No Time For Newsprint

The folks at The We Campaign have already demonstrated that they aren't wise to the web (see Getting Sociality Wrong: We), so it comes as no great surprise that I got an email 'from' Cathy Zoi at The We Campaign suggesting that I write a letter to the editor of my local newspaper about Congress and the stupidity surrounding the nation's elected officials' response to the energy crisis:

No time for vacation, originally uploaded by Stowe Boyd.

Oh yes, write a letter to the editor, at a time when newspaper reading is plummeting and newsrooms across the country are laying off, trimming the news hole, and closing down.

But nothing about blogging about it, or chatting to your friends in Facebook. These people need to get some advice about the social revolution. Call me up folks. I'd like to help.

PS I continue to believe it's wrong to send emails that people can't respond to meaningfully.

PPS The production and delivery of newspapers is the sort of contribution to global warming that The We Campaign should be rallying against, right?

Comments

[Ontario Emperor]

Even if you assume that newspapers are a valid medium for discussion, "Cathy" could have done a lot better. Even if they didn't know where you lived (which is entirely possible for people who are contacted via email), they could have provided you a link in which you could type your zip code, then submit to several of your local papers electronically. Heck, it appears that "Cathy" didn't even provide a sample letter.

I'd hate to see the response rate on their request. Perhaps 0.01%?

[Albert Maruggi]

Hey wait a minute, wait a minute! I think you've both got something there. As newspapers continue to fire qualified journalists, and more people like Cathy are running public policy organizations, then the newspapers will have tons of content for their letters to the editor section which will be the only section expanding.

The Newspapers might then be able to get advertising dollars from those same policy groups. which in turn will be able to keep a printed and out of date version of their own blog (thanks to the newspaper) in front of their supporters.

Yeah baby. I didn't get this the first time around either, but after another beer it all made perfect sense.

All the best,

Albert