Author: Terrie Albano‚ Editor PWW


First published 06/24/2006 04:00 by the Communist Party‚ USA


Report to the National Committee of the Communist Party June 24‚ 2006

Every Wednesday night at about 8:30 p.m.‚ after we've put the paper
to bed‚ I think to myself‚ “Is this newspaper relevant for the
challenges we face in the 21st Century? Are we going somewhere or just
spinning our wheels?"

I don't ask this question lightly nor do I ask it pessimistically· I
ask it as a realistic starting point that I think is helpful for all of
us‚ in order to think about key tasks that are necessary to take the
People's Weekly World/Nuestro Mundo to a new level of readership and
influence·

Such a question makes you think about the nature of social change·
During my young adult years in the YCL and Party‚ I was thinking in the
back of my mind that I'll experience “The Great Leap Forward."
Too bad my political growth paralleled the rise of the ultra right in
this country–from 1980 to now–and the fall of socialism in the
Soviet Union·

In a NY Times article about the democratic movement in Iran battling
for reform–words were used like “change comes from the
grassroots‚” and it's “stubborn‚” and the pace moves at a
"glacier–like speed‚” “millimeter by millimeter.” All of these
descriptive phrases confirm basic dialectic understanding of
quantitative to qualitative change· Inch by political inch we move and
work – through our strategy to help build the movement to defeat the
ultra–right – tackling key tasks to build the Party and press‚ while
planting seeds for socialism· You need to build up all those inches
before that great leap forward ever happens·

So each Wednesday is an inch·

PWW and the political time of day

People are more insecure than ever· People are angry· And they aren't
always sure who they should be angry at· Whole ways of life are
crumbling before us· Communities that were thriving working class
communities are in some cases ghost towns–casualties of capitalism
and the policies of the ultra–right· Gone are the sprawling factories
that each held hundreds‚ if not thousands‚ of manufacturing jobs· In
their place came the crack cocaine epidemic that took a heavy toll on
predominantly urban‚ Black‚ brown and working class communities· It was
an epidemic deliberately created through the Reagan– Iran–Contra–CIA
era· And now the meth epidemic‚ hitting many small town and rural areas
at the same time factories like Maytag or Delphi are closing down·

Or in the case of New Orleans‚ 25 years of the ultra–right shredding
public programs‚ pushing racism‚ and now the Bush administration's
policies and massive fraud continue to leave a whole region of the
country devastated·

At the AFL–CIO union label trade show‚ in Cleveland‚ where 700 union
activists signed up for “no–risk” bill me subscriptions‚ comrades
who worked the table‚ where thousands of trade union activists came by‚
reported that many of the people they talked to had been through
strikes and other struggles and were angry· “They were angry and we
had this newspaper that we could offer them–to help direct that
anger‚” one comrade said·

Some of those rank and filers may have been influenced by
anti–immigrant scapegoating and wondered why we had “United we
march–Sí se puede” on the front cover· But we were there to
discuss and‚ yes‚ argue the issue·

The People's Weekly World is the weekly voice to reach out and
influence thousands who are angry‚ who are questioning‚ and who want to
change things· People are open–in times like these–to alternative
ideas· The newspaper can go beyond the one–on–one conversations and
reach out with Marxist ideas–ideas of unity in every
way–multi–racial‚ men and women‚ immigrant/U.S.–born‚ gay/straight‚
internationalism‚ pro–union‚ ideas that another world is possible with
scientific socialism and the socialist alternative–to stop the
destruction of lives and nature·

We have a message of solidarity and it takes a struggle to survive and
win victories· It takes knowing who the main enemy is and working like
hell to defeat them·

And most importantly–the struggle is about inches –like elections
in November–and explaining why such a victory would benefit the
working class movement and allies and mobilizing the forces to win·

A few weeks ago we had a front page story about the minimum wage fight
that is taking place in some 21 states across the country–including
in the congressional battleground states of Pennsylvania and Ohio· If
the Democrats win in November there will be expectations–a
post–election agenda that will include raising the national minimum
wage· That's an important inch to win·

We try to communicate the stakes and struggles through the medium of
this weekly 20–page tabloid· And I guess we are doing it because one
YCLer at the recent convention told Roberta‚ “I like that when you
flip through the pages virtually every image is of people together in
some sort of struggle–fighting–in a good way· It's enough for me
to look at the pictures and headlines sometimes‚ to give me a different
perspective‚ to be hopeful."

