The Watchdog Institute, a newly formed investigative-journalism organization based in San Diego, recently published its first investigation, which looked at California's public list of registered sex offenders and mapped out how many in San Diego County currently live within 2,000 feet of a school or park. However, as CityBeat notes, the report -- which found that "more than 70 percent of registered sex offenders in San Diego County are violating a state law by living too close to schools and parks," was based on a flawed interpretation of Jessica's Law, the 2006 referendum that placed lifetime residence restrictions on California's sex offenders. The Watchdog Institute has thus far refused to issue a correction, so CityBeat's Kelly Davis launched a "Watchdog Watch" clock, timing how many days pass before the organization issues a correction.
David Koon and Gerard Matthews of Arkansas Times, who took home a first place AltWeekly Award for media reporting, were interviewed by Las Vegas Weekly editor Scott Dickensheets.
The bill to protect reporters' confidential sources in federal court cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 14-to-5 vote yesterday. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press says it is "a new milestone this year for legislation that has been tabled, debated and amended for months in the committee." If the Senate approves the bill, it will still have to be reconciled with a different version already approved by the House.
A few years ago, threatened by media giant Gannett's attempt to control local print distribution via The Distribution Network (TDN), the Jackson Free Press and other local publishers banded together to form the Mississippi Independent Publishers' Alliance (MIPA). MIPA then began a process of buying, placing and managing its own system of multi-publication news boxes around the city. Now it looks like MIPA's efforts paid off. JFP publisher Todd Stauffer tells AAN News that the Gannett-owned Jackson Clarion-Ledger has quietly picked up all their TDN boxes and apparently closed out their program. "I'm not sure if this is a trend company-wide for Gannett, but it looks like the 'control-free-distribution' chapter is no longer in the Gannett playbook for Jackson," he says.
AAN News has learned of two great resources for anyone who is writing about the United Nations Climate Change Conference or climate change right now. First, climate scientists from the American Geophysical Union will be providing round-the-clock support for journalists reporting on the conference through Dec. 18. In addition, NOW Magazine's editor and CEO Alice Klein, who is attending the conference, is available for interviews about what's happening in Copenhagen. To set up an interview, email jasonh (at) nowtoronto.com or call 416-364-1300 ext. 372.
The Burlington alt-weekly took home seven total awards in the Vermont Press Association's 2008 newspaper awards contest, including first prize in the non-daily newspapers General Excellence category. It marks the fourth time in five years the paper took home first in that category -- and the association didn't give awards one year. "At this point, it would be sort of embarrassing if we didn't win," associate publisher and online editor Cathy Resmer says. Seven Days also took home first place wins in the non-daily division for Best Local Story and Best Feature Story, and in combined competition for Arts Criticism.
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.
Gustavo Arellano reports that an unnamed Mexican restaurant in Dana Point has grabbed the logo for his column and is running it in ads that appear in the Dana Point Times -- a local competitor to OC Weekly. While he points out that it is not the first time someone has swiped the Mark Dancey-designed logo, Arellano says he was surprised to find the thievery so close to home. Did the restaurant and the paper "really think they'd get away with using my column's logo and making money off of it without me eventually finding out and throwing barbs back at them?," he asks. "Especially considering it's a Mexican restaurant?"
Carl Kozlowski, who is also a stand-up comic, is the co-creator and host of "Grand Theft Audio: The Jake, Brant & Carl Show," a weekly comedy show that launched in July on internet radio station LA Talk Radio.
