According to a poll conducted by Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, almost a quarter of shoppers plan to spend more on Christmas this year than last, the highest percentage since 2003. It is thus time "to send out special marketing messages to the frantic folks who are not so happy about shopping," write three ad-industry analysts in Editor & Publisher. "Last minute holiday newspaper shopping ads should be written like efficient memos meant to aid in the decision making process of last-minute shoppers."
"All Things Considered" reporter Howard Berkes last week broadcast a segment based on a story by OC Weekly writer Gustavo Arellano that questioned the motives of local charity "Snowball Express," which brings the families of Iraq war casualties to Disneyland. Arellano found that the charity's organizer, Michael Scott Kerr, owes about $50,000 in child support in Arizona, where there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
The McClatchy paper has purchased the two-year-old local news and opinion Web site to better target younger readers, Poynter Online reports. "Purchasing a strong franchise such as Fresno Famous gives The Bee another way in which to reach younger readers with information they seek," said Valerie Bender, vice president of custom publications for The Bee. Fresno Famous founder Jarah Euston will stay on for six months to ease the transition to new management. Poynter reports a mixed reaction to the sale by the site's readers, despite assurances from Euston that the sale will "only improve user experience."
The North Jersey Media Group has pulled the plug on several of its publications, including what a local Web site calls its "faux-alt" weekly. "We at City Belt were never too impressed with Exit," writes Jon Whiten, editor of both City Belt and AltWeeklies.com. "As people who work inside the alternative press, Exit often felt like it was a labor of business, rather than a labor of love. The paper was improving, though -- becoming more substantial. But it looks like, as in so many other cases, business won out."
The Phoenix staff writer is leaving Beantown to become yet another fresh face at the Village Voice, reports the Boston Herald. "Anyone who knows Camille realizes that going to NYC has been a long-time goal. Her exit reminds us of what it means to be bittersweet: glad for her, sad for us," writes Peter Kadzis in an internal Phoenix email, republished by the Herald. Dodero is the second employee to jump from the Boston alt-weekly to Village Voice Media. Former managing editor Bill Jensen recently departed to oversee Web operations for VVM.
Nancy Geraldine Scott, an advertising client of AAN-member Oklahoma Gazette, has pleaded guilty to felony counts of pandering, maintaining a house of prostitution and encouraging a minor into prostitution, according to Oklahoma County Newspapers. When a local detective responded to one of Scott's ads, which also ran in a Southwestern Bell publication, he was put in touch with a 14-year-old offering sex for $220, according to court records.
Just in time for the gift-guide season, the venerable alt-weekly has released "The Village Voice Film Guide: 50 Years of Movies From Classics to Cult Hits," edited by former Voice film critic Dennis Lim. The anthology includes reviews from every era of the paper's storied history, and includes contributions by Jonas Mekas, Oliver Stone and J. Hoberman.
An article by the Kansas City alt-weekly alleging that Board of Public Utilities officials have racked up excessive meal and entertainment expenses has resulted in an internal ethics commission investigation, according to the local ABC affiliate. The Nov. 30 article, by Pitch reporter Justin Kendall, details how BPU administrators spent $15,000 on meals and entertainment in 2004 and 2005 -- including alcohol tabs at numerous sporting events. The story breaks during a time of public anger over the rising price of electricity and water in Kansas City. The BPU Ethics Commission is scheduled to review the allegations next month.