Building the content

The editorial board and staff have put in a lot of time and effort to
build up a newspaper apparatus and expand the political reach of the
content· In the last six years we have moved the editorial office to
Chicago‚ re–organized and built a high–functioning editorial board‚
re–tooled our business operations with new technology‚ and now–I am
so happy to announce–a new business manager–Dan Margolis· He has
been calling you about bundle bills· We are so happy he volunteered for
this key job· And he/we have big plans: restart World Builders‚
complete the fund drive‚ do advertising and promotion·

We have reached out to volunteer writers· Mark Almberg‚ our managing
editor‚ reports that we have some 80 regular writers for the PWW· Plus‚
there are dozens more labor and progressive–minded writers who agree to
let us reprint their work· We have reached out to photographers and
artists· During the immigrant rights massive marches we received the
most beautiful photographs from volunteers· We couldn't even do them
justice and hope at some point–when we have the time–to put all the
photos on our web site·

The editorial board also put a good deal of time into guiding through a
redesign by our two talented graphic artists·

The board has spent a good deal of time putting in place the necessary
ingredients to make interesting reading‚ which includes training and
skill building· At our last editorial board meeting we had a labor
writer for a major newspaper come and give a session on writing· I
think he came away with some skills that we imparted to him too·

Our content is still a work in progress and could still be strengthened
in many areas· When Martin Frazier left our staff to teach and get his
masters‚ his regular contributions on African‚ Caribbean and African
American affairs ended· Those articles are deeply missed·

In some other areas we're uneven and not regular enough–like on
women's equality struggles and the environment· We have momentum and
editorial apparatus in place to allow us to deepen and expand· We need
help with this coverage·

The PWW was excited to partner with the YCL in preparation of its
convention‚ at the convention and beyond· We sold 40 subscriptions–10
shy of our 50–sub goal–at the convention· We started a “What's
Really Good” column that covers youth and student news· Many YCLers
have been writing for the paper and making great
contributions–Smiley‚ Jessie‚ Adam‚ Abdul‚ Pepe and Santi–and most
recently Sam–for Nuestor Mundo· YCLers made a tremendous contribution
to writing on the World Youth Festival and in particular on
developments in Venezuela and the Bolivarian Revolution·

The editorial board and readers have really appreciated having Pepe on
staff‚ and since May‚ on the editorial board· He's made good
contributions writing on Chicago–based struggles‚ youth and student
issues and sports· His responsibilities are expanding as well to
include page editing of the culture page· His work as reporter for the
PWW‚ along with his family's history of struggle‚ and his involvement
in the YCL has led to his being asked to speak at a growing‚ number of
classes and events·

We owe a big thanks to Tom Whitney‚ who has–on a volunteer
basis–written Cuba News articles for last two years· From
socialist–style hurricane disaster relief to the struggle to free the
Cuban 5 to the struggle to extradite the terrorist Posada‚ Whitney has
kept readers up to date and informed on Cuba· He has also broadened the
scope to include developments in Venezuela and Bolivia· Now he has
agreed to take on World Notes· Whitney writes articles that many
readers look forward to· A number of his stories–especially on
Venezuela– get reprinted on other websites‚ in particular
vheadlines.com· Comrades who went to the recent social forum in
Venezuela and others are also making important contributions educating
U.S· readers about developments in Venezuela and countering anti–Chavez
stories and policies·

We have a network of volunteer translators for Mundo· These comrades
are dedicated to guaranteeing the Spanish–language pages of our press·
One comrade–when he was living in Kansas–would send Mundo stories
to a Spanish–language community paper to reprint· And they did· So
you'd see Tim Wheeler's byline on the front page of this small–town
Kansas Spanish–language newspaper· Mundo is a great resource to reach
out to this significant section of our working class·

