Floating an idea... Progressive Newspaper?

[Meldread]

I'm floating the idea of starting a Progressive Newspaper. I subscribe to Dean's belief that Democrats can win and take the South, and that the major problem we have is that the electorate is not informed.

I live in Virginia, and I look around and I have a hard time finding information that is truly Progressive and Liberal. Without the Internet I'd be at a serious loss...

I first floated the idea of an E-Magazine but then dropped it. There is no market for that; the Internet is full of Liberal and Progressive Websites. I think a Newspaper would be best as it will give us the ability to reach people who don't have the internet, and we would have the ability to better target our audience.

If I decide to try this... and I am not all that certain that I will... My goal is to try and circulate it around Washington D.C. and Richmond first. It will start out focused on National and State-wide News. I'd float the paper around there for awhile hoping to gain some traction. The goal isn't to make money; it's to inform people and help organize liberals and progressives. I want to see Virginia fall firmly into the "D" column and stay there.

If I decide to do this and it is successful in Virginia I would like to start-up similar newspapers (focusing on State Wide Issues and National Issues) in other States, primarily focusing on the South.

Is this idea worth pursuing? I believe our biggest problem, as Liberals and Progressives, is that we cannot get our message out to the people. Republicans have so many outlets, and practically dominate the Radio. I believe that if we are going to take our Country back that we are going to have to start from the bottom up. We are going to have to reform our Government at the lowest levels and work our way all the way up to the Presidency, and to even begin to go down that road we are going to need to get out our message.

Is this idea worth pursuing?

[alexwcovington]

1. It's hard to do wide circulation right at the start

DC's a good market, it's pretty progressive. But I dunno how'd you go about convincing people to read it?

I mean, who seriously reads the Washington Times?

[stevebreeze]

2. I've had some of these same thoughts.....

Maybe we could use our computers as 21 century Tom Paine's' and distribute single page biting leaflets by e-mail and deliver them, each of us, to our neighbors?
:kick:

[TreasonousBastard]

3. Sure it is, if...

you know the newspaper business and have a big bag of money. It's not unheard of for a scrappy local paper to be profitable.

Me, I know a little, but really wouldn't know where to start. It's not cheap to get one out, and you've got to get people to buy and read it.

Layout, content, production, etc. have to be high quality, or you'll lose everyone real fast. You've got to find ad revenue, and set up distribution.

What's the focus? National or local issues?

How many areas are you going to tackle? We've got the environment, civil rights of a zillion groups, criminal justice, foreign affairs, potholes, local corruption.... Of course, a local paper must have a lot of coverage of the flower show, the high school soccer scores, etc. People want to read that stuff, not politics

As a real newspaper, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with a "liberal" bias any more than a conservative one. I'm comfortable with selling honesty.

A small newsletter, though, would be doable on a shoestring and might be the way to start.

[NewHampshireDem]

4. Obviously not from VA, but when I was there a couple of weeks ago ...

I picked up a copy of the C-Ville Times in Charlottesville. It seemed like a pretty cool alternative weekly. Perhaps you could connect with the folks over there? They might be able to give you some ideas how to proceed.

BTW, most alternative papers don't rely on subscriptions but on advertising to make their money. I'm sure the area around Richmond, home to a major university, is full of progressives and--more importantly--progressive-minded businesses who would be willing to advertise.

Just my thoughts. Good luck to you! :)

[Autobot77]

5. Sounds good

I can do layout and design if you need help.Probably you should concentrate distributing it around the downtown/VCU/fan area.It seems a lot of the progressives in Richmond are around there.