AAN launched a web publishing news blog at web.aan.org last month. For more information on the blog, visit the about page, the editorial policy, and the blog style guide. Recent posts include:

• Where in the world is your website?
• From Web to Print: ‘The Onion’ a case model of reverse publishing
• Tech to Use Right Now: Tagzania: Easy, Embeddable Google Maps
• 5 Ideas In 50 Minutes to revamp your site
• Tech to Try: Dabble BD: Better online spreadsheets
• Huffington’s Theory of Publishing Promiscuity
• Concept: Three Degrees of User-Generated Content (UGC)

You'll find a preliminary convention schedule on the site, along with everything you need to know about registering for the annual confab -- including the fact that AAN member papers are once again eligible for up to two free registrations. The programming at this year's conference, which will be held June 14-16 in Portland, Ore., will focus heavily on web publishing and management training.

The first live chat will take place this Thursday, April 12, at 1 pm EDT, with subsequent sessions offered the first Thursday of each month at 1 pm. The format will sometimes be like a roundtable and other times will feature specific presenters or topics. This Thursday's session will focus on new technology and a discussion about future Webinar topics. Members with questions about the Webinars or suggestions regarding potential subjects for discussion should contact AAN Sales and Marketing Director Roxanne Cooper.

Only those members who complete a survey by Monday, April 2, will receive a copy of this valuable financial benchmarking study. For more information on the Financial Standards program, please contact the AAN office.

AAN launched a new web publishing blog today at web.aan.org. The blog is designed to be an in-depth, concrete resource on web publishing news, online innovations and journalism trends. For more information on the blog, visit the about page, the editorial policy, and the blog style guide. The blog coincides with the launch of other 2.0 AAN identities, such as the AAN MySpace account, del.ico.us account, and Flickr account. Recent posts on web.aan.org:

• Young journos fear dailies are dying
• Onion TV News Launching April ’07
• Tech to Watch: Twitter
• Small communities engage people
• How to generate traffic using social networks
• Eyetrack data: What users really see
• Fab Channel: Free, quality and LEGAL music concerts for your site
• Is it a blog if it’s being produced by a newspaper?

The Molly Ivins First Amendment Award will be presented at the AAN convention to a journalist or media figure who has taken a courageous stand challenging the preferred narrative of powerful government or private interests; whose reporting and/or commentary has had a profound impact on the public's understanding of the issue; and whose work embodies the spirit of Ivins' legacy -- speaking truth to power with wit and style. All AAN members are eligible to submit a nomination to web at aan.org. The deadline is Tuesday, April 2.

The best way to find out is to participate in our annual Financial Standards survey, a confidential benchmarking study that many AAN publishers consider the most important benefit the association offers to its members. AAN financial consultant Seija Goldstein will once again compile the survey and present the results -- to participants only -- at the annual convention, which will be held in Portland June 14-16. The deadline for participation is Monday, April 2. For more information on the survey, please contact the AAN office.