AAN 2007 | Portland, OR | Jun 14-16, 2007

Sign up for wireless service two simple ways: Click here or text "Get AAN" to 21321 from your mobile device. Verve will send links to mobile versions of the AAN convention and Willamette Week websites. You'll get conference updates, schedule changes, daily poll questions and Portland trivia. Between sessions you can act like a local with Willamette Week's restaurant guide, event listings and more. [posted June 13, 2007]

More Parties in Portland

One party a night is for amateurs. AAN members are professionals, which is why we've lined up after-parties every evening this week in Portland.

Thursday’s welcome reception at the Portland Art Museum is followed by a 9 p.m. screening of "Touch Me Someplace I Can Feel," a one-hour documentary about Willamette Week's quadriplegic cartoonist, John Callahan. And then at 10, Dark Horse Comics presents an after-hours party at Ace Cleaners. DJ Stay in School spins while AAN delegates hobnob with some of Portland's top comic and film artists.

On Friday night, join the Portland Mercury staff for food, drink and some of the city's best DJs at the Ace Hotel. There's a rumor going around that the evening's entertainment will feature vicious canines dueling to the death, a traditional Portland pastime. The Mercury party kicks off at 8. If you're feeling mobile that evening, perhaps you would prefer to hop aboard the BarFly Bus (which stirred some controversy recently) for a tour of all-nude revues with hostess and party girl, Jen Lane. The bus takes off after the Wieden + Kennedy party ends at 8:30. To sign up, pay $15 cash or check at the AAN registration desk in the Hilton.

And if you find yourself looking for a short respite from the racket emanating from the stage at the Pre1 Party on Saturday evening, take a break by crossing the street to the Saucebox, which will be offering a special cocktail in honor of our special brand of alt-ness.

[posted June 13, 2007]

Pre-1 Party: Your Turn to be a Rock Star

There will be lots of parties this weekend in Portland, but if you have any musical talent the last one will be hard to top. On Saturday evening, Pre1 Software will host a jam session at the Tugboat Brewing Company, a funky little club where they'll supply the instruments so you can take turns onstage rocking out with your fellow AANies. Or you can just stop by for some microbrews and join the shindig. [posted June 13, 2007]

ASAP/AP and Creative Circle Provide Hangover Helpers

After the after-parties are convention sessions, and convention-goers might need a little help. On Friday morning, Creative Circle Advertising Solutions sponsors the Stumptown coffee and pastries. On Saturday, Associated Press' ASAP news service supplies calculators for Fran Zankowski's financial management workshop because sometimes, without proper sleep, math is hard. [posted June 13, 2007]

The Big Evening Events: Booze! Food! Need We Say More?

Thursday night's opening reception at the Portland Art Museum: Mingle with other AAN-types while sipping Widmers, wine or 360 vodka and munching on light hors d'oeuvres in the museum's outdoor sculpture garden. The big Rembrandt show is just a few steps away.

Friday's rooftop reception at Wieden + Kennedy: One of the world's top ad agencies will entertain conventioneers with Motown music and a transcendant view of the Pearl District, and AAN and Willamette Week will provide the drinks and light hors d'oeuvres.

Saturday’s "Dinner in the Sky" at Oregon Health & Science University's Kohler Pavillion: Take a streetcar to the Portland Aerial Tram, where a private car awaits convention delegates. During the three-minute ride that climbs 500 feet, you'll have birds' eye views of downtown Portland, the Willamette River and Mt. Hood. Up on top, you'll find a salmon dinner, with drinks and dessert.

[posted June 9, 2007]

Confront Your Prius Envy

Toyota's hybrid Prius is already a common sight in commuter heavy places like D.C. and L.A., but have you gotten to drive one yet? Toyota and a number of its hybrid, alternative fuel and future technology experts will be available to answer questions during the convention. Green and environmental reporters take note: The company's interactive exhibit will feature a full array of current model Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive vehicles -- the Prius, Camry and Highlander -- that can be taken for a test ride or drive. To sign up for the hybrid ride and drive experience, talk to the reps staffing the Toyota booth in the trade show. [posted June 8, 2007]

Convention Attendance Shattering Records

It feels like the late 90's again here at AAN! As of this afternoon, there are approximately 580 members, non-members and exhibitors registered for this year's convention in Portland, which is now only one week away. We haven't seen numbers like this since the Phoenix convention in 2000. For a list of member and non-member registrants as of May 30, download this PDF. [posted June 8, 2007]

Sign Up for Twitter for Late-Breaking Convention News

Even the best-laid plans occasionally need tweaking, which is why AAN is using Twitter to send updates to convention attendees. (Wait, what's Twitter? You can read more about it at web.aan.org/twitter). We'll use it to send short text messages to mobile devices to remind folks about events or last-minute changes. Just text "Follow Altweeklies" to 40404, and follow the instructions, or check our step-by-step pictorial on our community blog at Portland2007.AAN.org/twitter_help. If you already have a Twitter account, just add your mobile information to your account to receive updates. If you’d prefer to see the updates online only, you can check out our page, Twitter.com/AltWeeklies.

