Jackson Free Press

All, I'm in Little Rock today at the national convention of the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. Much of the talk here is about our battle with the Gannett Corp./Clarion-Ledger back in Jackson. The entire country is watching to see how it works it out—and watching in awe as the community gets behind local media and tells Goliath that they are squelching free enterprise with their tactic to take over our distribution. THANK YOU for all your phone calls, conversations with businesses, petitions, e-mail drives and so on. Please keep it up, and please reporting in about where you see the TDN boxes pop up, and whether or not local media are disappearing, yet. (Use this thread for that if you want.) I am in Little Rock, but there are things happening on our behalf back in Jackson as we face Goliath's June 19 eviction deadline. We need you. Thank you for everything.

Cheers, all,

Donna

Also, watch the site today. We'll let you know later today how we place in the six awards that we're bringing home to Jackson. We find out during a luncheon today. And go to Unita and JoAnne's Barefootin' party today; it'll be big fun, and that book is just incredible.

Previous Comments

ID

106544

Comment

Also, watch the site today. We'll let you know later today how we place in the six awards that we're bringing home to Jackson. We find out during a luncheon today. And go to Unita and JoAnne's Barefootin' party today; it'll be big fun, and that book is just incredible.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-06-16T08:38:14-06:00

ID

106545

Comment

Have a good trip Ladd, we will keep things together down here while you're away. Our prayers are with you.

Author

lance

Date

2006-06-16T08:41:24-06:00

ID

106546

Comment

Thank you, Lance. And I appreciate the prayers. Independent media in Jackson need as many as we can get this week. Keep 'em coming.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-06-16T08:47:14-06:00

ID

106547

Comment

You know, reading through the excerpt from Unita and JoAnne's book again just now, I realize that when someone does you wrong, you gotta do a little "barefootin'." And that's what the community is doing on the media's behalf right now in the wake of this Goliah-Gannett assault. Thank you all. The other night I was with dinner with Cornelius Turner who helped start the Mississippi Free Press with Medgar Evers, Rev. R.L.T. Smith, Hazel Brannon Smith (the white woman who dared to print it), and other heroes of the time. Mr. Turner said that Medgar came to him one day and said, "C, we need two things to change Mississippi. We need to integrate the schools. And we need a newspaper." Thus, the MFP was born. Then it was boycotted by the local business establishment, hounded, harassed, threatened, you name it. But they did what they were supposed to do. When we started the Jackson Free Press, it was in homage to the groundwork they laid for a diverse, progressive newspaper way back when. And let me just say that, after what we've been through in Mississippi, some damn international corporation is not going to march in here and stamp us out just because they don't want any competition. Take that to the friggin' bank.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-06-16T08:59:50-06:00

ID

106548

Comment

:)

Author

emilyb

Date

2006-06-16T09:05:48-06:00

ID

106549

Comment

Make sure you visit the greatest thing going in Little Rock, the Clinton Library or whatever it called. Many of us didn't believe Arkansas was really a state until Clinton started running things over there. Enjoy yourself while there.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2006-06-16T10:47:47-06:00

ID

106550

Comment

We're waiting with baited breath, Donna. (removes gummi worm from mouth) How'd ya do? :D

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2006-06-16T21:46:18-06:00

ID

106551

Comment

Yeah, Donna...how'd we do? Or are you dragging us along to keep the suspense alive? ;-P

Author

Kacy

Date

2006-06-16T22:41:41-06:00

ID

106552

Comment

Just a guess guys, but I'll bet that a large amount of alcohol is being consumed right about now in Little Rock. No telling when we'll hear something. LOL

Author

James Hester

Date

2006-06-16T22:49:30-06:00

ID

106553

Comment

It appears as though the JPF had a good showing at the awards! Congratulations Donna!

Author

tombarnes

Date

2006-06-16T23:21:30-06:00

ID

106554

Comment

Ahem...JFP

Author

tombarnes

Date

2006-06-16T23:22:07-06:00

ID

106555

Comment

Sorry, guys, just got back to the laptop. Yes, large amounts of alcohol were consumed in various neighborhoods of Little Rock tonight—with the JFP joining with The Coast (of Halifax, Nova Scotia) to celebrate our collective big awards showings today (and they turned 13 — ! — at midnight, so even more excuse to drink. And downtown Little Rock is on fire tonight with a huge Juneteenth celebration. It's crazy here. We had a wonderful day; here's the poop on the awards: 1st place, news/short form—Adam Lynch (our second year in a row to win this one; told y'all Adam is the best reporter in Jackson) 2nd place, media criticism—Todd Stauffer (he was the only publisher that we know of to win a writing award 2nd place, political columns—Donna Ladd (yes, they were all about the mayor) 2nd place, investigative reporting—Donna Ladd (beaten by an amazing story about nursing homes in the Texas Observer; we are in awe to be in such proximity) 3rd place, feature writing—Casey Parks (for that kick-ass pro-life story; I think it was the best of the three, but I wasn't a judge; still mighty-mighty-mighty proud of our girl) Honorable mention—JFP Web site (Y'all don't riot; at least our good friends at The Coast won first place, and we now love them to pieces; they bought drinks tonight, so hey, they deserve first place. But we are kicking their Canadian asses next year. Take that to the bank. And we'll buy then) Great day; now I must take an Alleve and go to bed; must do that blogging panel in the a.m. Gulp.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-06-17T01:28:20-06:00

ID

106556

Comment

Check out the blog of our new friend Cathy Resmer from 7 Days in Burlington, Vermont. Yes, that's our smiling mug at the Clinton library.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-06-17T01:43:19-06:00

ID

106557

Comment

Just another way to prove how awesome the JFP staff is. Congratulations all around!

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2006-06-17T08:02:11-06:00

ID

106558

Comment

Congratulations to the entire staff of the JFP. Salute! (raising coffee cup in air)

Author

James Hester

Date

2006-06-17T08:08:14-06:00

ID

106559

Comment

I can not condone the drinking of large quantities of alcohol for which I am not present. I am horribly upset. That being said...I'm shining with proud for all of you guys.

Author

Lori G

Date

2006-06-17T09:36:46-06:00

ID

106560

Comment

Congrat, JFP guys. You make us proud!!! Now, kick a$$ for the rest of the time you're there and, BTW, guzzle one (or two...or three) down for me!!!

Author

Kacy

Date

2006-06-17T14:38:26-06:00

ID

106561

Comment

Congrats on awards. Ms Ladd, you going to love writing again in CL this morning about cruising. Want to see some more bad editing? But most weekends, the residential streets around the park all the way to the intersection of Northside Drive and I-55 in Jackson are choked with young drivers combing the blocks for a place to park and show off their rides. But an ordinance being considered by the City Council's planning committee would give police the power to ticket cruisers. But some youth advocates say a law restricting cruising is not enough. Yeesh, who is doing this editing. I'm serious Ms Ladd, in college that would've never gotten past my student editor. Not at all.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-06-19T08:39:04-06:00