[CIMC-work] Indy press empowerment mtg: Notes and next steps
donald goldhamer
dhgo at midway.uchicago.edu
Thu Jan 15 13:44:08 PST 2004
Went to this (but had to leave early). Almost all were print publications.
Possibilities for improving the use of our material, especially articles.
There was some interest in internet distribution possibilities of their
publications.
--Don
---------------
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 12:28:32 -0600
Subject: Indy press empowerment mtg: Notes and next steps
From: "Jackie Lalley (IPA)" <jacklalleyipa at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Ethan Michaeli" <ethan at wethepeoplemedia.org>,
"Kari Lydersen" <karilyde at aol.com>, <ricardo.armijo at sbcglobal.net>,
<jamessunrise at yahoo.com>, <wedun at hotmail.com>, <aknepler at jot.org>,
<cliff at irishamericantimes.com>, <don.goldhamer at pobox.com>,
<isaacl at nlcn.org>, "Alysia Tate" <Alytate at aol.com>,
<lauria at pistilmag.com>, <straightwords at aol.com>,
<lpietrusiak at citylinkchicago.com>, <csanchez at extranews.net>,
<dhaley at wjinc.com>, <info at chicagocommunicator.com>,
<cabjpresident at yahoo.com>, <aharlkess at cachetmagazine.net>,
<morgan at chicagocommunicator.com>, <sheltonlove at yahoo.com>
Cc: "Listserv MW Forum" <IPA_MidwestForum at topica.com>,
"Listserv Chicago SC" <IPA_Midwest at topica.com>,
"Martha Bowen" <paper at indypress.org>
Thank you for participating in the Independent Press Empowerment Meeting
on Tuesday! It was an inspiring event; many publishers have told me they
were encouraged by the diversity represented at the meeting--and how
that reflects the diversity and power of our network.
Attached are notes; please scan them for action items (in blue, bold) if
you don't have the time to read them thoroughly. I will be contacting
those of you who indicated interest in joining IPA Chicago and / or
being on the steering committee in the next few days.
I'm looking foward to working with you and seeing you at our Feb. 26
social event and March 4 meeting. Workshop information will follow in
the coming weeks.
**Please feel free to share these notes with other independent
publishers or advocates, and invite them to our next meeting.**
Thank you again,
Jackie Lalley
Chicago Area Coordinator
Independent Press Association
2040 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
773/973-4690
773/454-6153 (mobile)
Advancing social justice in the Chicago area through a strong
independent and ethnic press
www.indypress.org/programs/ipachicago.html
chicagooffice at indypress.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Empowerment Meeting for the Chicago Independent Press
Tuesday, January 13, 2004, 6:40-8:20 pm
Offices of the North Lawndale Community News, 1211 S. Western Ave.,
Chicago, IL
NOTES
(Items calling for immediate action are marked with "*")
Present:
- Shelton Love, Agape Communications
- Angela Harkless, Cachet Magazine
- Louis Byrd III, Cachet Magazine, Chicago Association of Black Journalists
- Morgan Carter, Chicago Communicator
- Wanda Armstrong, Chicago Communicator
- Don Goldhammer, Chicago Indy Media Center
- Leah Pietrusiak, Citylink
- Richard Armijo, Contratiempo
- W. E. Dunbar, Copy Cat Copy Center
- Casey Sanchez, Extra
- Alysia Tate, Chicago Reporter
- Charles Willett, Jr., Chicago Reporter
- Cliff Carson, Irish-American News
- Annie Knepler, Journal of Ordinary Thought
- Kari Lydersen, Journalist
- Isaac Lewis, Jr., North Lawndale Community News, meeting host
- Lauria Locsmondy, Pistil Magazine
- Ethan Michaeli, Residents' Journal
- Richard Muhammad, straightwords
- James Muhammad, United Front, Inc., Carpenters Training School
- Dan Haley, Wednesday Journal
1. Icebreaker / introductions
2. Update
Jackie Lalley, Chicago Area Coordinator, Independent Press Association
- Presented recent activities to empower and gain resources for Chicago's
independent press:
- Past highlights:
- Meetings among independent press to gauge needs & strengths & create
vision for organization
- Workshops for & by independent press in Chicago
- New report: Telling Our Stories, Changing Our World: Why Chicago Needs an
Association of Independent and Ethnic Periodicals
- Securing of seed funding from Chicago Reader
- Writing grants and building funder relationships toward ongoing support &
staffing
- Future vision / possibilities:
- Ad service to resemble New York's All Communities Advertising Service: 75
IPA members in Chicago needed for required critical mass
- Directory of ethnic & community press
- Editorial exchange: pass on material on-line to get indy coverage into
major media and to pass material between indy pubs
- Press service: presenting reporters to public & major media to discuss
issues they report on
- Technical assistance (workshops, consultation, publications)
- Revolving loans and grants
- Networking (events & listserv, etc.)
- Membership:
- IPA Members in the Chicago Area, as of 1/12/04:
2e: Twice-Exceptional
Bean Soup Times
Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Catalyst
The Chicago Reporter
The Christian Century
Contratiempo
Family Support
In These Times
International Socialist Review
Joseph Berger Associates & Newsstand Promotions, Inc.