[posted June 8, 2007]

Free Chocolate for Convention Blog Participants

Portland's Alma Chocolate will provide the sweet, sweet reward for 2007 AAN attendees who contribute to the convention blog at Portland2007.AAN.org. Post thoughts on a session, a guest speaker, nightlife or your Portland adventures, and take home a chocolate concoction by Alma. Or just email your convention pictures to Photos *at* AAN *dot* org - be sure to include your name in the body of your email as a photo credit. Blog participants who've earned their cocoa will be listed in the "Chocolate Winners!" column of the blog. Alma Chocolate can also be found on Saturday's Farmers Market tour [see convention events]. [posted June 6, 2007]

Free Transportation From the Airport

And we won't make you blog to qualify! If you were registered for the convention as of last week, be on the lookout for a Willamette Week envelope. For inside that envelope is a TriMet ticket good for a Max train ride from PDX to downtown Portland. The train leaves the airport every 15 minutes; after a 29-minute ride, it'll drop you at Pioneer Square, which is two blocks south of the Hilton. [posted June 6, 2007]

Eleven Board Seats Up for Election in Portland

The election will be held during the association's annual meeting on Saturday, June 16. Current members of the board have indicated their intention to run for nine of the open seats. Other AAN members who are interested in running for the board should contact executive director Richard Karpel at 202/289-8484 or rkarpel at aan.org. [posted June 6, 2007]

Where Do I Send My Papers?

AAN Convention Newspaper Display
Pacific Exposition Decorating Company
2737 NW Nela Street
Portland, OR 97210
tel: 503-417-8000

If you would like to include your papers in the newspaper display at the convention, please send them to the address above. Schedule your shipment to arrive by Wednesday, June 13. You may send as many papers as you like, but 25 to 50 papers are generally sufficient. If your experience at the Convention has shown that more or less is needed, then adjust that number as you choose. It’s always a good idea to ship them in a manner that can be tracked. And, yes, remaining papers will be recycled! [posted May 31, 2007]

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden to Speak at Convention

Oregon's senior senator, known for his interest in health care, technology and natural-resources issues, will address convention delegates the morning of Saturday, June 16. Before his election to the Senate in 1996, Wyden served 15 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. In a vote earlier this month, Wyden cosponsored the Feingold-Reid amendment calling for the mandated redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq. In 2002, the Democrat was one of only 23 senators who voted against the authorization of military force in Iraq. [posted May 31, 2007]

Former U.S. Attorney to Speak at First Amendment Lunch

David C. Iglesias is the former federal prosecutor for the District of New Mexico whose revelation about receiving an improper phone call from Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) was the spark that ignited the scandal presently engulfing U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and the Bush Administration. Iglesias will join us for lunch in Portland on Saturday, June 16, for our annual celebration of a free press, where he will be interviewed by Santa Fe Reporter editor Julia Goldberg. You've probably heard about Iglesias' role in the DOJ scandal, but did you know that the former United States Navy Reserve Captain was the basis for the character played by Tom Cruise in the movie A Few Good Men? [posted May 30, 2007]

What's Next in Real Estate Marketing?

That's the question that will be answered in a classified-track session led by Move.com’s Adam Fine, who will talk about how the web has reshaped the ways people think about buying, selling and valuing properties. Fine will also demonstrate how the web has made real estate a voyeuristic pastime. [posted May 30, 2007]

Jim Hightower to Honor Molly Ivins' Legacy

Earlier this month, AAN presented the first annual Molly Ivins Award to MSNBC host Keith Olbermann. During the AltWeekly Awards lunch on Friday, June 15, author and radio commentator Hightower will help us to continue to celebrate the memory of his late friend and fellow Texan with a rousing tribute. [posted May 30, 2007]

Blogging for Journalists UNconference, Anyone?

It's a nerdy, populist idea: folks in the audience of a lecture often know just as much as the speaker, so why not have everyone contribute? It's called an unconference [wiki], and the idea is to democratize the convention experience. AAN will experiment with an UNconference by hosting a special, free-wheeling session on "Blogging for Journalists," hosted by web director Laura Fries. She'll guide the session with an outline of topics, soliciting best practices contributions from UNconference attendees, and, of course, blogging the results on the community convention blog at Portland2007.AAN.org. To get involved, pop over to the convention blog.