The regular CPUSA Q and A‚ commentaries and analysis by Party leaders
and other direct ways of getting the Party's view into print have
been hits with the readers· We are shooting for a Marxism
series–hopefully soon·

Volunteers and a collaborative‚ collective style are the heart and soul
of a newspaper like ours· This approach has been key for building up
our content· We feel we have laid the infrastructure to sustain and
grow politically relevant and struggle–oriented content·

Taking things to a new level

But‚ now we are challenged to take what we have built to a new level·
And this means focusing on building the paid subscriptions and mass
circulation of the paper· And to do that it needs to be a project not
just of the PWW editorial board and staff‚ but of the whole Party‚ the
PWW's biggest and best supporter·

And while this process has to be centered in the clubs and club
building‚ the National Committee has to give leadership by example on
it· I emphasize BY EXAMPLE· We don't need to collectively exhort club
members or district organizers or even each other to do more concrete
building of the readership of the paper· What we need to do–is just
do it·

Unfortunately‚ and maybe I'm wrong about this‚ there is an artificial
division of labor around the distribution and use of the paper· I think
in a variety of instances it is thought of as “Jimmy Higgins"
work–where that kind of work is looked down upon·

That's not how Lenin described building the press· He said it is a
key task to building the party and movement· I think we should honestly
examine these attitudes if they exist· We have to adopt an inch by
inch‚ person by person approach to talk to them about subscribing· The
elections struggle presents us with an excellent opportunity to ask
potential readers to subscribe·

Why subscribe?

A few years ago the editorial board decided to do away with trial
subscriptions–the 3 mos· for $1 offer· We did this for a few reasons:

1· They cost us a lot of money· Many undelivered newspapers came back
to us for a cost of more than $1.00 each·

2· People don't take seriously subscribing for $1‚ and that showed
because the rate of turning trial subscriptions to full year
subscriptions was less than 1 percent·

3· We had to start to change the culture in our circles‚ in the Party‚
to fight for full–year paid subscriptions–not only a financial
commitment (and we did have to increase the yearly sub rate to more
closely reflect costs) but to politically challenge comrades and
readers to make a political commitment to the paper·

We have gained some traction on this culture change but we haven't
turned a corner yet· We need everyone in this room to help make the
turn·

Currently there are 1‚955 subscribers and 20‚643 copies distributed in
bundle form· Based on our current web site analysis tools‚ which we are
upgrading‚ it looks like there has been a significant increase in
traffic in the last 6 months: from 10‚000 unique visits per week to now
25‚000· I say this hesitantly because the tools we have aren't the
best but this is the latest info I was given· If this holds true our
web site now has more readers than the print run· This does not include
the posting of our articles on other web sites and email lists or labor
press services‚ which are growing· We also have some 160 weekly
distributors who get a bundle of papers every week–from 3 to
1‚000–and take responsibility in getting them out‚ whether to other
distributors or doing the direct distribution themselves·

The numbers–subscribers and weekly run–are the bread and butter of
any publication· As you can tell they are woefully low and have been
about that number for 10 years· We have to make a change–and inch by
inch turn this situation around·

Start–up initiatives:

· To begin the “taking us to a new level” project‚ I want to
project a goal of 300 new subscribers by the end of the year· We've
tossed out such goals before–but they were not serious because there
was no follow up‚ including no business manager to help push it along·
I propose the editorial board and organizing dept· meet to work out
goals‚ Perhaps the fund drive committee‚ which Pam will report on‚ can
be helpful in the follow up on subscriptions too·
· By the end of the year‚ we send a direct mail to another
publication list asking those readers to subscribe·

· Follow up on the 700 unionists who signed up for a no–risk bill me
subscription· We have sent 2 letters and will send a postcard‚ too· The
Ohio district is planning some calls and we will have a special
approach to Labor Day·

While we have cut the trial subscription‚ we do have the ability to do
what we call “bill me subscription.” That is–if you get a
commitment from someone to buy a subscription you can send their name
and address to us and we will start sending them the paper along with a
bill for $30· If they don't pay that bill within a certain amount of
time then they will be cut off· We also can take credit card
information–either on the web‚ or over the phone‚ or in our handy
dandy business reply envelope–for subscriptions and donations·

