The Association of Alternative Newsweeklies (AAN) is a diverse group of 130 alt-weekly news organizations that cover every major metropolitan area in North America. Members of AAN reach a print and online audience of more than 25 million young, educated, active and influential adults in the U.S. and Canada. There are a wide range of publications in AAN. What ties them together are a strong focus on local news, culture and the arts; an informal and sometimes profane style; an emphasis on point-of-view reporting and narrative journalism; a tolerance for individual freedoms and social differences; and an eagerness to report on issues and communities that many mainstream media outlets ignore.

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Free Press does not support or oppose any candidate for public office. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media and universal access to communications.