL STORY)
Joy Howard |
09-20-2004 4:02 pm |
Industry News
In Harm's Way, Alt-Weeklies Weather Hurricanes
Readers of Gambit Weekly, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, Miami New Times, Weekly Planet (Tampa), Weekly Planet (Sarasota), Folio Weekly and Orlando Weekly have lately seen Mother Nature at her worst. Distributed in areas affected by the hurricanes that have pounded Florida and surrounding states since August, these alt-weeklies have come out on schedule -- thanks to determined staffers and contingency plans.
(FULL STORY)
Ann Hinch |
09-17-2004 6:06 pm |
Industry News
AAN Member to Address State Press Association Conventionnew
Catherine Nelson, associate publisher of AAN member Shepherd Express in Milwaukee, Wis., is scheduled to deliver a lecture titled "There Are Alternatives" at the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association convention next month. The PNA Web site describes Nelson, who was formerly publisher of two Pittsburgh alt-weeklies that went out of business, as "an industry guru on alternative papers." In addition to her position at Shepherd Express, Nelson presently serves as publisher of the new, daily-owned Core Weekly, which competes with AAN member Isthmus in Madison, Wis. (Scroll down the linked page to read about Nelson's lecture.)
Pennsylvania Newspaper Association |
09-16-2004 3:01 pm |
Industry News
AAN Board Members Zankowski and Newman Resign
Ryan Learmouth |
09-15-2004 11:07 am |
Association News
Faux Alt Debuts in Tampanew
The Times Publishing Co., publisher of the St. Petersburg Times, has launched tbt*, a weekly paper apparently aimed at asterisk-loving young adults. According to the Times, tbt* delivers news in short chunks with colorful photos and no attempt at serious analysis, and bills itself as "zippy news for time-challenged adults." Features also include entertainment listings, shopping tips, and advice on computers and romance. Paul Tash, editor and chairman of Times Publishing, tells reporter Helen Huntley: "There's nothing else like it on the market." AAN-member Weekly Planet (Tampa) is distributed in the same area.
St. Petersburg Times |
09-13-2004 6:11 pm |
Industry News
Scene Editor Clears Air Over St. John Flapnew
It began innocently enough. Nashville Scene editor Bruce Dobie ran a generally positive review of Warren St. John's new book on football fans. St. John, in town for a book tour, read the review, but it was the caption under his photograph -- "Warren St. John uses race in the worst kind of way: to make himself look honorable" -- that caught his attention. The New York Times writer called Dobie to complain. He called again (and again and again). Finally, he wrote a piece for Slate in which he trashed Dobie, the paper and the reviewer. Dobie responds with an open letter to St. John: "You really are capable of offering only part of the truth, the part that burnishes your own image of yourself."
Nashville Scene |
09-13-2004 1:40 pm |
Industry News
AAN Creates Design & Production Committee
AAN Staff |
09-13-2004 3:51 pm |
Association News
New York Times Catches Up to Flyer After Seven Monthsnew
In the Sept. 8 issue of The New York Times, columnist Nicholas D. Kristof casts doubt upon President Bush's fulfillment of his Air National Guard duties in 1972. He produces a "compelling witness" named Bob Mintz, who served at the same Alabama base where Bush claims to have been. Mintz remembers actively searching for Bush to no avail. Kristof asks Mintz, "Why speak out now?" The honest answer is that Mintz first spoke out on the matter to The Memphis Flyer, an AAN-member paper, many months ago. Jackson Baker quoted Mintz in a groundbreaking story posted to The Flyer's Web site on Feb. 12 and updated four days later. Kenneth Neill, publisher of The Flyer, has written a letter to the editor of The New York Times to point that out.
New York Times |
09-08-2004 4:40 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, The Memphis Flyer
Observer Article is Protected Speech, Court Rulesnew
The Texas Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Dallas Observer in a lawsuit brought by two Denton County public officials, reports the Houston Chronicle. Judge Darlene Whitten and District Attorney Bruce Isaacks sued the paper for libel over a satire published in 1999. The piece, titled "Stop the Madness," was a parody of the actual arrest of a 13-year-old girl for reading a graphic Halloween story to her class. The Supreme Court backed its 8-0 ruling by saying that a reasonable reader of the entire article about a fictional 6-year-old girl's arrest would realize it was not true and was intended as satire.
Houston Chronicle |
09-07-2004 10:56 am |
Industry News
2004 Academy Fellows Gain an Alternative Outlook
Ryan Learmouth |
09-07-2004 6:03 pm |
Association News
Tags: Editorial
New Times Fares Well in Salute to Excellence Awardsnew
Finalists have been announced in the annual Salute to Excellence Awards sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists. More than half of the finalists named for papers with a circulation under 150,000 are from New Times papers. The Riverfront Times of St. Louis has four stories nominated, including two by staff writer Mike Seely. The Cleveland Scene boasts two finalists. Phoenix New Times, Dallas Observer and New Times Broward-Palm Beach are also represented on the short-list. Winners will be announced at the NABJ's awards banquet Oct. 9 in Washington, D.C.
National Association of Black Journalists |
09-02-2004 6:08 pm |
Industry News
Marketing Campaign for AAN's Story-Sharing Site to Begin
For years, editors of AAN papers talked about having a Web site they could use to buy articles from each other in a pinch. This year DesertNet built them the site, AltWeeklies.com. Over the summer, editors filled the story-sharing site with news articles, commentary and reviews. And now AAN's director of sales and marketing, Roxanne Cooper, is promoting AltWeeklies.com to the public with the hope of building a broader online audience for all AAN papers.
(FULL STORY)
Ruth Hammond |
09-01-2004 8:47 pm |
Industry News
AAN's Karpel Predicts Faux Alternatives Will Failnew
In an opinion piece published in Boulder Weekly, AAN executive director Richard Karpel recounts a phone interview he gave to The Daily Camera. The Boulder, Colo., daily is launching Dirt, a free weekday paper targeting 18- to 24-year-olds, and its reporter wanted a comment. Karpel obliged, explaining why Dirt, like any number of similar tabloids, would ultimately fail to reach young people: Daily papers tiptoe around potentially offensive language and subject matter; they're too "objective" for passion or point of view; and they're institutions far removed from the world most young people inhabit. The Camera chose to publish his one comment that tended to make the opposite point, so he lays out his full argument here.
Boulder Weekly |
08-27-2004 12:17 pm |
Industry News
Firebrand L.A. Weekly Reporter Scorches Tinseltownnew
Nikki Finke, who writes the Deadline Hollywood column for L.A. Weekly, has become essential reading for those who follow the Industry, reports Los Angeles Magazine. Capitalizing on her position as both insider (with numerous longtime sources) and outsider (what studio exec would talk to an alt-weekly reporter?), she reveals, critiques and influences showbiz power. "Nikki is part of a tradition of women reporters in Hollywood who terrify people," says Vanity Fair contributing editor Bruce Feirstein.
Los Angeles Magazine |
08-26-2004 3:56 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Editorial, L.A. Weekly
2004 AAN Annual Convention Coverage Is Online
News from the 27th annual Association of Alternative Newsweeklies convention in San Antonio has been archived online, allowing members to review any of the goings-on they may have missed. Coverage of this year's convention far exceeded that of past years, with a team of writers and editors producing an AAN Convention Daily newsletter. Contributors included Academy for Alternative Journalism fellows, alt-weekly staff members and AAN's editor.
(FULL STORY)
AAN Staff |
08-25-2004 5:50 pm |
Industry News
