Journalists and organizing

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  the article mentioned by Doug was announced in a May 30 COMM-ORG 
message, but the question he asks is worth some discussion. A thought from 
me below.]

From: Doug Hess <DHess at frac.org>

I think the Broder article, below,  is one of the few news analysis 
articles (to
separate it from actual news articles per se) of organizing that I've seen
in a long time. It makes me wonder how we can get more journalists to
write about organizing.  This article, by a very well respected
main-stream columnist, will be an important tool to use when pushing
main-stream foundations to see organizing as an activity worthy of
funding.  Question is: how do we get more analytical coverage like this?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63354-2001May22.html

[ed:  COMM-ORG tries to be one of the places to provide some space for 
careful thinking about community organizing that is also connected to 
practice, especially through the working papers program.  But we are hardly 
mainstream media and while 800+ members is impressive, it is hardly  the 
circulation that the mainstream press commands.  So the question I have is 
whether we work on getting alternative media into the hands of more people 
or try to change the mainstream media.]