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Occupy the Media!

Press Relations 101 Occupy Chicago Press Committee // OccupyChi.org

press@occupychi.org I @OCPress I facebook.com/PressComm

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Table of Contents:

4. Introduction 5. Building your Media List 11. Setting up Points of Contact and Social Media 12. Writing your Press Release 24. Sending your Press Release 25. Making Follow-Up Calls 26. Collecting Your Clips 28. Messaging and Talking Points 33. Training Speakers and Giving Interviews 33. Managing Interview Requests 34. Setting up a Press Conference 36. Interacting with Reporters at Events and Actions

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1 . Introduction: Letsbeclear:thecorporatemediaisownedbythe1%,andwillultimatelyprotecttheirinterestsatanycost.Thatsaid,thecorporatemediaalsotheyreachesamassiveaudienceandwecanusetheiroutletstogetthewordoutabouttheOccupymovementtopeoplewhomaynotattendouractionsandevents,orfollowusonsocialorindependentmedia.ThisisastepbystepguidetomanagingabasicmediacampaignforanOccupationoractivistorganization.Youcandownloadthisguideat:MedialistsforMidwestcitiesandstatescanbefound:

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2. Building Your Media List Yourfirststepisidentifyingwhoyouwanttoreachinthecorporatepress,andforthatyoubuildamedialist.AsimplemedialistisusuallyanExceldocument(oraspreadsheetstyledocumentbuiltinopensource,freesoftwarelikeOpenOfficeorgoogledocs)thatcontainscontactinformationforvariousmediaoutlets.Itcanalsobehousedinadatabase,andthereareseveral(expensive)onlineservicesyoucanuseaswell.Thetypesofmediayoullneedtocompilecontactinformationforinclude:DailyNewspapersThe1600plusdailynewspapers"dailies"intheUnitedStatesprovideanestimated113millionindividualswiththeirprimarysourceofnewseveryday.Dailiesappearinmorningand/oreveningeditionssevendaysaweek.Youdontneedallofthesejustthedailiesthatimpactyourregionalmarket.WeeklyNewspapersWeeklynewspapers(or"weeklies")areusuallyeithersuburbanpapersfoundincloseproximitytolargecitiesorruralpapersthatprovideisolatedareaswithalinktothenearesttownorcountyseatalthoughmanyneighborhoodsinlargeurbanareasalsoincludecommunitynewspapersthatdroponceaweekorso.Theymaybeofferedforsaleatnewsstands,bysubscription,ordistributedfreeofcharge.Weekliesprimarilyfocusoneventsandissuesthataredirectlytiedtothecommunitiestheyserve.Mostweekliesalsoofferacalendarofareaevents.Contactthecalendareditoraboutupcomingcommunitymeetingsorothereventsbecausewithweeklies,gettingyoureventlistedintheircalendarsectionisoneofyourgoals.Manyweekliesarealsounderstaffedandhavealimitedabilitytoleavethenewsroomtocoverevents,sooftenthereporterswillwritestoriesfrompressreleasesorinterviews.WireServicesWireservices,suchastheAssociatedPress(AP),ReutersorAgenceFrance,arenationalorinternationalnewsorganizationsthatprovideprintandbroadcastmediaaroundthecountrywithuptotheminutenews.Theinformationistransmitteddirectlyintothenewsroomthroughtelephonelines,microwavesignals,orotherelectronicmeansofdelivery.Wirestories,especiallythoseconcerningoutoftownnews,arefrequentlypickedupandrunverbatimbyprintandbroadcastoutlets.Midsizeandsmallernews

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organizationsrelyheavilyonthewiresforcoverageoutsideoftheirareas.Everylargenewsorganizationsubscribestoatleastonewireservicetokeepabreastofnewsandtobackupitsownoperations.Andwithnewsroomsacrossthecountrylayingoffmoreandmoreworkers,wireserviceshavebecomeindispensableforprovidingcoverageoutsideanewsoutletsimmediateareaandsometimesevenintheirarea!Forthatreason,itiscriticaltobeincludedinwirestorycoverageandgetyourstoryouttolocalbranchesofwireservices.MagazinesMagazinesgenerallyoffermorecomprehensive,indepthcoverageofasubjectthannewspapers.Consequently,theyalsodemandlongerlead times.Gettingcoveredinamagazineusuallyrequiresadvanceplanningandaproactivemediastrategy.Manymagazineshaveeditorialcalendars,whichprovideinformationaboutspecialissuesorfeaturesplannedfortheyear.Tofindoutwhatamagazinehasplanned,requestaneditorialcalendarfromthemagazine'sadvertisingdepartmentatthebeginningofeachyear.TelevisionThink"pictures"whenyouthinkoftelevisionnews.Televisionisdifferentfromallothermediainthatitdemandsvisualpresentationofyourmessage.Trytodevisecreativewaystoenrichthevisualaspectsofthestoryyouaretryingtotell.Stagevisuallyappealingeventsandhighlightopportunitiesfortelevisionreporterstoshowpeopleinaction.RadioTheinfluenceofradiobroadcastersinthedailylivesofAmericansisoftengrosslyunderestimatedandoccasionallyaltogetheroverlookedbyeventhemostexperiencedmediastrategists.Radioisoftendescribedasthe"captiveelectronicmedium"becauseitreachespeoplewhiletheyaredoingotherthingsintheircars,onthewaytoandfromwork,intheirhomesandoffices,evenwhiletheyexercisewithaWalkman.Radioprogrammingoffersavarietyofformatsforcommunicatingtoanumberofdistinctaudiences.Newsprogramsprovideavehicleforreleasingimportantandbreakingnews.Radionewscastsusuallyairatleasttwiceeveryhour,allowingyourstatementtobeeditedintomanysoundbitesforrepeatedusethroughouttheday.BlogsAblogisapersonaljournalpublishedonthewebconsistingofdiscreteentries("posts")typicallydisplayedinreversechronologicalordersothemostrecentpost

