Last month, the city's Metro Council passed legislation restricting the placement of news boxes and requiring publishers to pay permit fees and maintain their newsracks in good repair. But yesterday, as expected, Mayor Bill Purcell vetoed the bill. "The ordinance before me is an abridgement of a free press and raises significant First Amendment issues,” Purcell says. Meanwhile, 22 publishers, including AAN member the Nashville Scene, are working on a self-monitoring agreement intended to be a substitute for legislation. Twenty-seven votes would be necessary to override Purcell's veto -- the same number of votes that originally passed the legislation.

Continue ReadingNashville Mayor Vetoes News Box Ordinance

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.

Continue ReadingLooking for Some Web Training?

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.

Continue ReadingCommunity Blog for 2007 Convention Launches

Charlie Deitch received the Ray Sprigle Memorial Award, a "best in show" award, for his coverage of gambling in Pennsylvania. The alt-weekly also placed first in six categories (Business; Continuing Coverage; Criticism; Cultural; Enterprise/Investigative Article; Science, Health & Technology), and had finalists in three additional categories. The awards, given by the Press Club of Western Pennsylvania, were announced last night.

Continue ReadingPittsburgh City Paper Takes Home a Handful of Golden Quill Awards

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").

Continue ReadingPopular Consultant to Address Alt-Weekly Management Challenges

At a midday reception in New York last Wednesday, Olbermann accepted the award from AAN president and Memphis Flyer publisher Ken Neill. Olbermann spoke of the crucial role that alt-weeklies played post-9/11 as "the way out of the maze" of suspended disbelief; of the continuing importance to think and question what those in power do and say; and of his foray into the realm of political reporting and commentary.

Continue ReadingKeith Olbermann Presented With First Annual Molly Ivins Award