The Press List

Welcome to The Press List, our weekly newsletter alerting you to upcoming media events worth knowing about. Now that we've loaded up on beauty rest and bubbly, we're back with all the best dispatches from the media party trenches.

Things are off to a bit of a slow start this week as the media gets over its collective holiday hangover, but there are still plenty of events on our calendar for those ready to kick off 2009 with networking, panels, and parties. First up is tonight's gala given by the New York Film Critics for their Circle Awards. On Tuesday, developers, designers, and other digital media mavens won't want to miss the NY Tech Meetup. In conjunction with the meetup, there will also be an info-session about the TechStars startup program and an afterparty that same night. On Wednesday, mediabistro.com is throwing a party for Steve Baker's new book The Numerati.

At the end of this week, The New York Times holds its annual Arts & Leisure Weekend. Scheduled speakers include Keith Olbermann, Tavis Smiley, and the co-hosts of The View. Good luck getting in, as tickets are already sold out to several of the events -- but some do still remain!

Before everyone headed off on vacation, there were a few final holiday parties to attend. At Slate's annual shindig, former Governor Eliot Spitzer made an appearance, tied to his new gig as a columnist for the site. The party was held at "massage" parlor-turned lounge Happy Ending -- fortunately for all involved, the brothel's no longer in business. We saw plenty of our blogging brethren at the ASSME party for laid-off media types. Amid the booze and broken dreams, we spotted man-about-town Joshua David Stein, ex-Gawker editor Sheila McClear, and WNYC Radio's Ilya Marritz. We also checked in with Ad Age's Nat Ives, and asked him how he felt being one of the few writers in the crowd who still had a job. "There's a little bit of guilt," he told us. "I feel like I should have taken this necktie off before I got here." After ASSME was the Jewcy holiday party with a guest list that included Rex Sorgatz, Elizabeth Spiers, YoungManhattanite.com's Andrew Krucoff, and RandomNightOut.com's Nick McGlynn, who took photos of the proceedings.

Now that everyone's returned to work, we'll be back next Monday to forecast which media events you'll want to know about, along with all that went down at this week's hottest happenings. Be sure to check out 'Conferences, Etc.' and 'Beyond New York' for media events beyond the five boroughs in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco...

--Hunter Walker

Monday January 5, 2009

New York Film Critics Circle 74th Annual Circle Awards Gala
Ceremony for the annual NYFCC Circle Awards
Host: New York Film Critics Circle
Access: Closed/Private
Previous/Expected Guests: David Denby, Rex Reed, Peter Travers
When: 6:30pm, Monday, January 5
Where: Strata, 915 Broadway, New York

Tuesday January 6, 2009

TechStars Informational Meetup
Info session about the TechStars program for startups
Host: TechStars
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 6pm-7pm, Tuesday, January 6
Where: The Park, 118 10th Avenue, New York

NY Tech Meetup
Monthly gathering with presentations for technology professionals
Host: NY Tech Meetup
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 7pm, Tuesday, January 6
Where: IAC, 555 W. 18th Street, New York

Post-NY Tech Meetup Networking
Networking event following the New York Tech Meetup
Host: NY Tech Meetup
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 9pm-11:30pm, Tuesday, January 6
Where: The Park, 118 10th Avenue, New York

Wednesday January 7, 2009

mediabistro.com Book Party in New York
Party celebrating the release of Steve Baker's book The Numerati
Host: mediabistro.com
Access: Open to media/press -- RSVP required
When: 6:30pm-8:30pm, Wednesday, January 7
Where: Butterfield 8, 5 E. 38 Street, New York

TechAviv NY Meetup
Networking and presentations focused on Israeli tech startups
Host: TechAviv
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP required
When: 6:30pm-8:30pm, Wednesday, January 7
Where: NYU Stern, Room 1-70, 44 W. 4th Street, New York

