By Gene Lantz
If confession of ignorance is the first step toward wisdom, then the Communications Committee’s admission of our lacks and problems is probably the first step toward improvement.
The January 16 Communications Committee meeting admitted these lacks and problems:
1. We are not meeting our fund-raising potential
2. Our newspaper distribution is insufficient and too erratic
3. Our coverage of the peace movement is unnecessarily narrow
The all-encompassing solution is to energize our many talented members to take ownership of peace communications. Almost every activist knows someone who would buy an ad – at minimum a “business card” sized, camera ready, ad for $50. Almost every activist can take a bundle of newspapers to their favorite hangouts. Many of our members could help us procure a few indoor news racks. Many could contribute the information needed for expanded newspaper and virtual media coverage. All committee and team leaders are capable of submitting timely reports from their areas of expertise.
The committee recommended that the Dallas Peace Times start accepting candidates’ ads, because that’s where the money is in 2008. Daniel assured us that clearly marked political ads would be completely legal in our publication.
The committee recommended that we ask our many allies and friends to contribute to the paper. Presently, the “Dallas Peace Center Directory For Local Allies & Friends” and “Faith Communities Directory” are printed for free twice a year. We would like to continue that, but we’d also like to offer each of those organizations the opportunity to pay for a full 6-months for $60 or a full year for $100. We would change the banner line to reflect our gratitude to these organizations for their solid support of the Peace Center.
Our proposals were accepted by the Board of Directors at their January 17 meeting.
The newspaper staff has done an outstanding job of preparing inserts for several upcoming issues, and the committee gladly approved them. Beth Freed has been doing a good job of improving our virtual information, and she very correctly has asked for more help on technology and on content providing. Walt Harrison has done a terrific job on video. If we are able to convince peace activists to put the “move” in “movement,” we’ll be able to create and disseminate a great deal more precious information.
