Resource:
AltWeeklies Content Exchange
The AltWeeklies Content Exchange allows all members to privately share photo and video with one another. This means when a story breaks in Washington, Colorado can have access; if something of note happens in New Orleans, Portland can also run it.
Collaborate, Share Content, Co-fund longform stories. Hyper-local publications like yours regularly run local takes of a national story (e.g. Presidential Elections/Occupy Wall Street/SOPA, etc). Now you can have a bank of media from around the country that you can use.
You may think that your hyper-local news doesn’t have a national audience, but think of the last year – was there any piece of content from your paper that went viral? Any newsworthy event that happened locally that went around the country or the world?
Chances are you have at least few, and they can be syndicated to the Washington Post, New York Times, or even the Moscow Daily. By selling licenses to just one popular story you can make between $15-50K; sell a few and you can double your editorial budget. Best of all, you don’t have to change a thing – just go out and get the best local content as usual.” Source: altweeklies.cont3nt.com
The Journalism Accelerator is not responsible for the content we post here, as excerpts from the source, or links on those sites. The JA does not endorse these sites or their products outright but we sure are intrigued with what they’re up to.
Topics: Distribution Resources Revenue
Writer, artist and publisher reporting uncensored news from California desert communities.
The problem with AAN is it has devolved into a self-determining “good old boys and girls club” and, as membership falls, not admitting new members. With a membership policy of “we can’t exactly describe what an alt weekly is” how can the organization know what an alt weekly is when it is dominated by Voice Media and other publishing giants? Exactly how can an alt weekly be an alternative to the mainstream press when it is owned by the mainstream press? When AAN was formed as the Underground Press Syndicate it meant something. Today it is institutionalized and no longer an alternative. Besides, the “alternative” word itself has been co-opted by “power” and “lifestyle” to mean something quite different today.
Even more lost than AAN is the Alternative Weekly Network. For several years AWN listed as member a product here named The Desert Post Weekly published by The Desert Sun, a Gannett daily serving the Palm Springs market. Although The Desert Post Weekly printed mostly legal notices with one or two pages of syndicated content, and not much else, it was long defined by AWN as an “alternative paper” – although it did not pay for membership – and listed equally beside real members.
News and information advocate, strategist, photographer, JA host & life enthusiast
Hey Dean, thanks for bringing your voice to the conversation. You raise a good question asking “what is an alt weekly is” but I would suggest many newsrooms across the nation face this. The field of news broadly continues to redefine its identity & role in an industry interrupted. Noting JA’s aim is to foster and encourage conversation across publishers, bringing new perspective, data, facts or context to help others thrive or take caution. It sounds like you may have had a disappointing experience around AAN membership. But it’s not correct that AAN is not accepting new members, criteria offered for those interested in membership to do so by 3/29: http://www.altweeklies.com/aan/membership/Page. Membership is currently offered as 126 news weeklies across the country ((http://www.altweeklies.com/aan/Directories/Newsweeklies) with a lot of variance across these alt’s — & many of these weeklies are producing exceptional (some Pulitzer winning) journalism. Also, to be clear that AAN and AWN (http://www.awn.org/) are not affiliated. From what publishers tell us, it’s still very messy out there, the opportunity to learn quickly, adapt and grow what’s working holds huge promise.
Writer, artist and publisher reporting uncensored news from California desert communities.
To be accurate I never suggested that AAN was not accepting new members. True, AAN does publish a policy about membership with membership criteria stated… “we can’t exactly describe what an alt weekly is, but we know what it is when we see it.”
And, yes, going through the process was a disappointing and expensive experience. We learned quickly, adapted, and gave up on AAN. We feel more an affinity towards JA because of the encouragment and positive nature. Those other organizations – not so much.
My comments expressed no disrespect to individual publications. I was specifically addressing AAN and AWN, not their members. If we cannot discuss what is broken then how can we fix it? The point I was making is that the value of regional and national association and affiliation is great and valuable if operated in a clear, fair and generous manner. I doubt I am alone in these sentiments.
News and information advocate, strategist, photographer, JA host & life enthusiast
Thanks so much for joining us today, we welcome others who may have been listening to feel free to ask any additional questions, as well Patrick will likely come back with some additional questions or comments for Tiffany. Our hour is up, but the thread – and conversation – remains open! Hey Tiffany, is there anything Patrick didn’t ask you’d like to offer up – relative to things to watch for (or look forward to!) from the alt weeklies this year? If you time, by all means feel free to share anything that Patrick didn’t have a chance to ask.
Executive Director at Association of Alternative Newsmedia. Interested in monetizing smart, progressive news. Joined AAN in late 2010 after various stints in foundations, nonprofits, news and technology.
