First, DKudos to zeus4prez for just posting an excellent diary, 7 Newspapers Drop Coulter's Column; More to Come? here. Z4P includes a detailed table of newspapers currently known to be carrying Ann Coulter's column, complete with email contact information. Click on over to Z4P's diary and show him/her some love.
The progressive community's quick win the with Coulter advertiser contact effort was Phase I, IMHO the low lying fruit. Most companies simply do not want association with hate speech and bigotry and were likely appalled in learning they were advertising on Coulters site. The campaign to have papers cancel her columns is Phase II, and will be a bit more challenging, as a number of those newspapers are right wing. However, it can be successful with a concerted, long-term effort. Help crumble her bully pulpit.
After reading the aforementioned diary, I was thinking of some ideas to make a newspaper contact effort more impactful. Here's a few thought-starters, but let's harness the collective brainpower of Kossacks by sharing ideas. Please post your ideas in the comments.
More on the flip:
Help locate other newspapers not on the list. Coulter's publisher claims she is syndicated in 100 or so papers, yet so far Media Matters has only been able to pinpoint 40+. If your local paper is not on the list and publishes Coulter, please notify Media Matters.
Carefully choose which the email address you use to contact editors and papers. If a paper or editor's actual email address is visible, in lieu of an automated box, use your email addy that doesn't identify your location if it's not in the paper's trade area. If your email address is "JaneDoeNYC@xxx.com" or "JGTAtlanta@xxxx.net" and you are writing to a Las Vegas paper, your message could be less impactful. If necessary, you can easily create a new email address at GMail or Yahoo. Use an alternate email addy that doesn't identify your location. On the other hand, if the paper uses an automated system that requires your location, be honest and provide it. In all cases, sign your real name at the end of your message.
Don't use canned messages. IMO one of the reasons the Coulter ad campaign was successful was that most people wrote original messages to companies and organizations. Create a message in your own words, and re-use it to send to all papers. Canned messages immediately send a signal to editors that there is a structured contact program being promulgated by an outside source.
Keep it succinct. Newspaper editors and other personnel are busy people. They don't have time to read lengthy diatribes. Keep your commentary to one or two paragraphs at most.
Don't rant. Make sure the tone of your written words is respectful yet poignant. Don't criticize the newspaper for carrying Coulter. Consider pointing out that Coulter's use of speech deemed unacceptable in public discourse is very troubling, etc, or something to that effect.
Specifically ask the paper to drop her column. That's what this effort is all about.
Monitor Media Matters frequently to see if new papers have been added to the list.
I'm sure there are hundreds of other great ideas in the collective brain of this community. Take a moment to share your ideas in the comments.