Replacing David Blum as editor-in-chief of the Press is Jerry Portwood, who was previously the paper's managing editor. Blum becomes editor of 02138, the bi-monthly magazine acquired in May by Press parent company Manhattan Media. Blum's move coincides with a major re-launch of the luxury lifestyle magazine for Harvard alumni.

Continue ReadingNew Editor Named at New York Press in Editorial Shuffle

The Associated Press Managing Editors association selected winners for its annual awards this week in New York, and the group cited New Times in the First Amendment category for "for aggressively investigating and reporting on grand jury subpoenas seeking notes, tapes and confidential sources related to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, an investigation that expanded to other citizens." The awards will be presented during the group's September conference in Las Vegas.

Continue ReadingPhoenix New Times Receives First Amendment Award from AP

Winners of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists' 2008 Column Writing Contest were announced Saturday night in New Orleans. The Village Voice's Lynn Yaeger took first in the Humor (circulation 100,000+) category; judges said she had a "very entertaining style that bounces right along." Edmund Newton, who writes the Tailpipe column for New Times Broward-Palm Beach, placed first in the Notes/Items (all circulations) category; judges said he takes readers on "a tasty ride through life's odder moments."

Continue ReadingTwo Alt-Weekly Writers Honored by Columnists’ Group

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas asked a federal judge last week to dismiss the lawsuit from New Times accusing him, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and attorney Dennis Wilenchik of violating the constitutional rights of the paper, its owners and its readers, the East Valley Tribune reports. Thomas claims he has "absolute immunity" from such cases while in office. Arpaio and Wilenchik have also asked the court to throw out the lawsuit for similar reasons. In addition, Wilenchik has asked that the suit be moved from county to federal court because it deals with civil rights issues. Michael Manning, the attorney for New Times, says the change of venue means the case will likely move more slowly, but added that "we're happy in either place."

Continue ReadingAttorney Wants Phoenix New Times Suit Against Him Thrown Out

Three AAN papers won a total of 12 Sunshine State Awards, given out by the South Florida Pro Chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists. Miami New Times nabbed four awards, including first-place finishes in Serious Feature Reporting, Arts Reporting, and the Gene Miller Award for Investigative Reporting. Creative Loafing (Tampa)'s six total awards including a first-place finish in Election Reporting. New Times Broward-Palm Beach won two awards, including first-place kudos for Non-Deadline Business Reporting.

Continue ReadingAlt-Weeklies Fare Well in South Florida SPJ Awards

The Maggie Awards, presented annually by the Western Publications Association, honor publishing excellence among magazines in the Western U.S. L.A. Weekly was selected as the best tabloid/consumer publication for its Sept. 7 issue, and also prevailed in two other categories: Best Fiction in the Trade & Consumer category for "One Hundred Percent," and Best News Story in the Consumer category, for "The End of Murder." Phoenix New Times won for Best Public Service Series or Article in the Trade & Consumer category for its investigations into Maricopa County's "assault" on the paper.

Continue ReadingL.A. Weekly and Phoenix New Times Win Maggie Awards

"A City Hall proposal to group news boxes together in new kiosks ran into a barrage of criticism from media representatives and elected officials Monday night at the Board of Aldermen's Legislation Committee, which tabled the proposal," the New Haven Independent reports. New Haven Advocate publisher Josh Mamis spoke at the meeting, telling the committee that the proposal's prioritization of daily papers over weeklies is a restriction of freedom of speech, according to the Independent. He also complained about the way the city handled the issue, claiming that he wasn't even aware of news rack problems in New Haven. "I've never fielded a complaint," he told the committee. "If there are problems I'd love to hear about them." The ordinance will reportedly be revisited after more input from local media is obtained.

Continue ReadingNew Haven Tables News Box Legislation

The state's two AAN members were well-represented when the Arizona Press Club presented its annual awards on Saturday night. Phoenix New Times took home a total of 17 awards, including first-place wins in Arts Writing or Criticism; Children, Families and Seniors Issues Reporting; Environment and Science Reporting; Investigative Reporting; News Column Writing; and Politics and Government Reporting. Staff writer Sarah Fenske tied for first-runner up in the prestigious Virg Hill Journalist of the Year award. Tucson Weekly won a total of 16 awards, including first-place finishes in Business Reporting; Commentary/Analysis; Film, Video and Television Criticism; Personality Profile; Personality Profile Reporting; Public Safety Reporting; Sports Reporting; and Sustained Coverage.

Continue ReadingAlt-Weeklies Pick Up 33 Arizona Press Club Awards

"Reporters have ended up in handcuffs in the United States before -- some have gone to jail to protect the identity of sources -- but it is a rare moment when someone here is imprisoned for the crime of typing," Carr writes in today's New York Times. He details how the tumultuous relationship between New Times and Sheriff Joe Arpaio ultimately led to the arrest of the paper's founders last year for disclosing a grand jury probe of the paper and its readers. Jim Larkin and Michael Lacey recently sued the sheriff and other officials for the debacle. "Suing people is not the core of what we do, but our arrest was just the culmination of an ongoing reign of terror that is still continuing," Lacey says.

Continue ReadingDavid Carr Weighs in On Phoenix New Times Arrests and Lawsuit

Robert Meyerowitz tells AAN News that he's leaving the paper on May 9. He's been editor since last April, when he took over for Tony Ortega, who left to edit The Village Voice. Meyerowitz, who came to New Times from the Anchorage Press, and has also edited the Honolulu Weekly, has been named the Snedden professor of journalism at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks for the 2008-09 academic year.

Continue ReadingNew Times Broward-Palm Beach Editor Heads Back to Alaska