Association News

Read more about the article The Trick to Selling? It’s Not Selling, According to Convention Speaker

Does your sales team, or your overall sales approach, need a shot in the arm? Sales trainer Richard Farrell of Chicago-based Tangent Knowledge Systems will be at the Toronto Convention to offer a new tool that just might help you boost sales and land new clients. On Friday, July 16, he'll walk convention attendees through his unorthodox nonselling sales process, touching on things salespeople should be focused on, like understanding the customer's needs, and what they shouldn't be, like over-communicating their sales messages.

Continue ReadingThe Trick to Selling? It’s Not Selling, According to Convention Speaker
Read more about the article Local Online and Mobile Ad Spending and Trending: How Does Your Paper Stack Up?

You probably know how much online advertising revenue you're making with your website, but do you know whether you're doing better or worse than everybody else in online sales? Borrell Associates, a research and consulting firm that tracks local advertising and helps media companies develop executive strategies, is currently conducting a survey of AAN members and their online advertising revenues. Andrew Martin, a senior associate with Borrell, will present the results of this benchmarking survey at the upcoming Toronto Convention on Friday morning, July 16. If you need a copy of the survey or have any questions, please contact Debra Silvestrin at debra (at) aan.org. The deadline to return the survey is June 4.

Continue ReadingLocal Online and Mobile Ad Spending and Trending: How Does Your Paper Stack Up?

Newslaw, the legal hotline provided by AAN exclusively for its members that is owned and operated by Washington attorney Alice Neff Lucan, is in the midst of an office move from D.C. to Harrisonburg, Va. As of May 1, the new office phone number will be 540-568-8400; the email address -- newslaw (at) newslaw.com -- will remain the same.

Continue ReadingAlice Lucan’s Newslaw Office is Moving; New Phone Number Coming
Read more about the article 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.

Continue ReadingMark Your Calendars: AAN’s 2010 Convention Hits Toronto This July

The latest installment of our Sales Webinar Series for AAN members will take place on Thursday, April 22. The topic will be "Return on Expectations - The Key to Print Sales Success," presented by AAN Vice President and Colorado Springs Independent CEO Fran Zankowski. Registration is free for AAN members, but limited to 25 people; click here to register.

Continue ReadingFree Webinar on Print Sales Set for Thursday

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.

Continue ReadingAAN’s Editor Stepping Down

The AAN Diversity Grant Program, which was instituted in 2001 to help papers add diversity to their newsrooms and to encourage minority journalists to start their careers at alt-weeklies, is accepting new applications. The program offers AAN papers the opportunity to apply for a grant for a diversity-related project or for an intern. The Diversity Committee will award up to four grants of $1,250 each per year; the deadline for applications is April 23. Recent awardee Boise Weekly tells AAN News that the "global culture blog" for the local refugee community it launched with the grant money "would have never happened" without the Diversity Grant. Now that the blog has become a success, the Weekly will keep it going with its own funding. (For all the details, download an application here.)

Continue ReadingDiversity Grant Applications Now Available

The emerging world of location-based services are helping news organizations serve their customers better and helping cutting-edge reporters succeed. An upcoming webinar from NewsU will explore how a these new platforms can be valuable reporting tools. Through AAN's partnership with NewsU, the first 25 AAN members to register will receive a reduced rate of $12.95 for the webinar (the regular rate is $27.95). Click here to get the AAN password. Click here to register.

Continue ReadingDiscounted NewsU Webinar on Location-Based Services Set for April 1

AAN members have the opportunity to participate in a live webinar from Poynter's NewsU that focuses on mobile media and producing news in the digital age. "Mobile Media 101: Producing News with Your Smartphone" is scheduled for Wednesday, March 3, at 2 pm Eastern time. The first 25 AAN registrants using the AAN discount code will get a special rate of $9.95.

Continue ReadingDiscounted NewsU Webinar on Mobile News Production Next Wednesday