"The New York Press' early years involved a lot of tough slogging, making pitches to recalcitrant advertisers (most of whom are out of business today), attracting writers for minimal fees and continually missing the deadline for our printer in the Meatpacking District," writes founder Russ Smith. "But mostly, we had a lot of fun." He talks about the history of the paper, the future of alt-weeklies, and how his conservative political commentary often got the paper -- which also ran pieces by liberal stalwarts Alexander Cockburn and David Corn -- mislabeled as a "Republican paper." As part of the cover package, the Press also published a timeline of notable events in the paper's history.

Continue ReadingThe New York Press Celebrates 20 Years

Jackie Walker, a Knoxville-area high school football star and all-American linebacker at Tennessee in 1970-71, will be posthumously inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame July 17. "The city and the university were reminded of his distinguished career last fall," the New York Times reports, after an article in Metro Pulse "introduced Walker to a new audience and asked a pointed question: Had his sexual orientation denied him Hall of Fame recognition?" Metro Pulse editor Coury Turczyn tells AAN News that the original piece, by Betty Bean, "most definitely put things in motion," adding that "several of the interview subjects were made aware of the issue in the process of being asked about it," including people "who nominate athletes for various halls of fame." Read more on Walker's induction from Metro Pulse.

Continue ReadingMetro Pulse Story Leads to Gay Athlete’s Induction to Hall of Fame

Deputy editor Joe Donnelly's position was cut by Village Voice Media, LA Observed reports. "I can tell you that Joe Donnelly was one of the reasons the L.A. Weekly has been so strong over the past few years," Weekly editor Laurie Ochoa says. "The good news is that Joe plans on doing a lot more writing, much of which we plan to publish. He's been the guiding force behind so many books through the years -- I think it's time he writes his own book." According to LA Observed, Donnelly will do just that -- he plans on writing a novel. Also, longtime copy editor Sheila Beaumont, who has worked at the paper for 26 years, has retired rather than make the commute to Culver City, where the Weekly is moving next week.

Continue ReadingL.A. Weekly Eliminates #2 Editor Position

Consumers frequently combine newspapers and the internet to research products and make purchases, according to new research by Clark, Martire & Bartolomeo, which was commissioned by Google. "According to the study, among people who research products and services after seeing them advertised in newspapers, two-thirds (67 percent) use the internet to find more information," the Newspaper Association of America says in a release. "Of that group, nearly 70 percent of consumers actually make a purchase following their additional research."

Continue ReadingStudy: Print Ads Drive Online Traffic and Consumer Purchasing

Ted Myers learned earlier this month that he was the grand prize winner for the Health & Wealth Raffle and would be awarded a home, a 2008 Mercedes and $100,000 -- a total package valued at more than $1 million, the Arizona Republic reports. Myers, a 22-year-old recent college grad who lives with his parents, must now choose between accepting the house and the car or taking the cash equivalent by Thursday. He's leaning towards the cash, in part to help his band record its first full-length. "I don't think I could afford to live in the house," he says. "I don't think I could afford the electric bill or have the furniture to put in it."

Continue ReadingPhoenix New Times Account Exec. Wins $1 Million in Raffle