[posted May 23, 2007]

How Good is Your Paper, Anyway?

Learn what your peers think by signing up for an editorial critique at the AAN convention in Portland. You'll have an opportunity to sit down with an editor or two from similarly-sized papers and hear how your paper reads. In turn, you will read three issues from their papers and offer the same feedback. If you are interested in participating, contact Richard Karpel at rkarpel at aan.org by Friday, June 1. [posted May 22, 2007]

Attention Golfers

It's not too late to sign up for the 2007 Golf Outing on June 14. Registration is a snap: Simply send Willamette Week sales rep Andrew Shenker an e-mail and arrange payment in advance or for the day of the tournament. Join Andrew and Musicfest NW Director Trevor Solomon in the Hilton Portland (main building) lobby at 7 a.m. for your 8 a.m. tee time at either Eastmoreland or Heron Lakes Golf Course. The $75-per-person fee includes golf, lunch, refreshments and transportation. [posted May 21, 2007]

Huffington, Taibbi and Hamsher to Talk Politics in Portland

That's Arianna Huffington of Huffington Post and NPR, Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone, and Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.com. They'll share ideas about national and local election coverage in a Friday afternoon panel at this year's convention. The panel will be moderated by Willamette Week editor Mark Zusman. [posted May 20, 2007]

Design and Production Buzz Lounge

A new feature of the 2007 Convention is the D&P Buzz Lounge. Take advantage of this dedicated area in the Trade Show to network with fellow D&P professionals in a casual atmosphere. Meet colleagues and outside experts during scheduled breaks or use the Lounge to set up informal one-on-one critiques or mentoring sessions. Look for the ad in the Convention Program with more details. [posted May 20, 2007]

Columbia J-School Makes Push to Connect With Alt-Weeklies

Career services coordinator Gina Boubion will attend this year's convention to talk to prospective students about mid-career programs at Columbia, and to connect with editors who are looking to hire both entry-level and more experienced journalists. "Every year more and more of our students come to Columbia to advance their investigative and narrative skills, and they've definitely gotten the message from us and their professors that the alt-weeklies are fertile ground for doing the kind of journalism they crave to do," Boubion says. [posted May 20, 2007]

Looking for Some Web Training?

We'll have it for you next month in Portland, where there will be at least a dozen different Web-focused presentations and panels, from an eyetracking seminar by a representative of Poynter Institute to sessions on web metrics and analytics, and online real estate marketing. [posted May 20, 2007]

Community Blog for '07 Convention Launches

Portland2007.AAN.org is AAN's first community blog experiment: any convention attendee is welcome to contribute. Designed to function both as a message board and as a publication for traditional convention coverage, Portland2007.AAN.org will feature in-depth coverage of sessions, nightlife, and Portland adventures. Attendees interested in blogging can register for an account directly on the blog, or contact AAN Web Director Laura Fries at laurafries@aan.org for more info. [posted May 16, 2007]

Popular Consultant to Address Alt-Weekly Management Challenges

Given their unique organizational cultures, hiring and retaining staff at AAN papers presents a distinct set of challenges. Laura Dell, who serves as a management consultant for several alt-weeklies, understands what's at stake as well as anyone. Following several highly rated presentations at the last two AAN conventions, Dell returns for an double encore this year in Portland. She'll help publishers and senior managers hire the right people ("Smart Hiring: Attracting and Capturing the Best"), and she'll work with editors to increase staff motivation and productivity ("Talent Management: Directing and Energizing Editorial Staff"). [posted May 15, 2007]

Talking 'bout Food in Portland

That's what we'll be doing in the editorial stream on the opening day of the convention, when Pulitzer winner Jonathan Gold joins a panel of AAN editors to chew over the best ways to write about food and cover the restaurant industry. Also on the panel's menu: reader reviews and restaurant blogs. Two days later, panel moderator Kelly Clarke, arts & culture editor at Willamette Week, will lead a morning stroll through Portland's bustling, delicious Farmers Market, where AAN foodies can graze on gratis samples from some of Oregon's finest farmers, cheesemakers, bread bakers and sweets makers. [posted May 12, 2007]

Don't Know the Difference Between ROI, RoAS, CPM, and CPA?

If you've been drowning in the alphabet soup of web metrics and analytics, have we got a lifeboat for you! Executives from the Overland Agency -- one of Portland's leading brand marketing and interactive advertising agencies -- will teach AAN convention attendees how to talk "letters" and "numbers" with online media planners/buyers, as well as how to align their presentations with advertisers' objectives. [posted May 11, 2007]

Online Event Listings: Can Alts Maintain the Franchise?

