AAN News
Wash. Ferries Admit Mistake In Pulling Seattle Weekly Coversnew
The ferry system initially deemed the Gaga-inspired meat-suit cover of U.S. Senator Patty Murray "distasteful."
Seattle Times |
10-22-2010 10:29 am |
Industry News
Houston Press Goes Glossynew
Following in the footsteps of several of its sister papers, the Houston Press is converting to an all glossy cover beginning with this week's issue.
Houston Press |
10-07-2010 5:50 pm |
Industry News
Postal Service Droop Tax Goes Into Effectnew
Rate increase will affect community newspapers, magazines and circulars.
Associated Press |
10-04-2010 11:00 am |
Industry News
Tags: Circulation, Financial
Alt-Weeklies Thrive at Burning Mannew
Design consultant Ron Reason checks in with a post describing two alt-weeklies he found circulating in the Nevada desert.
Design With Reason |
09-23-2010 2:38 pm |
Industry News
VVM Websites Notch 'Biggest Month Ever' in Web Trafficnew
Andy Van De Voorde, executive associate editor for Village Voice Media, writes that June was "the biggest traffic month in the history of VVMH." Websites owned by VVM received sixty-eight million page views in June, an increase of seventy percent compared to the same month last year.
Village Voice Media |
07-02-2010 3:28 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Circulation, Electronic Publishing
Early Registration Deadline for Toronto Approaches
Members and non-members have until the end of the day tomorrow, Friday, June 25 to receive the early registration discount for AAN's 33rd Annual Convention in Toronto. The discounted rate for members and associate members is $325 per person, and the discounted rate for non-members is $425 per person. Both rates will increase by $50 per person after Friday night.
In addition, when three representatives from the same member paper sign up, that paper will get a fourth registration free of charge. This offer will remain valid after the early registration deadline.
Click here to register online.
As of today, June 24, the Hilton Toronto still has a very limited number of rooms available at AAN's discounted rate of $139.00 (CAD) per night. Click here to reserve a room at AAN's group rate and contact the AAN office if you encounter any difficulty obtaining the group rate through their site.
READ MORE (FULL STORY)
In addition, when three representatives from the same member paper sign up, that paper will get a fourth registration free of charge. This offer will remain valid after the early registration deadline.
Click here to register online.
As of today, June 24, the Hilton Toronto still has a very limited number of rooms available at AAN's discounted rate of $139.00 (CAD) per night. Click here to reserve a room at AAN's group rate and contact the AAN office if you encounter any difficulty obtaining the group rate through their site.
READ MORE (FULL STORY)
AAN |
06-24-2010 7:28 pm |
Association News
What is the 'Secret Weapon' of Alt-Weeklies?
Culture maven Patricia Martin says that in addition to being technologically savvy, the next generation of consumers is politically aware, hungry for knowledge, and are attracted towards brands that project authenticity.
All of this, Martin says, augurs well for alt-weeklies, which -- unlike mainstream media -- are uniquely positioned to capitalize on these trends.
"Some media outlets are doomed if they don't read the cultural trends," Martin says. "But independents have a secret weapon, they just need to optimize it."
The highly sought after keynote speaker and author of Renaissance Generation: The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What it Means to Your Business, Patricia Martin will explain why she's bullish on the future of alt-media during an afternoon session at AAN's convention next month. Her award-winning consulting firm LitLamp Communications uses culture to connect brands with communities of consumers; and in Toronto she will demonstrate how alt-weeklies can use the lessons she's learned to create "emotional bonds" with their readers that will translate back to advertising dollars.
Martin's spot-on appraisal of the current cultural transition will be the final session on Friday, July 16, and is guaranteed to give convention attendees plenty to talk about as the evening's festivities commence.
All of this, Martin says, augurs well for alt-weeklies, which -- unlike mainstream media -- are uniquely positioned to capitalize on these trends.
"Some media outlets are doomed if they don't read the cultural trends," Martin says. "But independents have a secret weapon, they just need to optimize it."
The highly sought after keynote speaker and author of Renaissance Generation: The Rise of the Cultural Consumer and What it Means to Your Business, Patricia Martin will explain why she's bullish on the future of alt-media during an afternoon session at AAN's convention next month. Her award-winning consulting firm LitLamp Communications uses culture to connect brands with communities of consumers; and in Toronto she will demonstrate how alt-weeklies can use the lessons she's learned to create "emotional bonds" with their readers that will translate back to advertising dollars.
Martin's spot-on appraisal of the current cultural transition will be the final session on Friday, July 16, and is guaranteed to give convention attendees plenty to talk about as the evening's festivities commence.