The indispensability of the Communist‚ working class press

Next year we will be having a conference on the role of the Party and
press· This report is a precursor to this conference to help jump–start
the thinking about the role of the Communist press today·

We have to consider the indispensability of our press and the Party's
role· In order to help build the broadest‚ most united movement of the
working class and allies‚ to which the racially and nationally
oppressed‚ women and youth are key–– then we need a bigger Party and
certainly a bigger circulation of our press·

In “What is to be Done” Lenin spoke about setting up an all–Russia
political newspaper as the “mainline by which we may unswervingly
develop‚ deepen‚ and expand the organization.” That such a newspaper
through a “weekly distribution of tens of thousands would become part
of an enormous pair of smith's bellow that would fan every spark of
the class struggle and of popular indignation into a general
conflagration."

Lenin argued forcefully that such a newspaper could be a “collective
organizer” for a revolutionary organization‚ a “trainer” for
political cadre‚ that it could make “concrete” connections across
the country and movements–a newspaper that can “gather and
organize” the party and the working class and allies·

You know how people are at the workplace‚ union or in your
neighborhood· They are consumed by daily tasks/work/drudgery/raising
kids· They don't necessarily know about political developments or
struggles going on beyond their immediate circles–even with the
advent of the Internet and satellite TV·

Lenin argued that a national newspaper would “Establish real contacts
between towns… fragmentation weighs down on people· They are stuck in
a hole‚ not knowing what is happening in the world‚ from whom to learn
or how to acquire experience and satisfy their desire to engage in
broad activities."

The People's Weekly World has a national perspective with a
grassroots reach· At the same time‚ it has a grassroots‚ working class
perspective with a national reach· It links people up with our common
agenda – to defeat the ultra right and corporate agenda – and to plant
seeds for heightened understanding and struggles on the systemic nature
of capitalism and the alternative–socialism·

Since the generational change in Party leadership‚ we have been giving
renewed attention to every aspect of party building‚ and that includes
building our press‚ and how these both help to build the movement· To
impart a deeper understanding of events in the labor‚ working class and
people's movements‚ won't happen spontaneously· The working
class–without a conscious‚ communist sector–won't just wake up
one morning and realize its historic role· It needs a Communist Party
to help it understand all the challenges‚ and the Communist Party needs
an amplifier of these ideas–in this case our weekly newspaper·

Our challenge is also to help the movement see that the Communists and
its press are an indispensable and necessary ingredient to the
struggles against the ultra right and the many–sided struggle for
democracy·

There are many voices–alternative‚ progressive voices out there that
play valuable roles· We often reprint articles from other sources· Many
of you may read‚ listen or subscribe to them–The Nation‚ Truthout‚
Alternet‚ Daily Kos‚ Democracy Now‚ Air America–to name just a few·
While each makes a contribution–they obviously don't have the same
outlook or place the working class and the class struggle at the core
of things‚ or emphasize the struggle against racism‚ or the labor
movement as we do· They don't have the same strategic outlook of
defeating the ultra right as we do· They also don't have an
organization–or revolutionary party–that they are associated with
that needs to be built·

Examples of PWW as 'collective organizer' and 'trainer of
cadre'

A few examples of how we've tried to make the newspaper a
"collective organizer"‚ a “trainer of cadre” and make
"concrete” connections to struggles across the country:

Immigrant rights

During the months of March‚ April and May–millions took to the
streets in an unprecedented immigrant rights upsurge· Our coverage
sought to amplify these actions and the voices of the leaders and
participants‚ to give our perspective on a fluid situation and to tie
it to the legislative and electoral struggles‚ working class unity and
the struggle for democracy· We had begun weekly coverage on this issue
even before the demonstrations based on the collective estimate that
this was a key challenge for the working class and people's movement
in this period· It was difficult‚ not only to cover the upsurge‚ but to
coordinate it in two languages· It has been very helpful to have the
committee of Rosalio‚ Emile and Joelle to write and help with coverage·

