If you are new to BlueWave Media Reform Group

If you are just joining BlueWave Media Reform Group, I Welcome You!

To get up and running, there are a few things you should do

1) back-up reading is important. You can get some of this at
http://www.freepress.net/action/tools/
You will want to download Media Policy 101 and Media Reform Action Guide

2) you will want to join Freepress' e-activist list
http://www.freepress.net/action/signup.php

3) Grab the book "Never Think of an Elephant" by George Lakoff and read it carefully!

4) You will want to put together your "10 Friends E-mail Alert List". You get 10 friends to agree to take some small action every week. When you receive action, you send to your 10 friends. Hopefully, over time, they will solicit 10 friends and so on. Here is a great letter composed by Joann Zippel. Make sure the letter is sent to them personlly or they will delete as just another piece of spam



Dear ____________________, ( this initial letter should be personalized if you are only sending it to 10 people-it might be more effective)

I recently became part of a newly formed progressive group called BluewaveNJ. It is an all volunteer grassroots organization that was formed by a number of concerned progressives who had been volunteers for the Kerry campaign last Fall.   Our goal is to continue taking action and mobilizing forces to move the progressive agenda forward and defeat the increasingly right wing initiatives of the Bush Admistration and the Republican dominated Congress.

Among the many areas of concern that we are addressing is Media Reform. To that end I am part of smaller group that will be focusing on developing strategies and tactics to effect change on this issue.

One of these tactics is the effective use of email petitions and letters of support.   I am inviting you to become a part of a regular email group that we can count on when, from time to time, an issue arises to which an immediate email response is required.  For example, there is currently an inititative by NY congresswoman Louise Slaughter to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine--a law that was repealed during the Reagan years which requires media outlets to give equal time to different sides of an issue.

Each action literally takes seconds--basically the click of a link that will be provided in the email.

If this is not something you feel you can do, please let me know as we really need a chain that we can count on. 

If you feel you would like join me in taking action, I am asking that you to build on this chain, send this letter to 10 of your likeminded colleagues and friends and build your own email group.

I hope we can count on you for this small but important action.

Many thanks,







5) You will decide what you want to do to move this issue forward. You can participate in the following ways

Education
work on our speaker series
work on framing the issues (this involves explanation so it is important to attend meetings)
put together actions for 10 friends initiative
Letter to the edior blitz

Legislation
must follow what is currently under consideration
liscenses that are up for renewal
compose wish list/platform for upcoming midterm candidates

6) Get involved. The meetings are important and the people are so great! I can't say enough about them!