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appearsfirst.Blogsareusuallytheworkofasingleindividual,occasionallyofasmallgroup,andoftenarethemedonasinglesubject.Themostimportanttipforanyoneseekingtobuildbloggerrelationsistotargetyourpitchtotherightbloggersbloggersthatareaverticalfitforyourmessage,bloggersthatareopentobeingpitched,andbloggersthatofferthenetworkthatwillhelpyourstorytravel.OccupiedMediaOccupiedmediaisdedicatedtocoveringtheOccupymovement,andincludesoutletsliketheOccupiedChicagoTribuneandtheOccupiedWallStreetJournal.Someoutletsareinprint,whileothersarestrictlyonline.Mostwilltakealookatpressreleases,butwouldratherhavearticlessubmitted.IndymediaandSelfPublishingWebsitesTheIndependentMediaCenter(alsoknownasIndymediaorIMC)isaglobalparticipatorynetworkofjournalistswhoreportonpoliticalandsocialissues.ItoriginatedduringtheSeattleantiWTOprotestsworldwidein1999andremainscloselyassociatedwiththeglobaljusticemovement,whichcriticizesneoliberalismanditsassociatedinstitutions.Indymediaandotherselfpublishingsitesuseanopenpublishinganddemocraticmediaprocessthatallowsanybodytocontribute.

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BuildingYourListYouwanttoincludethenameoftheoutlet,thecity/stateitislocatedin,thenameofthereporter(ifyourenotjustsendinganemailtothenewsroomingeneral),theiremail,phonenumber,andwebsite.Thebestwaytofindamedialististoaskaround.Otheractivistorganizations,unions,andcommunitygroupsmayhaveliststolendyou.LocalPRfirmsmaywanttohelpout,andyoucantrygivingthemacallandaskingforabasiclocalmedialistaswell.Illinois State Media List:

Outlet Name Title City Email Address Phone Associated Press Jim Suhr

Corresp- ondent Southern IL 214-241-8754

Capitol Fax Blog State-Wide capitolfax@gmail.com Pantagraph Newsroom Bloomington newsroom@pantagraph.com 309-829-9000 WJBC FM 93.7 Newsroom Bloomington talk@wjbc.com 309-829-2345 Southern Business Journal News Carbondale news@thesouthern.com Associated Press

David Mercer

Corresp- ondent Champaign dmercer@ap.org 217-351-4094

The News-Gazette Champaign 217-351-5252 Prospectus/ Parkland College News Champaign prospectus.editor@gmail.com WCID ABC 15 News Champaign news@wicd15.com 217-351-8538 Decatur Tribune

Paul Osborne

Editor/ Publisher Decatur decaturtribune@aol.com 217-422-9702

The Herald & Review

Dave Dawson

Managing Ed. Decatur ddawson@herald-review.com 217-429-5151

The Herald & Review

Theresa Churchill

Senior Staff Writer Decatur tchurchill@herald-review.com 217-429-5151

WAND NBC 17

News Room Decatur news@wandtv.com 217-424-2500

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AnotherresourceisABYZNewsLinks,asitewithalmosteverymediaoutlet,everywhereintheworld:www.abyznewslinks.com

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Visitthesiteandfollowthelinksuntilyougettothemediaforyourcityortown.Clickoneachlinktovisitthewebpageoftheoutlets,andfindthecontactuslink.Itsusuallyhiddenatthebottomofthepageinsmallletters.Itcantakesomedigging,butmostsiteshaveacontactemailforthenewsdepartment,orforspecificeditorsandreporters.Asforphonenumbers,trytofindthenewsroomorthenewsdesk.Ifyoucantfindthat,copydownthegeneralphonenumber.Yourelookingforthegeneralnewsroomemail(usuallynews@theoutlet).Asfarastargetingindividualsatoutlets,lookfor:NewspapersNews,LocalorCitydesk,editors,andreportersWireservicesAssignmenteditorsandreportersMagazinesEditorsandreportersTelevisionAssignmenteditors,ortheplanningdesk(notanchors,theydontusuallydecidewhatwillbereportedonorwritestories)RadioNewsdirectors,orreportersIfyoucantfindacontactemail,lookonthewebsiteforaphonenumber,checktheonlineYellowPages,orcall411.WireservicesarenotincludedinABZYNewsLinks,buttheirofficescanbefoundthroughagooglesearch(ie.AssociatedPressChicago).Theyarealsolistedintheyelloworwhitepages.Givethemacall,tellthemyourecallingfromOccupyXX,andaskwhatthebestemailaddressistosendapressreleaseto.Occupiedmediacanbefoundthroughagooglesearch,ascanyourlocalorregionalIndymedia.YoucanpostyourpressreleasestoIndymediaandInfoshop.orgyourself.Tofindblogs,searchfor(YourCity)Blog,orgooglethenameofyourOccupation,sortbydate(mostrecent)andseewhoistalkingaboutyou.Ifabloggerseemsfriendlytoyourissues,findthecontactinfoforthemontheirsiteandaddthemtoyourlist.Afteryoufinishbuildingyoulist,youshouldcallthroughittomakesureyourinformationiscorrect.Whenyoucalleachtypeofoutlet,askfor:NewspapersTheLocalDeskWireservicesTheAssignmentDeskMagazinesTheNewsEditorTelevisionAssignmentDeskRadioTheNewsDeskWhenyoucall,say,ThisisXXcallingfromOccupyXX.IsXXthisthebestemailtosendanewsalertorpressreleaseto?