Looking over those issues we were able to tie together the numerous
developments–city–by–city‚ town by town along with the legislative
battle and give a national perspective· Combined with previous coverage
of union organizing among immigrant workers‚ articles on corporate
globalization's influence on immigration‚ taken in totality we made a
contribution and will continue to do so· With the elections and public
hearings coming up this is still a live‚ important issue·

Labor coverage

Another example of coverage as a “collective organizer” is the
Justice for Smithfield workers in North Carolina– thanks to Scott who
gave us quite a national labor scoop· This article was also distributed
through Press Associates to numerous union publications· Now there is a
national campaign/tour to raise awareness of the union organizing and
conditions these packinghouse workers face and to link it to labor's
role in fighting for civil rights as well· How can we utilize this
story to join in the campaign‚ deepen people's understanding about
the right to organize?

Or our other unique labor coverage‚ for example the mine
industry–following the Sago Mine Disaster‚ Denise and George went to
West Virginia for on the spot interviews· Denise is planning another
trip–this time to Kentucky· How can we use this coverage to build the
paper in the labor movement? Build for miners issues? Build the Party
among the coalfields and coal mining communities?

Three weeks ago we had a story on the front page on the fight to raise
the minimum wage‚ as I mentioned before· It started off with
Pennsylvania's statewide rally but talked about the fights that have
taken place or are taking place in 21 states· How can we use stories
like these to reach out and make contacts/subscribers/build the
movement and activate our clubs? We published this right on the eve of
the national debate in Congress· So we'll have a follow–up
story–and use this to expose all the congress people in battleground
districts that voted against the raise· How can we use that?

Gulf Coast and post–Katrina

We instituted a regular post–Katrina or Gulf Coast update to keep
everyone informed of the struggles going on especially in New Orleans
but along the whole Gulf Coast· In the wake of the disaster we sent
Tim‚ accompanied by Sam‚ for on–the–spot coverage· Two months later I
went· And two months after that another delegation of Trese from the
YCL‚ Bill and Debbie went and did a follow–up story· Our writers‚
especially in Texas‚ have been excellent in following up on this battle
and what survivors are facing· The coverage has worked to tie together
race and class–that the struggle against racism is in all workers'
interests–Black‚ white‚ Latino‚ Asian and Native American· It has
focused on the policies of the Bush administration and its failures and
its links to corporate profiteering· We have also tried to cover the
environmental and immigration issues that this disaster have brought to
the fore· We have also tried to deal with poverty and the attack on
unions and public education in the disaster's wake·

The costs of war and rebuilding the Gulf Coast have also been part of
the coverage· Morgan Wheeler went on the Vets for Peace march across
the Gulf Coast and gave unique on the spot reporting of the veterans
making connections between the war and the costs to our country so
blatantly seen in the aftermath of Katrina· These stories are posted on
the Vets for Peace web site· Morgan and Tim developed special
relationship with the Vets for Peace organization· Tim also did a story
on the U.S· vets trip to Vietnam and the joint fight for justice for
Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange‚ this was really appreciated by
these working–class peace warriors·

Iraq

Perhaps our Iraq coverage has been the most comprehensive· Starting in
2002–we have covered the peace battles including those from the GIs‚
the veterans and the labor movement's perspective· We have
consistently exposed the Bush administration lies and the corporate war
profiteering· We have reported on the political situation in Iraq and
shown the overall ties to the ultra–right's/neo–con foreign policy
strategy to the region· There has hardly been one issue in the last
four years that has not been concerned with this titanic battle· One of
the widest read stories on the International Labor Communication
Association web site‚ published by us‚ was Sue's “Is Iraq Bush's
Watergate?” The Iraq coverage–in all its aspects and vantage points
and authors has allowed us to reach into the peace movement and labor
movement with our approaches and ideas to end the war–and to tie it
to defeating the ultra right electorally·

Health care

HR676–or the Medicare for All bill–the People's Weekly World has
given regular reporting on it for the last two years thanks to work by
our labor editor and other comrades· We came out early campaigning on
this piece of legislation and may be the only newspaper in this country
that has produced a booklet on the health care crisis with HR 676 as a
main organizing point in the booklet· The labor endorsements are
rolling in–as is the growth of the grassroots demands and awareness
on the legislation· The PWW has been a tool that comrades and others
can use to hook up struggles–like the ones in this week's issue‚
from Washington state and Missouri and throughout the labor movement·

Elections

We are gearing up for the next big election battle· How can clubs use
the PWW to build and influence the movements during this time? How can
clubs use the PWW to publicize the paper‚ sell subscriptions and
increase circulation?