LIsa and Patrick – thank you so much for this opportunity.
A final note- I’m thrilled for the future of altweeklies — the return to all things local is really exciting for us–and a trend I think we will be able to take advantage of in ways no other media organizations can. And, we have a lot of partnership with amazing technical companies and tools that we will be rolling out this year. Finally, the progressive and entrepreneurial spirit that helped create altweeklies is now transforming the way we think about the future–we are actively finding creative and interesting ways to share content, and expand our brands — all while speaking truth to power and telling stories that no one else will. Look out!
Hyperlocal brand management + media development. Admin of The Breaking News Network, community service media supporting local business, good causes & the arts
This is an apt conclusion to our conversation. Thanks Tiffany.
I asked Lisa for this interview with you because frankly I also see promise in alt weeklies as a hyperlocal resource that seem to be overlooked by the journalist community. Maybe it’s simply the word “alternative”.
The Internet rewards interesting content, and frankly the writing on alt weeklies, a lot of it long form, is a lot less dry than local news reporting. The style is more akin to The Atlantic than Patch.
Alt weeklies describe the “things to do” stuff in cities in far greater detail than traditional news. That content inventory – loads of clubs ads, listings and reviews – require the technology solutions you’re trying to develop with partnerships. Owners of altweeklies are small business owners; I can see you’re trying to corral all of them into building a stronger online presence.
Hyperlocal brand management + media development. Admin of The Breaking News Network, community service media supporting local business, good causes & the arts
It seems Altweeklies maintain their advertising base by running weekly indexes of restaurants, events, reviews, etc. that somewhat mirror this current trend towards content marketing – the reviews or the PSA can become the “ad”. With the death of the banner ad, what marketing tact will altweeklies take?
Executive Director at Association of Alternative Newsmedia. Interested in monetizing smart, progressive news. Joined AAN in late 2010 after various stints in foundations, nonprofits, news and technology.
Many of the altweeklies are looking into bundled offerings and additional innovations. The East Bay Express has a great new program – a business directory/self-publishing website for local business. They also have a pop-up boutique featuring local art and clothing. And, lest we forget that altweeklies do events better than anyone. SXSW came out of The Austin Chronicle, and there are other great events across North America including NXNE and MusicNW. Finally, some members are doing great apps and specialty sites that cater to tourists who want to know the coolest things to do in the city. Check out BurlApp from 7 Days.
Hyperlocal brand management + media development. Admin of The Breaking News Network, community service media supporting local business, good causes & the arts
I can’t find any more newsstands in San Francisco (but I never take the bus) I’m wondering how alt weeklies will move from print distribution to online? Have ad revenues been impacted as steeply as traditional newspapers? Do many have plans, short or long term, to exit print?
Executive Director at Association of Alternative Newsmedia. Interested in monetizing smart, progressive news. Joined AAN in late 2010 after various stints in foundations, nonprofits, news and technology.
I think they will continue to have some print–we find that there is still a strong desire for that newsprint on the fingertips with coffee. And, it differs from market to market. In some cities like Syracuse and Colorado Springs, print circulation has actually gone up in the last year.
With that said, Altweeklies fundamentally understand that they need to be a part of the Mobile universe, and many are already thinking mobile first. If you think about it, alts were always really portable–tabloid style, easy to fold up and put in your bag — and they specialize in the happenings of a local community so the information is ideal for a mobile device. And, we are known for staggering and amazing art–which shows well, at least on a tablet.
As far as ad revenues, yes and no. We never relied completely on huge national ads that have gone down considerably. As the local economy comes back, so does some of our rev. And, alts tend to be scrappy so they have some great additional revenue ideas like becoming digital agencies for local business, or offering white label services like online reputation management. The Omaha Reader and The Arkansas Times are having great success with this.
Hyperlocal brand management + media development. Admin of The Breaking News Network, community service media supporting local business, good causes & the arts
How do altweeklies address the needs of the community – is it easy for civic groups, arts orgs and causes to contribute content?
Executive Director at Association of Alternative Newsmedia. Interested in monetizing smart, progressive news. Joined AAN in late 2010 after various stints in foundations, nonprofits, news and technology.
Altweeklies are one of the few outlets that still actively reports on arts, culture and local civic activity. So, our members are keenly aware and absolutely involved with local groups, often partnering with them to do events. But, there is a wall between editorial content and what we are reporting on so the local organizations are absolutely sources, though not always direct content contributors. However, as we move into more multimedia, you will see some of that change – I think there will be an opportunity for a local organization to provide great video or audio content. We are already seeing this with papers like The Boise Weekly which has a real focus on multimedia content.