To establish and maintain a trusting relationship with its Members, the AWNA provides Members with:

•Appropriate confidentiality and privacy

•Accurate information about being an AWNA Member

•Opportunities to a fair process to deal with grievances against other Members that are not following the AWNA Bylaws

 

Parameters

1.The AWNA informs Members of all of the rights, benefits, and obligations of membership.

 

2.The AWNA collects, transmits, and stores membership information in a manner that prevents improper access.

 

3.The AWNA does not share or sell membership information without the Member’s prior consent.

 

4.Application for Membership

In addition to Article 2 of the Bylaws:

a)Membership application forms request only necessary information.

b)The Membership Committee communicates with applicants about the status of their application in a timely manner.

c)The Board of Directors shall vote on all membership applications in a timely manner. The Board may use its discretion to vote either in accordance with or against the recommendations of the Membership Committee so long as that discretion is exercised in good faith, in view to the best interests of the AWNA and in accordance with the provisions set out in Section 3 of the Bylaws dealing with membership.

 

5.Regular Members

a)Obligations

In addition to the obligations stated in Article 1 and Articles 3D through 3I of the Bylaws, Regular Members must:

i.Abide by the policies and procedures of the AWNA

ii.Have an office that is open to the public

iii.Have a dateline on each page that includes the name of the community served by the newspaper

iv.Participate in the AWNA’s ad placement system.  The Member grants the AWNA and Community Media Canada (CMC) the right to represent and sell advertising in the member newspapers in a unified and cohesive manner.

v.Inform the AWNA of any decision not to run a blanket classified advertisement.

vi.Submit circulation audits

−Member newspapers must submit circulation audits as per Bylaws 3C.

−Any Member that has not submitted a circulation audit within a twelve (12) month period is suspended until a current circulation audit is submitted to the AWNA.

vii.Required font size of blanket classified ads

Ads are to be published in the 8-point size provided by the AWNA office.  An exception will be made to those member publications that publish local classifieds in a smaller type size. In those cases, the blanket classifieds can be typeset in the same size as the local classifieds.

viii.Member Employment Ads

Members are to be permitted to publish no more than 12 employment ads per calendar year for free, effective January 1, 2005.  These ads will be carried under Publisher’s Approval.

 

ix.Psychic Ads

Psychic ads are to be placed in the Publisher’s Approval category of the blanket classifieds.

 

b)Benefits

Regular Members’ benefits include:

i.Industry advocacy to different levels of government

ii.AWNA advertising services

iii.Member education and professional development opportunities, such as the Annual Newspaper Symposium, seminars, workshops, and conventions

iv.Recognition and award programs

v.Community education programs

vi.Internet services.

vii.The AWNA weekly news bulletin

viii.Lending library

ix.CCNA’s weekly Publisher’s Bulletin

x.Group purchases on newspaper-related software and resource books

xi.Access to reciprocal libel insurance

xii.Scholarship programs

xiii.Affiliation with the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA), Verified Circulation Program (CMCA), and the Alberta Press Council

 

 

6.Affiliate Members

a)Benefits

i.Affiliate Members are not eligible to participate in AWNA services as stated in Article 4D of the Bylaws.

ii.Affiliate Members’ benefits include:

−The Annual Newspaper Symposium, seminars, workshops, and convention activities

−The AWNA weekly on-line news bulletin

−Group purchases on newspaper-related software and resource books

−Access to reciprocal libel insurance and CCNA’s Verified Circulation audit program

 

7.Life Members and Honourary Life Members

a)The AWNA awards Life Memberships to recognize either:

i.Outstanding service in the field of weekly newspaper journalism and a sustaining interest in the affairs of the AWNA during a distinguished career as a weekly editor and publisher

ii.A continuing interest in the welfare and progress of weekly newspapers in Alberta, and a personal contribution to the integrity, goodwill, and fellowship among the AWNA and its friends

b)In addition to the rights and obligations stated in Article 4A of the Bylaws, Life Members: and Honourary Life Members

i.May attend AWNA meetings at reduced rates

ii.Receive a free subscription to the AWNA’s bulletin

 

8.Bylaw Disputes

a)Members with a complaint about another Member’s contravention of the Bylaws must submit, in writing, the complaint to the Chair of the Membership Standards Committee.  The complaint must include:

i.The name of the accused Member

ii.The name of the Member filing the complaint

iii.The Bylaw(s) that the accused Member has allegedly contravened

iv.All relevant information and documentation

 

b)The Membership Committee must notify the accused member that a complaint has been lodged against their newspaper and provide the name of the plaintiff, along with all details of the complaint.

 

c)The Membership Committee handles each complaint in a timely, professional, and independent manner, and makes recommendations to deal with the complaint to the Board.

 

d)Disputes that are outside the jurisdiction of the AWNA Bylaws are referred to organizations such as the Better Business Bureau or the Alberta Arbitration and Mediation Society for assistance.