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3. Setting up Points of Contact and Social Media Youllneedtosetupwaysforthemediatocontactandfollowyou.Itsbestifthesepointsofcontactarenotforindividualpeople,butforyourgroupspressteam.Email:Setupanaccountwithanamethatspeaksforitself,suchasOccupyChi.media@gmail.comPhone:Createagooglevoiceaccount,whichisfreeandcanbeforwardedtomultiplephones.Facebook:Makeafacebookpagejustforyourpressteam.Youcanpostyourpressreleasesasnotes,andpostthecoverageandclippingsyouget.(seewww.facebook.com/presscomm)Twitter:Atwitteraccountcanbeusedjustlikefacebook,totweetreleasesandnewscoverage.(see@OCPressontwitter)Youcaneitherhaveseveralpeoplecheckingyouremailaccount,oryoucanhaveitforwardedtoalistservofpeoplewhoarewillingtospeaktoreportersandgiveinterviews.Yourphonenumbercanbeforwardedtodifferentpeopleondifferentdays.Thepersonthegooglevoicenumberisforwardedtoshouldbeabletoanswercallsorgetbacktoreportersquickly,especiallyondaysofactionandthedayortwobefore.

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4. Writing your Press Release Thepurposeofapressreleaseistocommunicateinformationaboutyourgrouporeventtothemedia.Youshouldwriteitinunbiasedlanguage,asifitwereanarticlewrittenforanewspaper.Saveyourpassionandopinionforthequotesyouinsertintotherelease.1)Atthetop,youshouldputaheaderforyourgroup2)Next,youllidentifythedocumentasaMEDIAALERTorPRESSRELEASE,anddesignateitasIMMEDIATERELEASEorEMBARGOUNTIL(DATE)3)Contactinformationshouldincludeaphonenumberandemailaddress4)Ifyourreleaseisforaneventataspecificdateandtime,includethatinfoatthetop5)Youheadlinecomesnext,anditshouldclearlystatewhattheeventis,whowillbethere,andwhyitishappening6)Inyourfirstparagraph,explainthewho,what,when,where,andwhyofyouractionorevent.7)YoursecondparagraphcanbeaquotefurtherexplainingthewhybehindyoureventinthewordsofsomeonefromyourOccupationorgroup.8)Addmoreinformation,andperhapsanotherquote,inseveralmoreparagraphs.Onlyinveryrareinstancesshouldanyreleasebelongerthanfiveparagraphs,oronepage.9)Atthebottom,putlinkstofurtherinformation,suchaswebsitesforthegroupstakingpartintheactions,facebookeventpages,andrecentnewsarticleswithinformationorfactsabouttheissuesyoureventisfocusedon.10)Last,putXXXorENDsothenewsoutletknowstheyreceivedtheentirerelease,withnothingcutoff.Onthefollowingpagesareexamplesofmediaalertsforseveraltypesofactionsandevents,andthecoveragethatresultedfromthem.Takenoteofhowthemediapicksupquotesfromthereleasesandpublishesthemintheirarticles.AlsoincludedistheOccupyChicagoPressReleaseRequestform.

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FOR PRESS RELEASES and BREAKING NEWS FOLLOW @OCPress on TWITTER or SEE facebook.com/PressComm Occupy Chicago // OccupyChi.org MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: 773-417-6491, press@occupychi.org Thursday 11/24 Peoples Parade: 9:30am, Michigan & Congress State Street Occupation: 7am, State Street from Washington to Randolph

