Getting our message to the main stream media

[April Brown (AuctionApril)]

My goal is to get the story - our stories - to the main stream media. I'm looking for well-written articles that can be placed in the following categories of interest:
Family. Business. American Greed. Celebrity. Fraud. Copyright. Your ideas are welcome. 

If you write the articles I will make sure they are distributed and read. Anyone who wants to be interviewed for radio and television please let me know.

Do we have any supporters in Seattle that I can meet with? If we can identify those people I will start organizing monthly meet ups and invite reporters to those.

[Greg Troy (KeepFighting)]

April, I would be willing to do any or all of the above. Whatever I can do to help I am willing. I will PM you my contact information.

[April Brown (AuctionApril)]

That's what I need to hear.

[Matthew Chan]

Oscar and I are media-friendly and interested in this.

[April Brown (AuctionApril)]

(This is the email I'm sending that is getting me interviews. I'd love to get your ideas for a media-tease)
LOCAL ENTREPRENEUR ATTACKED BY COPYRIGHT TROLL
April Brown has a cautionary tale. She posted a viral
poem on an obscure blog in 2011. Her mistake was
innocent and well-intended. Nothing more sinister than
sending a Hallmark card. The poem she posted was The
Dash by Linda Ellis. Soon she began receiving letters
from a Copyright Troll – the term coined for a person
who uses software to search the internet for
copyrighted content posted without authorization. Once
the content is found, the Troll initiates a campaign of
threats veiled in legalese to intimidate victims into
paying. Brown has discovered scores upon scores of
victims snared by this scheme and will explain what
happened to her and what to do if you shared
copyrighted content unknowingly. April Brown is the CEO
of Charity Auction World and founding director of
Whisker City Feline Rescue. Contact her at (206)
235-4697; [email protected]

[Mulligan]

Great tease, April. If I had a radio station, you'd be hearing from me with an interview request.

[Matthew Chan]

For the media, I am not a fan of "copyright troll" term.  In fact, I may change that in ELI's positioning statement. 

"ELI reports on and fights copyright extortionists, copyright blackmailers, extortion letters, and shakedown letters."

Copyright trolls is a term very few people outside the Internet will understand.  I would use "copyright extortionist" or "copyright blackmail" for general media. Everyone understands what extortionists and blackmailers are.

[April Brown (AuctionApril)]

Thanks for the tip. Keep em coming.

[rock]

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/boycott-getty-images/
http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/forum/getty-images-letter-forum/don't-get-mad-get-even/

from the website:
The Purpose of This Petition
The purpose of this petition is to collect signatures & comments regarding a highly unethical business practice known as the Getty Images "Settlement Demand Letter", and to inform and shape public opinion which will ultimately bring about change. Getty Images must cease this unethical practice immediately before another innocent citizen is harmed.

[stinger]

April,

I am all "in" for telling my story of the company that seeds the market with "free" images distributed through their own web site, then covers their tracks, waits a few years and begins extorting those who were taken in for prices that are "Orders of magnitude" larger that the going rate for similar images.

Where/how do we begin?

[Moe Hacken]

I'm in, April. I've got research on wallpaper that would fill a chapter with ease.

[April Brown (AuctionApril)]

Here is what I'm doing. I tell all my friends that I am available to talk to any group of any size for 20 minutes  and up to an hour with a Q&A. If you think you can't do pubic speaking, this is not public speaking. Simply tell your story. You can respond to the Q&A with the stories of the rest of the rest of us. If you are worried about being nervous, you will only be nervous before you stand up to speak. As soon as you start speaking the fear vanishes.

I email one or more local media outlets every day with that teaser but I've added the word extortionist to the teaser per Matthews suggestions. Pick 10 media outlets in your area and focus on those.

Because Linda rips off religious people, I also contact the religious and inspirational shows and stations. Remember that the religious are victims of Getty too and those stations are looking for content as well.

Write a letter to the editor of every print publication you can write too. Change a few lines to fit the reader profile of the publication.

Create a video telling your story, my story, our story.

Ask to speak at non-profit association meetings.

As part of every presentation give a call to action and ask others to share your story. Remind people they are being bullied and extorted and to get a spine and speak up. Create outrage with your dialogue. Outrage and anger are honest motivating emotions for sparking change and visibility.

Consider holding a 7AM breakfast meeting at a local restaurant and see if there are other victims in your area. Invite a reporter and bloggers.

Post that activity here. In time we will make the national and cable media.

I think we should consider getting a booth at a Blog World Convention and hold an ELI reunion. I really think Matthew and Oscar should be featured speakers. Now that is my kind of fun!!

[SoylentGreen]

I'd like to see a Michael Moore-type do a documentary.

S.G.

[stinger]

I too would like to see that, but am afraid that many of the media image companies have too much clout with the networks and Hollywood. 

That would be the kind of message that might get some real changes started.

[April Brown (AuctionApril)]

Michael Moore. Great idea. You never know who is also dealing with this issue. There is great value in hearing this from many different sources.