AAN |
06-21-2010 8:41 pm |
Association News
Toronto Convention: Innovating in Hard Times
Costs have been cut. Page count is down. Morale could be better. How do we do more than survive? This is the focus of the annual convention in Toronto. The shakeup of the past two years has, in many ways, given alt-weeklies the chance of a lifetime -- an opportunity for rebirth and reinvention. This July, in one of the most beautiful cities in North America, industry leaders, big-picture thinkers and plenty of your smart peers will be explaining how to create a blueprint for financial success. You'll learn how to focus and rededicate your company to thrive for the next decades and longer.
(FULL STORY)
AAN |
06-14-2010 2:27 pm |
Association News
Who is the Audience of the Alt-Weekly These Days?
When you have a president who not only admits he inhaled but confesses to having used cocaine, it’s time to redefine "alternative," according to Henry Scott. At the Toronto Convention, the newly named publisher of Creative Loafing (Atlanta) and chief marketing officer of all six Creative Loafing papers will discuss what the company is doing to redefine the traditional "alt-weekly" and make it meaningful to an audience that would rather be well employed and raise a family than drop out of society and rebel.
Scott -- a self-professed member of the Woodstock Generation -- says he had long ago quit reading alt-weeklies because he found them irrelevant. He says market research he did at previous jobs at the New York Times and Metro New York showed him that most young people agreed. So he and his Creative Loafing team have rethought their approach, using easily available market research and staff coaching. In Toronto, he'll talk about how they are doing and he'll detail both the research and business aspects of the strategy.
Scott -- a self-professed member of the Woodstock Generation -- says he had long ago quit reading alt-weeklies because he found them irrelevant. He says market research he did at previous jobs at the New York Times and Metro New York showed him that most young people agreed. So he and his Creative Loafing team have rethought their approach, using easily available market research and staff coaching. In Toronto, he'll talk about how they are doing and he'll detail both the research and business aspects of the strategy.
AAN |
06-08-2010 12:24 pm |
Association News
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
SEE Magazine Driver Dies on the Jobnew
Delivery driver Doug Fletcher suffered a fatal heart attack while delivering SEE last Thursday. He was 74 years old. "He was a very loveable personality," says Lorraine Canuel, Fletcher's wife of 16 years. "Anyone who would talk to him, with anybody that he saw or talked to he was always very personable. He was a good man, a very nice person."
SEE Magazine |
05-13-2010 10:14 am |
Industry News
Mark Your Calendars: AAN's 2010 Convention Hits Toronto This July
The 33rd annual AAN Convention is heading north to Toronto, where NOW
Magazine will host a three-day gathering of enlightening programming,
unforgettable parties and crucial networking with your AAN peers. The convention website, which launched today, has the details thus far on programming, registration deals, travel and accommodations, and more.
(FULL STORY)
AAN |
04-29-2010 5:16 pm |
Association News
AAN's Editor Stepping Down
Editor Jon Whiten is leaving the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies; he will be replaced by current Editorial Awards and Advertising Director Jason Zaragoza. Whiten, who joined AAN in January 2006, is stepping down to focus on the local news website and arts & culture magazine he owns and operates in Jersey City, N.J. His last day on staff is March 31, but he will continue as a part-time contractor, overseeing AAN.org, for a month or two, as Zaragoza transitions from his current position into the editor role.
(FULL STORY)
AAN |
03-26-2010 11:25 am |
Association News
Federal Court: Airport Can't Ban Newspaper Boxesnew
The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority is violating the First Amendment with its ban on news boxes at the public airport, the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled. The decision affirms a lower court ruling in favor of four newspaper companies that sued the airport authority in 2004. Lawyers for the airport had argued the ban was reasonable, and that news boxes would pose security risks, impede passenger flow, degrade airport aesthetics and reduce airport authority revenue from shops inside that sold newspapers. But the Fourth Circuit panel says none of those arguments are strong enough to restrict the distribution. "The government interests asserted to justify the ban do not counterbalance its significant restriction on protected expression," the opinion reads.
The News & Observer |
03-15-2010 4:10 pm |
Industry News
Tags: Circulation, Management
Sacramento Implements Modular News Racks in Downtown Areanew
"Slick, shiny new city-owned newspaper kiosks" have replaced the "untidy clusters of First Amendment funkiness" along K Street in Sacramento, the News & Review reports. The city, which implemented the new racks without consulting local publishers, is contemplating expanding the program citywide. While independent publishers lose the branding of individual boxes, the News & Review's distribution manager points out they save money with the new racks too, since the city is now on the hook for the cost and hassle of maintaining the racks, replacing broken windows and coin boxes and painting over graffiti.
Sacramento News & Review |
03-10-2010 9:49 am |
Industry News