Occupy Chicago Gives Thanks: Peoples Parade & State Street Occupation

CHICAGO 11/23 This Thanksgiving, Occupy Chicago asks supporters: What are you thankful for? The Occupation is offering an alternative to the corporate-sponsored event taking place on State Street, in the form of a Peoples Parade, where participants will carry signs expressing their thankfulness that a better world is possible. "We are thankful to be participating in a movement that is changing the world," say Jill Meyers who will be marching in the Occupy Chicago Peoples Parade. "More Chicagoans are identifying as part of the 99% every day. People of every age and background, from every neighborhood in the city and suburbs, are coming together to rescue our democracy from the financial institutions, corporations, and crooked politicians who seem intent on destroying it." The Occupy Chicago Peoples Parade will gather at 9:30am at Michigan and Congress, site of the Occupy Chicago General Assembly. After the parade, the group will return to Grant Park, where stories will be shared about the plight of the original occupants of this land, the Native Americans, and other displaced peoples around the world. See: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/245138785546919/ "Instead of watching a corporate parade, or fighting the crowds in the mall, we're inviting people to participate in a community-based event, to share ideas about the positive impact we can have on this city," says Mike Flint A call has also gone out on Facebook to Occupy the McDonalds Thanksgiving Parade on State Street. Organizers say they want to take advantage of media coverage of the parade to advance the publics understanding of the Occupy movement. See: http://www.facebook.com/PressCOMM#!/events/294845043867734/ For more information about Occupy Chicago, see OccupyChi.org, follow on Twitter @OccupyChicago or #OccupyChi, or visit facebook.com/OccupyChicago

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For PRESS RELEASES and BREAKING NEWS see facebook.com/presscomm or follow @OCPress on Twitter Occupy Chicago // OccupyChi.org MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: 773-417-6491, press@occupychi.org

Thursday: Occupy Chicago Participates in National Day of Action November 17

3:30 pm: Occupy Chicago joins StandUp! Chicago to demand jobs, not cuts, from our government! Rally at the Thompson Center (100 W. Randolph St), followed by a march. 5:30 pm: Occupy Chicago engages in a mass action at Jackson and LaSalle CHICAGO 11/15/11 As part of a national day of action for jobs and economic justice on Thursday, Occupy Chicago, Stand Up! Chicago and individuals from other labor and community groups will be rallying and marching to, Resist austerity, reclaim the economy, and recreate our democracy! This day, originally conceived as part of a celebration of the two-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, will now be a solidarity action in light of the raid on New Yorks encampment early Tuesday morning. Occupy groups in 30 cities across the country will be participating in the day. For too long now, regular citizens of this country have struggled while the richest thrived. Its time to stand up against those who take advantage of hardworking Americans for their own excessive profits. We demand economic justice! said Sam Sandmel, a college student with Occupy Chicago. 3:30 pm: Occupy Chicago joins StandUp! Chicago to demand jobs, not cuts, from our government! Rally at the Thompson Center (100 W. Randolph St), followed by a march. 5:30 pm: Occupy Chicago engages in a mass action at Jackson and LaSalle featuring large-scale street theater with a sizeable number of participants, including individuals dressed as the 1%. Immediately following, a march with individuals from many labor unions visiting corporations who did not pay their fair share of taxes last year, followed by the daily General Assembly at Congress and Michigan. We stand in complete solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, said Megan Groves, an Occupy Chicago committee volunteer. We are going to tell the world that you can raid a camp, but you cant destroy a movement. We arent going anywhere, were going everywhere! For the Facebook invitation to Thursdays event, see: http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=302706959748654 For more information about Occupy Chicago, see OccupyChi.org, follow on Twitter @OccupyChicago or #OccupyChi, or visit facebook.com/OccupyChicago For more information about Stand Up! Chicago, visit StandUpChicago.org

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Mayor 1% and Mayor 0.1% ByEdwardMcClelland|Wednesday,Nov16,2011|Updated10:00AMCSTEarly Tuesday morning, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg cleared the Occupy Wall Street protestors out of Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan. He may have been following the example of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who cleared Grant Park of Occupy demonstrators in a wee hours sweep. Bloomberg and Emanuel are natural enemies of the Occupy movement, because they embody one of its chief complaints: the super-wealthys excessive influence in politics. If millionaire Emanuel is Mayor 1%, billionaire Bloomberg is Mayor 0.1%. More than a dozen Occupy members squatted outside Emanuels City Hall office until 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, protesting the citys plan to eliminate six of its 12 mental health center. The mayors budget is expected to be approved in a near-unanimous vote at this morning's City Council meeting. On Thursday, Occupy Chicago will continue its protest against budget cuts by participating in a National Day of Action, along with 30 other Occupy movements. It was originally planned to commemorate the two-month anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, but will now serve as a solidarity action against the raid on Zuccotti Park. Here is the schedule: 3:30 pm: Occupy Chicago joins StandUp! Chicago to demand jobs, not cuts, from our government! Rally at the Thompson Center (100 W. Randolph St), followed by a march. 5:30 pm: Occupy Chicago engages in a mass action at Jackson and LaSalle featuring large-scale street theater with a sizeable number of participants, including individuals dressed as the 1%. Immediately following, a march with individuals from many labor unions visiting corporations who did not pay their fair share of taxes last year, followed by the daily General Assembly at Congress and Michigan. We stand in complete solidarity with Occupy Wall Street, said Megan Groves, an Occupy Chicago committee volunteer. We are going to tell the world that you can raid a camp, but you cant destroy a movement. We arent going anywhere, were going everywhere! Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Mayor-1-and-Mayor-01-133959418.html#ixzz1oSOMXuFQ

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For PRESS RELEASES and BREAKING NEWS see facebook.com/presscomm or follow @OCPress on Twitter Occupy Chicago // OccupyChi.org MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: 773-417-6491, press@occupychi.org