One example is what the Party club in Brooklyn has done with
interesting results· A few weeks ago the PWW published an opinion piece
by Danny Rubin on the elections and gentrification· This article was
turned into a leaflet with the People's Weekly World logo and
information on it and was distributed at a community meeting· New
contacts with leaders of the local movement against these real estate
developers and in the election arena were made· They appreciated the
article·

Thinking through how to use the paper is an integral part to the
club's work‚ no matter what the issue they chose to work on· The club
also has regular PWW forums and developed a contact list‚ from which
they work for subscriptions and donations to some success·

There are other examples‚ but this gives a picture of how the PWW
weaves current events‚ ongoing issues and struggles to give a deeper
understanding of things and move people to a higher level of unity and
action·

'Trainer of cadre'

The PWW has to be considered‚ not only as a collective organizer‚ but a
trainer of political cadre· The YCL uses PWW articles often in their
weekly email bulletin· They develop discussion questions to consider
while reading the article·

The Hartford club takes one of our editorials and uses it as the basis
for educational discussion·

A number of district organizers send out selected PWW stories regularly
to their club and contact action lists and post them to other email
lists they subscribe to· Is there more we can do in our clubs and work
to utilize the paper as a trainer of cadre? Are the articles–both
news and commentary–helpful in informing and deepening people's
understanding of a particular development or problem?

I have a theory that only 30 percent of the National Committee actually
reads the paper· If my theory is true–how can the whole NC think
through how to utilize the paper‚ its articles in a way to reach out
and build both the movement and the paper's readership? Often times
I'm on the blast email lists of many leading comrades and get
articles from other sources· They are helpful· But I always wonder if
comrades blast out any PWW stories to their list? And if not‚ why not?

Another way to look at the PWW–three–layered role

For a while now the editorial board has operated under the premise that
the PWW has three layers to its role· The first layer is the
"collective organizer” and “tool"–the “scaffolding” on
which to stand firmly to build the Party and project its news‚ views‚
strategy and tactics· In this layer we plant the seeds for radical
social progress and socialism·

The second layer of our role is to help build the movements by
reporting on them· And in some cases‚ because of the high level of
monopoly corp· domination of the media we may be the only voice
reporting on certain struggles·

Through the reporting and interviewing process‚ as Tim says‚ we are
ambassadors of the Party too· We make connections between a particular
struggle and the party at the same time helping to win the struggle·
Our coverage makes us a “working class tool.” (As opposed to
Forbes‚ which calls itself a “capitalist tool."

The third layer of the PWW's role is to be part of the growing
anti–ultra–right‚ anti monopoly–media movement· This movement
embraces the independent and I use that in the broadest way
possible–and alternative press· So we are a part of
associations/conferences/initiatives that deal with this area of
struggle·

The Missouri PWW bureau‚ for example‚ has initiated a yearly
conference/dinner that deals with the issues of the working class press
and the battle for democracy· They have invited speakers from the
communist press along with the labor‚ student‚ African American and gay
and lesbian and other publications/radio shows to share their thoughts
on a particular theme·

To have this three–layered role helps us keep a good balance between
the Party‚ labor and mass movements‚ on the one hand‚ and the paper as
its own entity‚ which relates to other media formations‚ on the other·
And it may be helpful in visualizing the role of the PWW in your area
and club·

Grassroots building coast–to–coast

To build the PWW we have to center it in the clubs· We have to look
case by case‚ in every district‚ in every club‚ comrade by comrade and
examine how we are using the paper· From that level we should make a
plan to increase not only its bundle and subscription numbers but its
effectiveness· We must reach a new level of using the paper to build
the Party and the movements·

For example in several areas of the country we have mass weekly
distributions· The Twin Cities is one of my favorite examples· You
can't go anywhere in those cities without seeing the paper–and
people reading the paper· This includes in union halls‚ coffee shops‚
book stores and campuses‚ etc· So in that situation‚ what are the tools
that are needed to bring this massive readership closer to the
organization of the party? How do we get them to subscribe or donate
money? To come to local events?

