AlterNet recently posted an unprecedented collaborative project by 36 alternative newsweeklies across the country on the plight of married priests and the effect of that talent drain on the Catholic Church. Jeff von Kaenel, a past president of AAN and a member of the AlterNet board, conceived the project as a way to demonstrate the national reach of the alternative weekly industry. Don Hazen, executive director of AlterNet, says the project helps "the public understand that there is an industry out there that is independent of the traditional, corporate media; and ... that when you go from city to city, you have a newspaper that represents that."
Jeff Truesdell, who had been with Orlando Weekly since its birth in 1990, was abruptly fired this week after a spat with Publisher Mike Johnson. Truesdell says he and Johnson had a tense relationship, but says the publisher never interfered with the editorial side of the paper. Johnson says he respects Truesdell but won't talk about the argument that led to the termination.
Jeff Cole has joined Village Voice Media as national account executive. Cole has both trade and alternative publishing experience and will focus on national sales for all the seven papers in the company.
"They've been doing these jobs for a while now," says Jeff vonKaenel, explaining why he recently named Kathy Barrett and Dave Schmall publisher at their respective weeklies, Chico News & Review and Sacramento News & Review. Both had been serving as general manager.