The Occupation Gets Results: Victories in Springfield, at UIC Highlight Growth of State-Wide Movement

Illinois House defeats corporate tax cuts; Mayor 1% cancels UIC speech Chicago 12/01 Occupy Chicago and the Illinois Occupy movement are celebrating two victories today. In Springfield yesterday, SB 397 (formally SB 405), which would have granted huge tax credits to CME and Sears, was rejected by the Illinois House by a resounding 8 votes for and 99 votes against. Locally, Mayor 1% Emanuel canceled a speech at UIC after the campus Occupation announced plans to confront him for his decisions to cut funding for schools and public services. SB 397 grants millions in corporate tax credits to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and Sears, along with a small measure of tax relief for Illinois families. CME and Sears have both threatened to leave the state if they do not receive these credits. On the floor of the Illinois House, Rep. Monique Davis (D) of Chicago said, These mammoth companies, they want $150 million as a gift from the state of Illinois, thats taxpayer money. According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the controversial bill includes tax credits which amount to only $7.50 a year for the average family. Occupy Chicago, Occupy Springfield, Make Wall Street Pay Illinois, SEIU, Citizen-Action Illinois, and other groups coordinated a call-in campaign to elected officials and Governor Quinn, asking them to vote down the request for more corporate tax breaks. Legislators reported receiving numerous calls opposing the bill. Its important that we acknowledge the 99%, said Sen. Kwame Raoul (D), Chicago. Our movement is growing exponentially, says Joshua Kaunert, a participant in Occupy Chicago. Occupy Chicago, neighborhood, campus, and suburban Occupations, and other Occupations state-wide are fighting together to remove corporate influence and big money from politics. Our victories will speak for themselves as we become more coordinated at the local and national level. This Friday, Mayor 1% Emanuel was scheduled to speak at UIC as part of the Future of Chicago lecture series. After Occupy UIC announced they would attend the event in order to confront the Mayor about his support for corporate interests at the expense of Illinois taxpayers, Emanuel canceled, citing schedule changes. Former IBM executive and current City Chief of Technology, John Tolva, will speak in his place. Mayor 1% is running scared, hes afraid to face taxpayers after pushing to give our hard earned dollars to his buddies in the corporate world, says Rachael Perrotta, a member of the Occupy Chicago Press Committee. Corrupt politicians can run, but they cant hide from the Peoples Mic. They can expect their public appearances to be Occupied until they start serving the interests of the people. Occupy UIC Face Book Event: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/204690382939807/

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Occupy Chicago marked another tally in their "win" column after Mayor Rahm Emanuel canceled a planned appearance they had planned to protest on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus Friday. On Thursday, the university announced that Emanuel would not be lecturing as part of their "Future of Chicago" series as previously planned, and Occupy Chicago issued a press release claiming the cancellation as a "victory" over "Mayor 1%."

"'Mayor 1%' is running scared, he's afraid to face taxpayers after pushing to give our hard earned dollars to his buddies in the corporate world," Rachael Perrotta, an Occupy Chicago participant, said in a statement. "Corrupt politicians can run, but they cant hide from the People's Mic. They can expect their public appearances to be Occupied until they start serving the interests of the people."

The occupiers had planned to call Emanuel out for his support of extending tax breaks to corporations including Sears Holdings and the CME Group, as NBC Chicago reported. The tax break package stalled this week in Springfield, which the occupiers also took as a sign that a call-in campaign they'd conducted alongside other groups including SEIU, Make Wall Street Pay Illinois and Citizen-Action Illinois was successful.

The university, in an e-mail to its student body, stated that the mayor had to cancel his appearance "due to schedule changes." John Tolva, the city's chief technology officer and a former IBM executive, was scheduled to speak in his place, a lecture which occupiers also planned to protest. The university says Emanuel has agreed to reschedule the appearance for next year. The UIC protest was not have been occupiers' first skirmish with the mayor. Last Week, Occupy Chicago protesters "mic-checked" the mayor as he delivered brief remarks at he opening of the "Lightscape: A Multisensory Experience" holiday display in the city's Loop. The group was in the midst of marching to City Hall to deliver a petition to Emanuel, asking for a 24-hour location where they can assemble for demonstrations. They also want to see previous charges against arrested occupiers dropped. The mayor has previously described the Occupy Chicago protesters' frustrations as "understandable" but was quick to add that he did not agree with the movement's solutions. In other Occupy Chicago updates, the group's "Occupy the Hood" arm joined the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign in a press conference discussing efforts to fight the foreclosure and tenant eviction of a home on the city's Southwest Side. The groups are planning actions later this month as part of a "Home For The Holidays" campaign. "This is a diverse and city-wide coalition and we won't sit still while the banks destroy our communities," Occupy the Hood Chicago representative Loren Taylor said in a news release. "This is what occupation of our neighborhoods will look like." Elsewhere in the city, Occupy Chicago is also preparing for their first overnight encampment Sunday at the New Beginnings Church, located at 6620 S. King Drive, where Pastor Corey Brooks has been occupying the roof of the South Side church to protest violence in the area. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/occupy-chicago-claims vic_n_1126100.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

Occupy Chicago Claims Victory After Rahm Emanuel Cancels UIC Appearance They Planned To Protest FirstPosted:12/02/1103:39PMETUpdated:12/02/1103:39PMET

