AAN News

Early Registration & Hotel Deadlines for Web Conference Approaching

The deadline for early registration at this year's Web Publishing Conference is Monday, Jan. 11. To take advantage of savings of $50 per person, be sure to register (via this link) before Jan. 12 rolls around. Monday is also the deadline for the special AAN rate ($120 per room) at San Francisco's Argonaut Hotel, where the conference will be held. To find out more about the Web Publishing Conference, which is slated for Jan. 27-29, click here.
AAN  |  01-06-2010  5:05 pm  |  Association News

North Coast Journal Adds Three Co-Ownersnew

"About five years ago, Carolyn [Fernandez, the paper's production manager] and I began to craft a succession plan for the newspaper," publisher Judy Hodgson writes. "What would the ownership look like when we are no longer actively working? Who will be at the helm for the next 20 years?" To answer that question, the two co-founders did not have to go far. On Jan. 1, editor Hank Sims, sales manager Mike Herring and A&E editor Bob Doran became co-owners of the Journal; they are now minority stockholders while Fernandez and Hodgson retain majority control.
North Coast Journal  |  01-06-2010  1:41 pm  |  Industry News

2010 Membership Applications Now Available

The application deadline for newspapers to apply for AAN membership is Feb. 5, 2010. You can download an application here, or contact AAN to have one mailed to you. After a rigorous vetting process, the Membership Committee will issue its recommendations prior to July's convention in Toronto, where all members will have the chance to vote on the applicants. You can find links to the Membership Committee's admission guidelines and the AAN bylaws on the Membership page of our site. If you have any additional questions about membership, please call 202-289-8484 or email Debra Silvestrin at debra (at) aan.org.
AAN  |  01-06-2010  12:48 pm  |  Association News

Bay Guardian Hopes to Expand Collection Efforts to Other VVM Papersnew

As we've noted recently, the San Francisco Bay Guardian has been going after the assets of SF Weekly as it tries to collect the millions of dollars it was awarded in 2008's predatory-pricing trial against the Weekly and parent company Village Voice Media. This week, the Guardian upped the ante, asking a court for permission to seize all property belonging not just to the Weekly but to all of VVM. An attorney for the Guardian tells the San Francisco Chronicle that it has been tough collecting anything since SF Weekly doesn't actually have much property, which is why they are now going after the rest of the company. But VVM continues to maintain it doesn't owe the Guardian anything until it has fully exhausted its appeals. The ruling on this could come down as early as today. READ MORE from The Stranger.
The San Francisco Chronicle  |  01-05-2010  2:02 pm  |  Industry News

Web Publishing Conference Programming Shapes Up

Although we're still nailing down some final details, much of the programming for this winter's Web Conference at San Francisco's Argonaut Hotel has been finalized. From Twitter to digital display ads to iPhone apps to email newsletters, the most important digital publishing topics for AAN members will be tackled in a mix of plenary sessions and workshops during the conference, which will take place Jan. 27-29. (FULL STORY)
AAN  |  12-22-2009  6:25 pm  |  Association News

Mark Gates, Who Helped Launch 'Voice Literary Supplement,' Diesnew

Mark Gates, a former ad sales representative at the Village Voice, died earlier this month of lung cancer. He was 57. After working for a few years doing general sales at the Voice, Gates' boss suggested he start cold-calling publishers to sell book ads, but he was met with hesitation by the book publishers. As Gates told Publishers Weekly in 2006, he then came up with the idea of doing a section of book reviews once a month, and the Voice Literary Supplement was born, with the first issue coming out in October 1981.
Shelf Awareness  |  12-22-2009  8:46 am  |  Industry News

Committee Looking at Ways to Grow AAN

As the news industry changes, AAN is considering changes as well, including possibly growing the association's membership. A new advisory committee tasked with exploring potential ways to do just that met for the first time last week via conference call; here's what they discussed. (FULL STORY)
AAN  |  12-21-2009  3:14 pm  |  Association News

East Bay Express Hosting Office Tour Prior to AAN West Conference

On Friday, Jan. 29 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, the East Bay Express will host a tour of its office in Oakland before the AAN West conference gets rolling later that day, walking attendees through the paper's production process as a way to start a discussion about creating an accurate and efficient operation. (FULL STORY)
AAN  |  12-14-2009  2:14 pm  |  Association News

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

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

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