Digital Wednesdays
Networking for digital media professionals
Host: PressPlay Events
Access: Limited/Available on request
When: 7pm-10pm, Wednesday, January 7
Where: ONO Restaurant, 18 Ninth Avenue, New York

Thursday January 8, 2009

NY Open Coffee Meetup
Weekly meeting for entrepreneurs and investors
Host: Nicholas Butterworth
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 9:15am-10:15am, Thursday, January 8
Where: Tarallucci e Vino, 15 E. 18th Street, New York

Ultra Light Startups Revenue Model Workshop
Successful business owners discuss revenue models for startups
Host: Ultra Light Startups
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 6:30pm-9pm, Thursday, January 8
Where: For Your Imagination, 22 W. 27th Street 6th Floor, New York

Arts & Leisure Weekend -- The View
The co-hosts of The View discuss their show with New York Times reporter Jacques Steinberg
Host: The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd, Elisabeth Hasselbeck
When: 8pm-9:15pm, Thursday, January 8
Where: TheTimesCenter, 242 W. 41st Street, New York

Saturday January 10, 2009

Tavis Smiley: A Voice For Change
The author and PBS host discusses current events
Host: The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Tavis Smiley, Matt Bai
When: 2pm-3:15pm, Saturday, January 10
Where: TheTimesCenter, 242 W. 41st Street, New York

Arts & Leisure Weekend-- Keith Olbermann
The MSNBC host and political commentator discusses the influence of cable news
Host: The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Andrew Rosenthal
When: 4pm-5:15pm, Saturday, January 10
Where: TheTimesCenter, 242 W. 41st Street, New York

Sunday January 11, 2009

New York City Media Makers
Networking and discussion for media producers
Host: NYC Media Makers
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 10am-12pm, Sunday, January 11
Where: One Ten John, 110 John Street, New York

Obama's First 100 Days
The New York Times reporters assigned to cover the Obama administration discuss what to expect from the President-elect's first few months in office
Host: The New York Times Arts & Leisure Weekend
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Peter Baker, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Jeff Zeleny, Richard L. Berke
When: 12pm-1:15pm, Sunday, January 11
Where: TheTimesCenter, 242 W. 41st Street, New York

Conferences, etc.

Thriving In a Tough Economy
Panel discussing strategies and opportunities for communications professionals during the recession
Host: New York Women in Communications Inc.
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Trish Regan
When: 6pm-8pm, Tuesday, January 6
Where: Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square, 1568 Broadway, New York

Blogging for Business
Blogging workshop for business owners
Host: Carmina Perez
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 6pm-8pm, Tuesday, January 6
Where: 136 E. 76th Street, Apt. 3F, New York

Real Estate Connect NYC 2009
Conference for real estate, technology, and finance professionals on the future of the real estate industry
Host: Inman News
Access: Tickets available for purchase
Previous/Expected Guests: Craig Newmark, Andrew Ross Sorkin, Fred Wilson, Gary Vaynerchuk
When: Wednesday, January 7-Friday, January 9
Where: Marriott Marquis Hotel, 1535 Broadway, New York

Beyond New York

Atlanta Shakers and Stirrers
Networking, food, and drink
Host: Networking for Professionals
Access: Tickets available for purchase
When: 5:30pm-7:30pm, Tuesday, January 6
Where: Eclipse di Luna, 4505 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE, Atlanta

Dorkbot SoCal
Bi-monthly meeting for electronic artists
Host: Dorkbot
Access: Open to the public -- RSVP not required
When: 1pm-3pm, Saturday, January 10
Where: Machine Project, 1200 D North Alvarado Street, Los Angeles

mediabistro.com UGCX Party in San Francisco
Party in advance of the User Generated Content Exposition in San Jose
Host: mediabistro.com
Access: Open to media/press -- RSVP required
Previous/Expected Guests: Craig Newmark, Guy Kawasaki
When: 6:30pm-8:30pm, Monday, January 12
Where: 111 Minna Gallery, 111 Minna Street, San Francisco