If you started at the beginning, in 1955, when The Village Voice was founded, and ranked companies by how much they spent on advertising in alternative newspapers, Tower Records would probably end up at the top of the list. After several years of financial difficulty, the Sacramento-based chain that has long been a beacon of pop culture was recently put on the block. "I expect that the new owners will keep the values ... we stand for," Russ Solomon, the company's founder and owner, tells The Sacramento Bee. "(W)hich is the idea that, as much as you can afford to, you represent as many kinds of music, video and books as you possibly can."
Joe Sullivan, publisher of Metro Pulse for 10 years, has sold the Knoxville, Tenn., weekly to Brian Conley, a general contractor who has development contracts with the city. Conley, who was briefly a co-owner of the Pulse in the mid-1990s, pledges he will guard the alt-weekly's editorial independence, even as it investigates his own dealings with the city (see story link below). Sullivan stays on as editor in chief and columnist.
"Twin Cities Babelogue" has turned more than 20 writers, editors and freelancers loose on the paper's Web site to talk about anything they want, any way they want. The experiment is paying off so far, with 10 percent of all Web site visitors now checking out the Babelogue during their time on the site. "I figured it was going to be a waste of time and lobbied openly against it," Senior Editor Brad Zellar tells AAN News. "Turns out, however, that I've taken to it."
New Times writers swept the Newspaper Restaurant Review or Critique category of the 2003 James Beard Foundation Journalism Awards with Jason Sheehan of Westword winning, while Jill Posey-Smith of Riverfront Times and Robb Walsh of Houston Press were finalists. Mark Stuertz of the Dallas Observer was the winner in the Newspaper, Magazine or Internet Reporting on Consumer Issues, Nutrition and/or Health category for his article “Green Giant." Dara Moskowitz, City Pages (Twin Cities) and Walsh were finalists in the newspaper series category.
The AAN Admissions Committee's often barbed recommendation report to the members will be released during the June 5-8 AAN Convention, giving thumbs up or down to the 12 papers applying for admission this year. Last year's report, which included such memorable digs as "this paper should be taken out back and shot," is still causing a stir a year later. Several members tell AAN News they plan to temper their written remarks this year.
A few weeks ago the Baltimore Sun launched "LiVE!" its version of the ubiquitous daily paper sop to "young readers." Baltimore City Paper wasted no time in starting its own new weekly "Advice Column for Journalists Looking to Get in on the Lucrative Alt-Weekly Market." Here's a sample: "After more than two years with virtually no homegrown pop-music coverage ... three LiVE! covers in a row devoted to the hot musical acts of today. Ga-zinga! You surely are giving us a run for our money, pop-music-wise, which, of course, as everyone knows, is a big reason people pick up a publication like ours. And that's the idea, right? A publication like ours? Except folks gotta pay for yours."
Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week and Pete Kotz of the Cleveland Scene win special citations in the 2002 National Awards for Education Reporting. Kotz' citation was for opinion writing in the 100,000 and above division for "Welcome to Cheaptown." Jaquiss was recognized for feature writing in the under 100,000 division for his story “Anywhere, U.S.A.: Portland is in Danger of Losing the One Thing That Makes It Unique." He won a first place in this contest last year in investigative reporting.
Publisher Al Johnson, a media sales veteran, launches Omaha Pulp this week, with the help of three former staffers from Omaha Reader -- editors Timothy Schaffert and Leslie Prisbell and Production Manager Justin Wolta. Johnson says he hopes to be profitable by August. John Heaston, publisher of the Omaha Weekly Reader, says he welcomes competition that will keep Omaha's media scene lively.
Former LA Mayor Richard Riordan is looking for additional investors and has pushed the launch of his new weekly from June to September, the LA Times reports. Riordan now plans to put up only $1 million of his own money for the publication, leading some to question his commitment to the project, the Times reports. (Registration required)
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