Dan Williamson will take over as Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman's spokesman on June 2, according to Columbus Business First. Williamson, who the mayor called "one of the sharpest political observers and writers in Ohio," will oversee a two-member staff and coordinate communications for 13 departments in his new role.
In a farewell column this week, Danny Russell says he's leaving to do PR and marketing for Delaware's Methodist Theological School in Ohio. He's been with the Columbus, Ohio, paper since its inception in 1990.
Due to a 2004 change in the association's bylaws, five papers that have taken on new majority owners in the past two years will have their AAN membership reviewed in 2008. The Membership Committee will evaluate The Other Paper, Boston's Weekly Dig, East Bay Express, Metro Pulse, and Cityview, and will issue a report to members a week before the 2007 annual convention. To retain their membership, each paper must be affirmed by at least one-third of the members voting at the annual meeting in Philadelphia, which is tentatively scheduled for June 7.
As expected, American Community Newspapers LLC announced yesterday that it has purchased the publishing and printing assets of CM Media, Inc. In addition to the Columbus alt-weekly, the Texas-based American Community Newspapers will take over CM's community papers, magazines and printing facility. "Our decision to sell the company was a difficult one, but we believe that (ACM president) Gene (Smith) and American Community Newspapers will continue our tradition of providing Central Ohio with quality journalism," says CM president and Other Paper publisher Max Brown.
CM Media Inc. is expected to be sold to Dallas-based American Community Newspapers LLC today, according to Business First. CM founder Max Brown reportedly informed employees of the sale yesterday afternoon with a letter. In addition to owning The Other Paper, CM owns over 20 other publications and a printing facility. American Community Newspapers currently publishes 64 newspapers across the country, according to Business First.