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Occupy Chicago // OccupyChi.org MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: 773-417-6491, press@occupychi.org Press Conference Friday, January 27 ~ 1:30pm 500 W Cermak, Suite 700 Enter at 2147 S. Lumber

Occupy Chicago Moves into New Space, Organizes for Chicago Spring Press Conference to Highlight Area, Neighborhood, and Campus Occupations

Chicago 1/26 -- Occupy Chicago welcomes the media to our new space at 500 W. Cermak for a press conference on Friday, January 27, at 1:30pm. Speakers will include participants in Occupy Chicago, who will talk about our new home and our current and future organizing and goals. Members of Chicagos area Occupations will also attend to speak about the impact our new space will have on the citywide movement. In addition, representatives from Occupy our Homes, Occupy the Dream, and National Nurses United will speak. This event is an opportunity for the press to view our space and interview local Occupiers and our allies. Please note, the press is only welcome in the Occupy Chicago space when invited for a special event, such as this press conference.

Occupy Chicago moved into two units at 500 W Cermak on Friday, January 20th. These units, 3,100 and 2,489 square feet respectively, will be used for meetings, events, creating art and music, educational teach-ins, generating literature and materials, and General Assemblies. The space will not be used for sleeping, or as a point to rally at or march from.

Having a centrally located hub for the movement will greatly enhance communication and collaboration between Occupations in Illinois and around the region, says Micah Philbrook, Occupy Chicago committee member. The space will facilitate more effective organizing, bigger events, and broader public outreach.

The choice to move to an indoor space was prompted primarily by Chicagos harsh winters. Occupy Chicago is an open, inclusive movement, dedicated to accessibility. While we will maintain a presence at Jackson & LaSalle, we believe furthering our organizing at the community, citywide, national, and international levels can best happen in a safe, warm environment.

Occupy Chicago has issued an international call to Action for April 7, 2012. The date will serve as a rallying point for Occupations to take to the streets and reinvigorate for a Spring full of action and movement building.

Occupy Chicago has formed a working group to organize actions and events during the summits in Chicago this May. Occupiers and other concerned individuals are expected to arrive by the tens of thousands to speak out against the war and poverty spread by NATO and the G8.

Occupy Chicago knows that the First Amendment is our permit to organize and protest. We will not heed Mayor 1%s call to sit down and shut up, says Rachael Perrotta, a participant in Occupy Chicago. Get ready for the Chicago Spring. Come to our new space and be part of our movement. Our General Assemblies are at 7pm on Mon, Wed, Fri, and Sat at 500 W. Cermak, room 700. Together, we can remind our elected officials who hired them, and fight to get big money and corporate influence out of politics.

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ProgressIllinois http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2012/01/30/look-occupy-chicagos-new-office-space David Milton Brent Monday January 30th, 2012, 3:49pm A movement that began in the streets has graduated to 5,500 feet of Pilsen loft space.

This past week, Occupy Chicago officially moved into its new home off Cermak Road, just south of the loop. The organization will now legally occupy two units of converted loft space, which include bathrooms and kitchens as well as stunning views of the surrounding industrial corridor. The space will be used for meetings, events, creating art and music, educational teach-ins, generating literature and materials, and General Assemblies, according to the groups press release. It will not be a place for sleeping or rallying, common activities at the organizations former home on the downtown street corner of Jackson and LaSalle.

Members of the organization and its allies gathered in the new space on Friday to speak with the media about the importance of having a central location, as well as to publicize plans for various actions this spring. Over 25 local activists and organizers stood with signs and placards, while nearly that number of reporters and journalists wielded cameras, microphones, and pens to cover the event. In general, it will be Occupy Chicagos stated policy not to allow members of the media into the loft except for special events such as Fridays press conference.

Welcome to Chicago -- the real Chicago, Marissa Brown, a member of Occupy the Southside, told the group of visiting journalists.

Added Crystal Vance Guerra of Occupy el Barrio: We are not just downtown [anymore]. We are everywhere.

Speakers at the event represented nearly a dozen organizations and collectives, from Occupy outgrowths such as Occupy Rogers Park, Occupy the Dream, and Occupy Our Homes, to unions such as the National Nurses United (NNU) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), to organizations with more specific causes, like the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda (CANG8).

For too long, Chicago has been a city of neighborhoods divided, a city of causes divided...we [must] stand in solidarity with each other, said Max Farrar of Occupy Chicago.

Martese Chism, a registered nurse and member of NNU, echoed the call for solidary: We believe that either we go up together or we come down together. And we are not going down.

Occupy Chicagos decision to move into a permanent indoor space was motivated by practical as well as symbolic concerns.

Zoe Sigman, a member of the organizations Housing Committee, said members first began looking for a space back in November, when the coming of winter made meeting outside more difficult. There was a distinct lack of spaces for us to organize in downtown, said Sigman. We were having meetings in McDonalds and Panera. Though the new space is owned by Occupy Chicago (funds donated to the group pay for rent), the organization plans to use it as a central meeting place for its growing umbrella of related and affiliated organizations.

Having a centrally located hub for the movement will greatly enhance communication and collaboration between Occupations in Illinois and around the region, said Occupy Chicagos Micah Philbrook.

