This is a draft plan of work for the new PWW editorial board. The main ideas were projected at the December 27th and 28th editorial board retreat. These are projects which the editorial board thinks will lead to growth of the PWW and make the PWW a more significant working class, communist voice for these times.

The hypothesis is if we approach PWW building from a number of angles it will lead to not only PWW growth but enlarging contacts for the Communist Party and a base for Party growth.

Short-term strategic objectives
1. Create atmosphere for
more Party collectives to contribute to building paper: content; readership and fundraising.

A. Expand writing base – continue exchanges with commission chairs and district organizers. Very loose format initially ? with goal to focus on collectives contributing to content; developing writers; distribution and fundraising in area of work.

B. District projects: members of the editorial board will coordinate with org. department and specific districts pilot projects to grow the PWW. This is instead of saying a general increase of circulation the PWW editorial board will help target growth of PWW in 3 districts. The project will include: a seminar to recruit and train PWW/Mundo correspondents; meetings with district leadership for circulation plans; minimum of one fundraising event- special outreach for honoraria in fall; meetings with local non-corporate, coalition publications; meetings with local labor and other organizations about the PWW. Special discussions and correspondent seminars for Mundo.

C. Develop flow chart for production: who is responsible for what ? get out to Party. Given the decentralized situation for the PWW ? work on increasing the collective editing process outside of NY.

D. Publish basics: word count; deadlines; authors must include ? dateline, byline, suggested headline. Story to appear on new editorial board.

E. Improve editing process ? better communication between writers and editors – including letting writers know of any cuts and changes before publication.

F. Develop public schedule to let writers know articles have been received and when they are slotted for publication.

G. Develop correspondents for Mundo only.

2. Building media alliances: The Communist Party has placed great emphasis on building coalitions. The communist press can play a special role in building broad coalitions against the ultra right among media workers in the corporate media as well as the thousands of non-corporate, labor or community based media. Each member of the labor and people?s movements has its own voice and reflection in the media ? the communist press sees this as an important base and voice to unite against corporate and ultra right domination of information; it is an essential ingredient to the class struggle.

A. Meet with 5 editors/editorial boards of coalition partner press (labor, Black, Spanish-language, left, etc.) to have closer working relations/get input on PWW what they think. Need for more input from non-party/coalition partners ? help improve PWW; consult on overall media situation and future independent media.

B. Meeting with Bill Moody and editorial board

C. Participate in independent media/alternative media forums.

D. Work with districts to distribute PWW published articles to local newspapers.

3. Online PWW: The work of any publication has to include internet work. The PWW has a new website and web developer. With building of correspondents, bureaus and funds the PWW is looking to go to a daily online. In the meantime building a better online presence requires outreach, innovation and hard work. In one month the PWW received 6,600 hits on its web page.

A. Build the PWW?s own email group ? presently 80 people receive the weekly what?s in the PWW online.

B. Get PWW articles to more newsgroups; enlist PWW supporters in this endeavor.

C. Organize promotion of PWW through links from other news sources/web sites, including Yahoo and other search engines

D. Develop content of website and better promotion of website content in pages of PWW. Example, if story has interview include at the end ? full interview can be heard at www.pww.org

E. PWW weekly radio/audio streaming

4. Re-format look of PWW

A. Consider expanding page size

B. Consider 24 pages to include one more for Mundo; international and one for African American/Mexican American/Latino/communities of color- possible name Minority Affairs

C. Discussion on theme pages ? columns connected to key areas of struggle; include media analysis

D. Letters to editor ? increase to full page ? approach and appeal for letters

E. GET political cartoons

F. Build photographers/non AP photo sources ? consider AP photo stories in different way

G. Develop sports page

H. Redesign front page for two stories

5. Fundraising

A. Develop advertising
i) political ads ? 5-6 times a year. $25 per name honoring significant figure or event.
ii) develop paid ads ? in particular ? labor, alternative press ? exchange ads or university press/labor books. Paid outside ads ? ten/$200

B. Establish budget

C. Work with pilot districts to hold at least one fundraising event. Emphasis on new ways to raise money.

D. Hold wider discussion on fund drive which is proposed for Sept. 1 ? Nov. 30, 2002.

6. Miscellaneous

A. Rejoin union

B. Establish methods for processing leads to stories

C. Utilize other media sources beyond AP

D. Search for photo editor ? whole discussion on photos

E. Continue discussions on pages/various aspects of production.

F. Go to 5-day production schedule ? meet Wed. 8:30pm deadline

G. Develop electronic story boards so story ideas aren?t lost and are accessible to volunteer writers who may want to try them.

H. Have discussion on audience of PWW

I. Enlist journalism students to help ? Fred/UofC

J. Further develop beats and team reporting

K. Develop story series ? able to go further in depth especially on longer-term ideological questions. Utilize new Marxist education commission for column on Marxism.

L. Ongoing development of Communist Party coverage ? include spokespeople in articles, regular op-eds, news analysis and commentaries from Party leaders ? with ids and emails, discuss with Org. Dept. improving coverage of Party-initiated activities/events/struggles.

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