US Largest Newspaper Editors Group Cancels Annual Meeting

And this is the first time since world War II.

The American Association of Newspapers Editors (ASNE) decided to cancel its 2009 convention in Chicago, concluding that "the challenges editors face at their newspapers demand their full attention.

The shocking announcement coincided with the publication today of the last issue of one of the country's most storied newspapers, the Rocky Mountain News.

Faced with the prospects of drastic reduction in attendance, ASNE made the canceling decision even though it "had put in place a robust agenda that promised to address critical issues faced by editors."

The last time ASNE canceled an annual meeting was in 1945, at the end of World War II.

Here's from ASNE's press release:

ASNE had planned votes at the Chicago convention on bylaws changes that would drop “paper” from its name and expand its membership to include editors of online-only news Web sites and leading journalism educators. That, and the annual election of new board members, will now occur electronically.

“We intend to press on with our transformation of ASNE to ensure its relevance in the digital age,” Hall said. “As we broaden our membership, we will aggressively advocate for innovation in journalism, access to public information, First Amendment rights, diversity and ethical standards.”

ASNE, founded in 1922, is the principal organization of American newspaper editors. It is active in a number of areas, including open government, freedom of the press, journalism credibility and ethics, newsroom management, diversity and readership.