[Sosfbay-discuss] [GPCA-MediaComm] One hundred Green letters by May 31!]

Sun May 25 15:25:04 PDT 2008

I read the comics, the editorial page, and then the letters from the  
public.
Too often I get frustrated by the ignorance of the public, however.
The rest of the paper is not as interesting to me, but if I have time  
I'll thumb through it.
Maybe I am unusual in that I want to know what the "ruling" class and  
the run-of-the-mill bunch (like me) think about what's going on?
Andi

On May 22, 2008, at 1:23 PM, Drew Johnson wrote:
> Caroline, this is the response from the GPCA's Press Secretary...
>
> Green is Connection!
>
> Drew
>
> ---------------------------- Original Message  
> ----------------------------
> Subject: Re: [GPCA-MediaComm] One hundred Green letters by May 31!
> From:    "Crescenzo Vellucci" <civillib at cwnet.com>
> Date:    Thu, May 22, 2008 09:50
> To:      "Drew Johnson" <JamBoi at Greens.org>
> Cc:      gpca-mediawg at cagreens.org
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ----
>
> In short, most people get most of their news and information from
> television - it's why you see virtually all political advertising done
> there NOT in newspapers, and very little on radio. And, the letters  
> to the
> editor is the LEAST read part of the paper.
>
> That said, it's better than nothing.
>
> As a PR guy I focus on all media, but when I get 3-5 cameras out I  
> KNOW -
> as Caroline suggests - I've reached "the people." That's my goal as a
> progressive spin doctor.
>
> So if people want to do the letter thing, great. As I said, even  
> though
> I'm a former daily newspaper reporter and editor, I recognize  
> what's been
> obvious for a decade or more....newspapers are dead, and people - for
> better or worse (the latter probably) - we need to reach voters, and
> voters get
> info from television. Sigh.
>
> Cres
>
> P.S. I send GPCA releases to radio, TV and print. And I fax, not just
> email, because  virtually all media outlets still prefer faxes.
>
> Drew Johnson wrote:
>> Good points Caroline.  Of course conditions vary across the  
>> country and
>> while we in 'Silicon Valley' may not be typical, its true that  
>> multiple
>> approaches are needed.  The national Media Committee has more  
>> print people
>> than other media forms (the multimedia folks have a working group
>> themselves) so one can understand why there might be a bias in that
>> direction.  Nevertheless, as traditional as it sounds 'Letters to the
>> Editor' remain a very powerful tool in getting our word out -- Did  
>> you
>> realize that LttE are picked up by Google News searches and  
>> thereby become
>> part of the 'buzz' for getting media attention? Also as we get our  
>> letter
>> writing campaigns rolling we can certainly follow up with a call-in
>> campaign and other media outreach efforts.
>>
>> So who else is working on the '100 Letters by May 31st' Campaign???
>>
>>
>> Green is Multi!
>>
>> Drew Johnson
>> GPCA delegate
>>
>>
>> On Tue, May 20, 2008 09:12, Caroline Yacoub wrote:
>>> I have just been rereading the Media Group's challenge. While I  
>>> think it's
>>> a good idea, I must confess that I think we will be missing a lot of
>>> people that way. For example, I don't think that I know anyone  
>>> under forty
>>> who reads the Letters to the Editor. And I'm a little surprised  
>>> that the
>>> "Media Group" would concentrate on print media. KQED has a call- 
>>> in program
>>> at 9:00 am, and there are, or course, many call-in shows on less  
>>> Green
>>> friendly stations, for the more adventurous. And then there are chat
>>> rooms. I don't go to any. but I know they are there. Shouldn't we  
>>> be going
>>> where the people are?
>>>   Caroline
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------- Original Message  
>> ----------------------------
>> Subject: [GP-US a/v] One hundred Green letters by May 31!
>> From:    "Scott McLarty" <scottmclarty at yahoo.com>
>> Date:    Thu, May 15, 2008 11:27
>> To:      media-states at lists.gp-us.org
>>          media-a-v at lists.gp-us.org
>> --------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>> -----
>>
>> One hundred Green letters by May 31!
>>
>> (Please forward this as widely as possible to
>> Green Party members & friends)
>>
>> The Media Committee challenges Greens all over to
>> put the Green Party and our candidates on the
>> media map!
>>
>> Our goal is to see ONE HUNDRED letters to the
>> editor sent by Greens to newspapers throughout
>> the US by the end of May.  If enough letters get
>> sent, a good percentage will get published, and
>> hundreds of thousands -- maybe millions -- of
>> voters will read about the Green Party and Green
>> candidates.
>>
>> If you'd rather submit an op-ed column or an
>> article to the newspaper of your choice, that's
>> fine too!
>>
>> What should you write about?  It's up to you:
>>
>> • Your favorite Green candidate for President of
>> the United States
>>
>> • Your favorite Green candidate for the US House,
>> US Senate, state legislature, county
>> commissioner, city council, mayor, school board,
>> or any other office
>>
>> • The upcoming Green National Convention in
>> Chicago, July 10-13
>>
>> • The Green Party's demand for immediate
>> withdrawal of troops from Iraq
>>
>> • The Green Party's demand for real action on
>> global warming, rather than ineffective
>> corporate-friendly half measures
>>
>> • The Green Party's support for single-payer
>> national health care
>>
>> • Another Green Party position that you consider
>> important
>>
>> • Anything else you can think of about the Green
>> Party or Green candidates!
>>
>>
>> Here are some suggestions:
>>
>> • Keep your letter concise & focused.  Five or
>> six sentences is good, but in most larger
>> newspapers, anything longer is in danger of
>> getting edited or immediately rejected.  In many
>> local papers, they'll be happy to print a longer
>> letter.  Op-eds & articles can be longer, too.
>> Check the newspaper's guidelines on submissions.
>>
>> • Use the word GREEN at least once, preferably a
>> few times, so it's clear that your favorite
>> candidate is a Green candidate, or the position
>> you're espousing is a Green position.  Mention
>> that you're a Green Party member and try to work
>> in the web site of the national party (gp.org) or
>> your local or state party.
>>
>> • If you can, use a personal angle.  For example,
>> if a family member can't pay a medical bill or is
>> on the front line in Iraq, it might be worth
>> mentioning in a letter to the editor about the
>> Green Party's position on health care or the war.
>>
>> • Respond to an already published article or
>> column.  For example, a recent column in The
>> Progressive by Adolph Reed (May 2008 issue,
>> http://www.progressive.org/mag_reed0508) on why
>> he isn't supporting Barack Obama deserves a Green
>> reply: why doesn't Mr. Reed mention the Green
>> presidential candidates?
>>
>> • Read "How to Place an Op-Ed or Letter in the
>> Top 100 US Newspapers"
>> http://theopedproject.org/content/view/8/8/
>>
>> Start writing letters!  If you get published, let
>> us know -- and post it on Green Party discussion
>> lists too, so other Greens can read it too.
>>
>> Scott McLarty
>> mclarty at greens.org
>> Media Committee
>> Green Party of the United States
>> http://www.gp.org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GPCA-MediaWG mailing list
>> GPCA-MediaWG at lists.cagreens.org
>> http://lists.cagreens.org/mailman/listinfo/gpca-mediawg
>>
>
>
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