Event listings have long served as the sine qua non of alt-weeklydom, but with the likes of Google, Microsoft and Yahoo focusing on the online distribution of event information, our share of the market is less than secure. That's why AAN commissioned Jackson Free Press publisher Todd Stauffer to review the state of the art in online event listings to help AAN members defend their turf. In this presentation at the AAN convention, Stauffer will suggest best practices for presenting online events; recommend tools to enhance the distribution of event information online while facilitating a web-to-print workflow; and propose technology standards for integrating event content into popular social-networking tools. [posted May 10, 2007]

AAN Marketing Show-n-Tell Goes Multimedia

One of the most popular annual convention benefits, this year's marketing idea-sharing session will sport the best radio and cable spots, viral marketing campaigns, and in-paper promotions produced by AAN members. Entries should focus on audience-building, special events or promotions, special section promotion and the like. Show off your mad marketing skilz by submitting your single best piece to Roxanne Cooper no later than May 15. [posted May 5, 2007]

Alternative Convention Accommodations

If you are unable to reserve a room at the Portland Hilton at the AAN Convention rate, please call the Portland Paramount, a boutique hotel located less than two blocks from the Hilton, at 503-223-9900. The AAN rate there is the same as the rate at the Hilton: $129. [posted May 4, 2007]

How Does Portland Do It Differently?

That's the question we're going to try to answer on Thursday, June 14, the opening day of the convention. In an AAN convention first, our hosts at Willamette Week have assembled a panel of entertaining and articulate local experts to discuss the region's unique approach to public-policy issues that have national resonance, including land-use planning, mass transit, assisted suicide, sustainable development and medical marijuana. Seems like the right way to get this party started, no? [posted May 4, 2007]

Early registration deadline is Friday ... yes, Friday!

The early registration deadline is Friday, May 4, so be sure to register by then and save $50 on the regular registration rates for the Portland Convention. It’s quick and easy to register online.

Don’t forget the registration bonuses for AAN Member Papers! Pay for two registrations and get one free; pay for a third and get one more for free. Such a deal, indeed! [posted May 2, 2007]

Get High in Portland

After a quick streetcar ride, conventioneers will climb aboard an AAN-private cabin on the new $57M Portland Aerial Tram for the three-minute, 500 foot ascent to OHSU's Kohler Pavilion. Up top, they'll be able to take in the spectacular views of downtown Portland, the Willamette River and Mt. Hood. A cocktail party, featuring heavy hors d'oeuvres, follows at OHSU's Atrium. Saturday, June 16, from 6 to 9 pm.

[posted April 24, 2007]

A River Runs Through It

And so can you.

Join Willamette Week's Kyle Owens on a 5-mile waterfront run (at a 9-minute pace) through Portland on Friday, June 15. Interested runners should plan to meet in the lobby of the Hilton Portland at 7 am.

[posted April 19, 2007]

AAN Members Eligible for Additional Registration Bonus

Member papers that register for the AAN convention in Portland are eligible to receive up to two free registrations. Purchase two registrations for the same paper and you'll receive one additional complimentary registration. Pay for a third registration for the same paper and you'll receive one more complimentary registration.

Registration fees include seminars, Trade Show and evening events. Tickets for the AltWeeklies Awards Lunch and the First Amendment Lunch may be purchased for $35 per person per lunch.

Associate Members and non-members are not eligible for this bonus.

[posted April 16, 2007]

Portland Through the Eyes of the NYT

Willamette Week is understandably biased on the issue. So if you aren't sure yet whether you're attending this year's AAN convention (or you simply want to use the Time's new double-click dictionary to look up words like "chic," "funky," "spritely," and "unneurotic"), here's 36 Hours in Portland, Ore., with the Gray Lady. [posted April 14, 2007]

Individualized Training for Sales Managers

Classified and retail sales managers attending this year's annual convention may schedule a one-on-one, half-hour consultation with ad sales management guru Kathi Simonsen. As opportunities for these sessions are extremely limited, we suggest interested managers sign-up ASAP. [posted April 13, 2007]

Need to Build a Better Media Company?

Have we got plAANs for you!

Whether you're looking for new ways to trick out your website, build reader satisfaction and loyalty, increase revenue and market share, develop special issues and sections that make sense, or work more efficiently, the 2007 AAN Convention will offer ideas, inspiration, and tangible training to help you meet your goals.

This year's convention site will be updated frequently with new information. So, bookmark this page now and check back often!

[posted April 9, 2007]