Evelyn DeHais, who is on the organizations Press Committee with Philbrook, said the space would also allow people to interact face to face in a safe environment. I think having a base of operations will really help people on a psychological level to feel comfortable, said DeHais. And she added, I think it will give [Occupy Chicago] some credibility as an organizing group.

Indeed, though the space met many practical needs, it was this sense of long-term legitimacy that seemed to inspire members of the expanding umbrella of Occupy organizations. For Marissa Brown, the move into the loft proved that we are not only mature, logical, and unified people, but we are also here to stay.

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Occupy the Midwest // Occupythemidwest.org MEDIA ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: (314) 827-5048, occupythemidwest.press@gmail.com

Meet Me in St. Louis: Occupy the Midwest Regional Conference March 15 to 18, St. Louis, MO

ST. LOUIS 2/13/12 The General Assembly of Occupy St. Louis invites Occupiers, allied organizations, and individuals from across the country to gather at the Midwest Regional Conference in order to share knowledge, experience, and resources, and to express solidarity. We feel that connecting with each other is a vital step in elevating our movement to the next level, the General Assembly of Occupy St. Louis said in a statement. No single Occupying group can take on a task of this size alone. Our strength is in unity and in unity we will find our strength. The first Midwest General Assembly will gather under the Gateway Arch at 7 pm on March 15th, 2012. We do so in direct recognition of all who have lost their homes and livelihoods to corporate and political mismanagement. The site under the Arch had previously been used as low income and working family housing. It was taken forcefully from these families in order to build the monument. The conference will take place March 15th to 18th. In commemoration of the six-month anniversary of the Occupy Movement, conference participants will stage a non-violent direct action in celebration and remembrance of the Occupation at Zuccotti park. A peaceful, non-violent demonstration is being planned as well.

The objectives of this gathering are to: Establish regional communication avenues to organize actions and the sharing of resources. Share best practices and learn from each other on how we can be more effective in individual Occupations. Establish a Midwest General Assembly available to help any city in our region create direct actions, expand movement participation, and achieve solidarity. Establish systems by which to communicate effectively and efficiently, and act in solidarity both regionally and nationally. The Occupy movement has forced a global shift in consciousness, making income inequality and corporate malfeasance standard dinner table conversation, says A.J. Segneri, who participates in Occupy Springfield, Illinois. The top 1% own 42% of American wealth, strangling our democracy, buying our politicians, and making it almost impossible for ordinary working people to feed and shelter their families. We are focused on real change. Events like this conference will strengthen our movement, improving our coordination and communication. The conference will feature teach-ins, networking sessions, and protests, as well as social gatherings with live music. To donate funds or materials for this event: Online: Visit https://www.wepay.com/donations/occupy-the-midwest By Check: Make out to Keith Rose or Katherine Powderly, mail to P.O. Box 668 St. Louis MO 63188 (please put Occupy Midwest in memo line) Material Donations: Contact occupythemidwest@gmail.com Regional working groups have formed to organize specific aspects of the event, with volunteers from Midwest Occupations taking part in the planning. This conference has been endorsed by: Occupy Cedar Valley (IA), Occupy Chicago, Occupy Columbia (MO), Occupy Des Moines, Occupy Madison, Occupy Milwaukee, Occupy Minneapolis, Occupy Oklahoma, Occupy Riverwest (WI), Occupy St. Louis, Occupy South Bend (IN), Occupy Springfield (IL), and Occupy Springfield (MO) Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/264828373580309/

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By JIM SALTER | Associated Press pantagraph.com | Posted: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 2:02 pm ST. LOUIS Organizers of Occupy protests around the Midwest will gather next month in St. Louis, pledging to emerge from a winter lull as a bigger and stronger force. Occupy Midwest Regional Conference will start with a gathering at 7 p.m. March 15 beneath the Gateway Arch, organizer Chuck Witthaus said Tuesday. A mass occupation will continue through March 18, but not on the Arch grounds. Organizers arent disclosing the location. Witthaus, of St. Louis, said peaceful protests are also planned, but he declined to discuss details. Occupy movement supporters from about a dozen cities in seven states Missouri, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma, Minnesota and Wisconsin have confirmed they will attend. Participants in nearly 20 other cities may also be there, Witthaus said. He projected that up to 3,000 people will participate. Another organizer, Rachael Perrotta of Occupy Chicago, said the conference will build stronger ties between the various Occupy movements and allow for better coordination of regional and national protests and commemorations. In order to move forward we need to build stronger ties between occupations, and between occupations and their allies, Perrotta said. The Occupy movement began in September in New York and spread to dozens of cities with protests some drawing thousands of participants and tent cities. Protesters cite concerns about economic issues, particularly high corporate profits and income inequality. At the peak of the fall protests, more than 100 tents were set up in Kiener Plaza, a downtown St. Louis park. One rally, a march to a Mississippi River bridge, drew more than 1,000 participants here. But police in many cities shut down encampments late last year. There have been scattered protests over the winter, but with mixed results. Just four people showed up for a planned protest last month at St. Louis City Hall. Perrotta said protesters arent as visible during winter but have been preparing for a busy spring. In terms of massive physical actions, theres been a winter lull, but every occupation I know has been organizing like crazy, getting ground work done to do actions in the spring, Perrotta said. When spring begins I think youll see us back bigger and stronger than ever. Occupiers in St. Louis came up with the idea for the conference, which Witthaus said will allow for a re-emergence for the whole Midwest. It wasnt immediately clear just how close to the Arch the protesters will be allowed to gather. Ann Honious of the National Park Service, which operates the monument on the St. Louis riverfront, said a permit required for gatherings and protests. The gathering will likely be in a designated area on the sprawling Arch grounds, not directly beneath the structure. We would need to talk to them because most of our areas dont hold that many people, Honious said. Read more: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/occupy-midwest-regional-conference-set/article_290044f2-5747-11e1-8770-001871e3ce6c.html#ixzz1oTPDf54l