Milo Media
New Ground
North Lawndale Community News
Pistil
Punk Planet / Bail
Residents' Journal
Shanley + Associates, L.L.C
Snowbound
Spring Wind
Valerie Denney Communications
Numerous publications represented at meeting are in process of joining
or joined on-site
3. The State & the Future of the Chicago Independent Press Discussion
- Attached list of workshop possibilities was reviewed. Discussion will be
reflected in workshop schedule and programming plans for 2004, which will
be drafted for the March meeting. Discussion included the following, with
regard to community, ethnic, and independent publications.
- Challenges
- Advertising: strategies re: natl. advertisers, agencies, turnkey
strategies for marketing to local small businesses, realistic visions for
advertising
- Distribution: using funds most efficiently to reach right readers
- Community involvement: how to reach readers, get & keep them involved
- Content: lack of original content, lack of trust on part of public
- Staffing / turnover
- Management & personnel
Opportunities / Ideas
* - Let's all trade subscriptions! All e-mail addresses have been provided
to all attendees (see e-mail to which this file was attached). Please
take action on this and add each other to your subscription lists!
Include me:
IPA Chicago
2040 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
* - Let's link to each other's Web sites
* - Members are encouraged to publish IPA Chicago logo in their pubs (JL will
follow up with national to make sure logo is provided)
* - Membership: Cliff Carson challenged each independent publisher attending
to join and recruit one member of his or her network to join
* - Television: Morgan Carter, Chicago Communicator, committed to devoting
one television show per quarter to the Chicago independent press!
(5-person panel, 30-person audience capacity)
* - Will IPA extend memberships for new members to 18 mos. as recruitment
strategy? (JL will check)
- Editorial exchange / local wire service: post 2-3 sentences about each
story on-line on IPA Chicago Web site
- Print co-op to combine buying power
- Auditing co-op to save money by self-monitoringQto increase number of
indy pubs audited and increase credibility
- California New MediaQtheir work can provide models, ideas, can they come
& speak?
- Journalism training: "shadowing" experienced journalists, Chicago
Reporter / Residents' Journal model
- Indy "meet the press" press club: analysis from indy publishers point of
view
4. Next Steps
- Chicago IPA Steering Committee elections
- Elections will be held Feb-March
- Several attendees self-nominated; additional nominations will be
solicited via e-mail
- Process to be determined & shared via e-mail & meeting
* - Next meeting: Thursday, March 4, The Chicago Reporter, 332 S. Michigan
Ave., 6:30-8:30 pm
* - Next social function / networking opportunity: Thursday, Feb. 26, New
Life Vegetarian Restaurant (owned by Isaac Lewis), 3141 W. Roosevelt
Ave., 6:30-8:30 pm
Meeting adjourned 8:20 pm
Any questions, please contact IPA Chicago Coordinator Jackie Lalley,
773/973-4690, chicagooffice at indypress.org.
Attachments distributed at report are on next page. Also distributed:
- IPA Chicago flier
- IPA natl. brochure
- Membership enrollment form
- Telling Our Stories, Changing Our World: Why Chicago Needs an Association
of Independent and Ethnic Periodicals
- News release on report
- List of publications mentioned in report
- Publisher letter re: report
- Workshop Topics
- Ad Sales 101
- Advanced ad sales
- Alternative marketing strategies
- Alternative Newsstands
- Ancillary Product Lines
- Beyond direct mail - other subscriber acquisition strategies
- Building Infrastructure as You Grow
- Business Plans and Investors
- Cover Design
- Creating your Publication
- Direct Mail
- Diversity - Staff
- Diversity - Staff + Content
- Editorial Process
- Fulfillment Basics
- Growing Pains - 1500 and under, 5000 and under
- Growing Your Publication
- Growing your Publication
- Indy Futures
- Involving the Community in content
- Legal Issues
- List Management
- Managing People
- Newsstand Distribution Basics
- Niche Marketing / Broadening Your Circulation
- Strategic Planning
- Strategic Planning
- Using Email and the Web
- Working with Consultants
- Working with Interns and Volunteers
- Working with Libraries
- Working with Printers
- Working with the USPS
- Working with Writers
Events Schedule to date 2004
Jan.
- 24: In These Times Labor Poster show
- Empowerment meeting
Feb.
- WLUW record sale (Quimby's panel, table) (Aaron Sarver, In These Times)
- Steering committee meeting
- Happy hour
March
- Workshop at Residents' Journal
- Table at Associated Writing Programs conference
- Funders; forum?
- Open meeting
April
- Happy hour
- Steering committee meeting
May
- Open meeting
June
- Table at Book Expo
- Steering committee meeting
- Happy hour
July
- Open meeting
August
- Happy hour
- Steering committee meeting
Sept.
- Open meeting
Oct.
- Newberry Library Event (Dan Sinker, Punk Planet)
- Happy hour
- Steering committee meeting
Nov.
- WLUW event
- Open meeting
Dec.
- Happy hour
- Steering committee meeting
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