In an opinion column published yesterday, Boise Weekly editor Rachael Daigle affirms her paper's commitment to maintaining a wall between editorial and advertising. The column is in response to Chicago Reader publisher Alison Draper's recent declaration that her paper will "push" the line between the two. Daigle calls foul on the notion:

Blurring the lines between editorial and advertising is called advertorial. It's not journalistic, it's not ethical to pass it off as editorial content and it's the public that loses when editorial integrity is compromised.

No matter how bad business was at BW during the heaviest part of the recession, we never once considered chipping away at the wall that separates our editorial and advertising departments. The day BW Publisher Sally Freeman announces her intention to "push" the line between editorial and sales will be the day I'll hand her my resignation. Thankfully, Freeman is BW's biggest protector of that line.
It just so happens that AAN editors will be discussing this topic during a roundtable session next Thursday in Toronto.

Continue ReadingBoise Weekly Editor: ‘It’s Not OK’ to Mix Editorial and Advertising

Looks like the Chicago Reader isn't alone in running a post-election cover that ruffled some feathers. The Boise Weekly's cover illustration by Alejandro Lempkin, which includes the phrase "Barack Oboner," apparently upset a few readers. "I don't think many of those who I heard from understood that 'Barack Oboner' was not meant to demean the president-elect so much as it was meant to poke fun at people just like me," writes editor Rachael Daigle. "That is, people who live in a certain area of town -- the same area in which I live -- where Barack Obama was heavily supported, a part of town that -- crudely speaking -- had a boner for Barack." MORE: Chicago's CBS affiliate reports on the Reader dustup.

Continue ReadingAnother Alt-Weekly Election Cover Draws Some Flak

After a year leading the Boise Weekly's editorial team, Shea Andersen is headed out, "to work at a newspaper that does not feature a cartoon devoted to making fun of idle chatter overheard in the offices of Boise," according to a press release. He will be replaced by Rachael Daigle, who has been a staff writer and editor at the Weekly for five years. "Rachael knows what we are about and understands what needs to be done to move Boise Weekly forward," publisher Sally Freeman says in a statement. "I am very excited about our future with her leading our editorial team." The paper also took this opportunity to announce two new hires: Nathaniel Hoffman as news editor and Tara Morgan as staff writer.

Continue ReadingBoise Weekly Names New Editor