DailyKos: Awaken the MSM: Downing Street Memo Alert (6/10)

[Califooyah Operative]

Awaken the MSM: Downing Street Memo Alert (6/10)
by smintheus


Fri Jun 10th, 2005 at 04:02:45 PDT


The DSM story should expand in the next few days and show up on further weekend blabfests. It helps that John Conyers plans to hold hearings on June 16th, but we need to help him by mentioning in our letters that we'd like to see coverage of that hearing. More importantly, we need to (a) show the media why and how the story has evolved in the last few days or weeks, and (b) convince them that they need to print the full text or at least publish a careful overview of the full text. That will make it much more likely they will dig deeper into the story and begin asking questions, rather than simply reporting that `critics say A but Bush says Z' (or worse, `Why aren't we reporting this?'). Further thoughts on pushing the story forward, below the fold.


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It is more important than ever that all our letters are well informed and courteous. We are writing to news professionals looking at deadlines. If their outfit has already published something on DSM, they will want a reason to revisit it, or a new angle that they haven't presented to their audience. That's why I include a paragraph summarizing their coverage to date. The most useful coverage will come from follow-up stories. We need the media on our side. Saying to them only `Hey Bush lied, write about it' won't achieve all that much (journalists are used to politicians lying).

Here is the new list of three media outlets we would ask you to contact. Please write, call, or fax all three today (EVEN IF you've done so before), and check back on Monday for the next installment:

(A) CNN, Washington Bureau Chief Frank Sesno. email: [e-mail] phone: [phone] fax: [phone]
webmail: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form11b.html?1 (CNN's story idea form)

(B) U.S. News & World Report, Editor Brian Duffy. phone: [phone] fax: [phone] email: [e-mail]
webmail: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/usinfo/infomain.htm
(C) LA Times, Readers' Representative. email: [e-mail] phone: [phone] fax: [phone]

more...

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/10/7245/42405

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. I hadn't thought as far as coverage of the hearing

I am so bad at these letters. Do you have some kind of a form letter? I know, I'm being lazy, but I'd appreciate some guidance. Thanks.

[Poiuyt]

5. Best to put it in your own words

My newspaper said that they dismiss any mass mailings. I'm guessing it's the same at the major media outlets.

I wrote and said that I've been hearing a lot about the Downing Street Memo and would like to learn more about what it is and what its implications are to America.

Simple, polite, inquisitive.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Nothing ever seems to awaken the MSM.

They are in a permanent vegetative state.

[Arugula Latte]

3. Pull the plug now!

[Califooyah Operative]

4. for some reason with with firefox my post is messed up for me...

but with internet explorer it's fine.


Here's the missing part for anyone w/ firefox if it's messed up:


(C) LA Times, Readers' Representative.
email: [e-mail]
phone: [phone] fax: [phone]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/6/10/7245/42405