Another example is in Chicago· Our club chair started to drop the paper
door to door in his neighborhood· The club agreed to follow up by
canvassing‚ knocking on doors and asking people if they've seen the
paper‚ if they've read it and if they want to continue getting it· In
this process we've met some really interesting people who like the
paper· It's like gold mining and finding a few nuggets· But how do we
take these initial contacts and build a relationship with them?

Are there clubs that don't do anything with the paper? I have a
feeling there are· A club that doesn't put the paper out in their
area of concentration is voiceless and isolated·

In each case a club will have its own particulars· Each club has to
examine those particulars and figure out a plan to take circulation to
a new level· Maybe in some areas it will mean appointing someone as
press coordinator to make sure these plans are followed up·

Internet publishing

Perhaps the 800 lb· gorilla in the room is really not 800 lbs–but 800
gigabytes· That's the Internet and the impact on newspapers· We
don't operate in a vacuum· There has been talk about the future of
newspapers‚ and perhaps going the way of the dinosaurs·

This is also an issue when we look at our budget· Putting out a weekly
paper–even with the modest number of staff people we do have–eats
up a lot of money‚ over one million dollars a year·

Is the Internet making newspapers obsolete? Should we just publish
online?

In a word: No·

Although the corporate press is worried about its newspapers and the
rise of the Internet–its concerns center on advertising revenue and
where it is flowing and how things like Craig's List are replacing
classified ads for the young generation·

There are science–fictionesque projections for a fabric–less/thin
screened‚ foldable newspaper–which may be realized‚ by some
estimates‚ in 2015· According to one Washington Post writer‚ “instead
of a handful of papers‚ it's a paper–thin video screen‚ thin enough to
fold up and put under your arm· Instead of static photos and text‚
it's constantly changing text‚ video and perhaps sound· Think of it
as a combination paper‚ television and Internet‚ presumably wirelessly
connected to a futuristic Wi–Fi."

But then he raises the big question: “Obviously‚ there would be
economics and class issues· Not everyone could afford a subscription to
a paper or a video screen· And of course they must not be denied
information and news simply because they can't afford the new
technology· So there would still be a need for paper products of some
sort."

The Internet and newspapers will co–exist for a while to come· Now the
trend is for media to push readers/listeners to their website:
something we have to really work on· The Internet and the PWW
website–is really a vast untouched territory for us‚ even though we
have made some wonderful strides with Barbara Russum posting· Barb has
been putting up color photos· We've also been maintaining our Online
eXtra as well‚ which provides additional content not seen in the print
edition·

We do not have a full–time website coordinator· Our present staff is
woefully under trained on the medium‚ and although we have taken some
steps like staff training on html classes· But there are so many
possibilities· Podcasts‚ blogs‚ fund raising‚ daily online content‚
building our link exchanges only touch the surface of what could be
done·

We are in discussion with our partners at Political Affairs‚ along with
the YCL‚ the Tech and the Org· Departments on how to better coordinate
and tap into this wide open virtual space for communication· The
Internet has provided the basis for more cooperation between our
publications–as it has for numerous other media outlets·

Some wonder if we should move to a pay subscription for online content·
For the editorial board‚ the jury is out on that· We want to get the
information out and drive readers to our website so they will return·
Even among the mass media there isn't unanimity on pay for content·
The New York Times has moved in that direction but the Washington
Post's philosophy is “build audience and the revenue will come"
in other ways· That's where we are at in that discussion·

Conclusion

It's going to take a nationally coordinated effort and a full
commitment from this National Committee to build the PWW· My business
card reads‚ “Journalists interpret the world in various ways‚ the
point is to change it.” This has to be a project of the whole party·
The next inch is 300 new subscribers by the end of the year· It's up
to you to push and make that inch possible·