Dispatches From The (Creative) Revolution: Maximizing Impact

guest post by Frank Frink

Rule #1, as prole expressed, is be polite. And respectful.

The individual advertisers did not directly place their ad on her page, and they would not necessarily be aware of any specific placements within the Toronto Sun web pages.

Make them aware, however, of the placement. Respectfully point out the optics.

Having been employed as both a media buyer and seller I can share this. Neither the advertiser nor the the media buying service they employ will be able to specifically request to have their ad removed from that specific page, not from any specific page. It doesn’t work like that.

The suggestion should be made to them that, if they disagree with the expressed viewpoint in then column and understand the harm of being associated with it no matter how peripherally, they contact Sun Media Corp. with their concern. Suggest that they make it known to Sun Media Corp. that they will remove all their advertising from Sun Media Corp. and Quebecor web and print properties unless a retraction is published in a highly visible manner; Marsden is fired; or both. And that they will direct their media buying service to withdraw their ads as soon as possible (some campaigns will have been contracted for a specific duration. They, the advertiser, may face certain contractual liabilities – Sun Media Corp. may make the counter-threat of suing them for breach of contract should they attempt to pull unilaterally. Be patient and understanding in that regard).

Sun Media Corp. and Quebecor properties include:
– Sun Media Corp. newspapers and web sites
– Osprey Media newspapers and web sites
– The canoe.ca network

Here’s a list of Sun Media Corp. and Osprey Media newspapers (with links to web sites where they apply) after the fold:

Wednesday Blogwhoring: Reappropriating ‘rEVOLution’

by matttbastard

Keep those letters coming! Love you all; always, muchly.

(Shakes is rEVOL personified)

Women of Color Blog: tee hee, i said beener and farted at the same time!

Too Sense: DHS Puts Julie Myers “On Leave” Over Blackface Costume and
Black Leaders Repeat Call For March On Justice Department, Civil Rights Division Spins Its Record

unrepentant old hippie: Witless in Washington (Part 3,782)

Pop + Politics: Pushing off: a love affair with Homeland Security

elle, phd: Waiting…

atlasien @ Rachel’s Tavern: White Guilt, White Resentment

Chowrangi: Nation-wide Torture Goes On and International Looter

All Things Pakistan: Emergency in Pakistan: What Can You Do?

Zen Pundit: Pakistan’s Real Crisis

The Newshoggers: Give The Dictator’s Money Back, Hillary

at-largely: Pakistan and U.S.: Pots and Kettles and Constitutions

Vox ex Machina: Maybe it’s time for an ‘Inappropriate Use of Tasers’ roundup

Red Jenny: Lib Lit: Progressive Partisan Fiction

April Reign: “Well, you’re not going to solve the problem if you even refuse to say what it is.” (“November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario a great reminder to send what you can to those working on women’s behalf or to write letters, or to volunteer at a help phone or shelter. Or maybe just to listen to a neighbour who may be in danger.”)

Politics ‘n’ Poetry: SK Universities Attack Workers’ Rights

Seattle Slim @Racialicious: Vogue India Shows Appreciation For Indian Beauty With Caucasian Model Highlighted…

The Heathlander: The Guardian beats the drums

Shakesville: Breaking News: Fox Viewers are Stoopid (Head. Desk.)

Canuck Attitude: Fiscal Vertigo

Poliblogger: A Question for Discussion: The Significance of the Robertson Endorsement of Rudy

Automatic Preference: Identity Politics and Identity Politics 2 (Guest Post from Kai)

Creekside: Win the Nobel and lose your funding

Rolling Back The Tide Of Extremism, One Post At A Time: China Roars, America Reels, the Loonie Soars

PoliTits: All About Qualifying Language

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Where Are The WOC Bloggers?

 by matttbastard

Right here, erasing the margins with style and grace:

Video by Sudy, h/t Kevin & Vox ex Machina.

Recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers

Dispatches From The (Creative) Revolution UPDATE – The Heat Is On!

by matttbastard

Prole makes a preemptive strike against the ‘free speech’ red herring:

Yes, Rachel Marsden has the right to say pretty much anything she wants, even that she thinks we should torture teh terrerists, even before we know if they’re really terrerists. They’re brown and live in the sand, so they must be. She can even agree with Republican Representative Chris Shays that the sexual torture and abuse of the not-prisoners at Abu Ghraib was not abuse, but a swingin’ sex party. You know, just like Mom and Dad used to go to. She can say those things. As far as I’m concerned, she can utter whatever sick, twisted words or ideas her depraved mind can come up with.

But.

She has no right – no entitlement – to make a living saying those things at the Toronto Sun or anywhere else.

Let’s let the Sun’s advertisers know who is endorsing their friendly neighborhood car dealership. Let’s remind them that it doesn’t look good to be associated with known convicted criminals. Especially ones who damage our national reputation by mocking international law and human rights, and put our troops in danger of reciprocal torture if they are captured. Let’s remind them that by advertising in a publication that not only continues to employ someone like Marsden, but supports her, their business is effectively condoning her screeds and validating her opinions.

Let’s let the market decide.

As consumers in a market-based economy, the way we spend our dollars is, in essence, our seal of approval. We are under no obligation to support business entities willing to underwrite someone who approves of torture. Unlike Ms Marsden, most of us don’t have the luxury–the privilege–of prominent column space in a high circulation daily newspaper to express our opinions; a lot of us feel Marsden has abused her privilege. By making these advertisers aware of our disapproval and encouraging others to do the same, we are using the only avenue we possess as consumers to make ourselves heard.

We are exercising our free speech, utilizing the tools at our disposal.

Update: Frank Frink and JJ both see daylight piercing the darkness. As Frank says:

Don’t loosen that vise grip on their cojones.

Keep blaring your horns and shaking your maracas.

Keep your fingers blazing on your keyboards or keypads.

Or, to use an old Acadien/Cajun expression from my childhood. ‘Lâche pas la patate’. (Ai-yiiiiiii!)

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Giuliani Gets the Robertson Seal Of Approval

by matttbastard 

As per The Fix, Mitt Romney may have Paul Weyrich and Bob Jones III in his corner, but Rudy G. has apparently scored the coveted endorsement of Pat Robertson, despite Romney’s naked desire to hit the far-right So-Con Trifecta.  One wonders if the Mormon factor ultimately proved to be too much of an impediment for Robertson. And lo and behold, America’s Mayor is already reaping the benefits: in a drastic about face, muckraking blogger/journalist Shaun Mullen has decided that if Rudy is good enough for Robertson, then by gosh he’s good enough for him!

I can feel the cold, clammy hand of the Holy Spirit in this; praise the Lord and pass the Amaretto.

Recommended this post at Progressive Bloggers

Quote Of The Day: FTW

by matttbastard

Steve M. fucking nails it:

Now I remember why I resented it when the left blogosphere (or the kool-kid part of it, anyway) turned into the “netroots.” I hadn’t thought we were blogging with the direct intent of helping Democrats win elections. I thought the point was to create a counternarrative of American politics, which might actually spread the notion that Republican ideas aren’t reasonable and Democratic ideas aren’t cockeyed and treasonous, and might further spread the notion that the political world thinks Republican ideas are reasonable because Republican character-assassination politics has made Democrats and liberals seem like freaks. Oh, and maybe we’d eventually have Democrats within the system who didn’t believe Democrats are freaks, people who believied it was worthwhile to go on fighting even while being called freaks.

But instead, in 2006 we just elected a larger-than-usual crop of the same kinds of Democrats we always elect when we elect Democrats. And they suck.

PREACH!

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