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OCCUPY CHICAGO PRESS RELEASE REQUEST FORM This form is to help organize the writing and timely release of press announcements and releases. Please do your best to have this formed filled out correctly and sent to the press committee at press@occupychi.org NO LATER THAN 5 DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT. This is important to ensure enough time to write, vote on, and edit our releases. More notice also means more time to spread the word. POINT OF CONTACT Name: Profession/Title: Email: Phone: Has this event been approved by the GA? Is this event on the Occupy Chicago Calendar? Is there a Face Book page for this event? WHO: What committees and/or organizations are involved? WHAT: What will be taking place during this event? WHERE: The address of the events location? WHEN: What time does the event start, and when does it end? WHY: Why is this event being held? EXTRA: Anything additional about the event not covered above

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Occupy Chicago Press Release Request Guidelines & FAQ

1. What is a press release used for? Occupy Chicago uses press releases to invite the media to events. They can also be used to inform the media of issues and stories we would like to see covered, or to update them on issues we are working on.

2. What are the Occupy Chicago rules and process for sending out releases? Occupy Chicago only sends out a press release for events that are formally endorsed or approved by the GA, and listed on the official Occupy Chicago calendar. We ask that Committees and event organizers send us a press release request form at least five days in advance.

Exceptions to the five-day lead will be considered depending on the circumstance, with a hard deadline of 48- hours notice. No releases will be sent out for events not on the calendar 48-hours before they are to occur, except in emergency situations. However, we are more than willing to help write content for social media events and calls to action, no matter the time frame. Internally, we write and edit over our listserv, and require three approvals inside our Committee to send a release to the media. To publish a release or call to action to the front page of the web site, we need three additional approvals from other Committees as well.

3. When should a release be sent out? The media should be invited to well-planned events that are newsworthy. For actions or protests, this can include big numbers, flashy signs & banners, interesting street theater, or to highlight our solidarity with a union or community organization. Other events that may be release-worthy include special workshops or educational conferences, fundraisers, and internal events (like special GAs, 100th day of Occupation, etc). If we invite the media to an event, they should be able to walk away with the visual elements they need to put together a good story.

4. When is sending out a release questionable? If an action or event is planned at the last minute, there may not be enough time for promotions and decent turnout. Some actions, like mic checks, work great with small numbers and quick planning. Small numbers can make a newsworthy protest, as long as there are strong visual elements, like costumes, or die-ins with fake blood, or arrests. We want to stay away from sending out releases about 15-person single-issue protests, with people in every-day clothes carrying signs. As an alternative to pre-event releases for these types of events, you can request that a post-event release be sent to the media. For this option, we still need advance notice of 5 days in most situations, and the event organizer will need to coordinate video/photo coverage of the action, ideally working with OC Visual Media.

5. What is an emergency situation? The Press Committee will work with event organizers to get info to the media about emergency situations and events. Emergency situations include actions where police violence looks imminent. The media may not have been invited to these actions, or may have already left. In these cases, please call the press hotline at 773- 417-6491 and we will do everything we can to get cameras out right away. Emergency actions can include solidarity actions when other Occupations are attacked, responses to big events in Chicago, and late notice of appearances by mic check targets. Actions that do not fall under these or similar categories will not be considered for press releases less than 48 hours before the event.

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5. Sending your Press Release YourreleaseshouldbesentfromyouOccupationspressteamemailaccount.Youshouldneversendanemailtomorethan200addressesatonetime,oryouwillbemarkedasaspammer.Ifyoumedialistisbig,makesuretobreakitupintotwoorthreeemails.IntheTo:field,puttheemailaddressforyourpressteamIntheBCC:field,puttheemailaddressesofthemediaoutlets(Youcancopythewholecolumnfromyourspreadsheet,pasteitintotheBCCfield,andhitTAB)IntheSubject:line,trytoincludethedate,time,andlocationofyouraction.(ie.Tues2/28,4pmEndSuppressionofOccupyMovement!Jackson&LaSalle)Inthebodyofyouremail,pasteyourreleaseasplaintext.Somemediaoutletsblockattachmentsandimages.Manyreportersaretoobusy/lazytoopenanattachment.Plaintextisntflashy,butyoucanbesureitwillgetthrough.Thebesttimetosendareleaseisearlyinthemorning,justasreportersandeditorsaregettingtowork.Thiswillputyouatthetopoftheirinboxes.

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6. Making Follow-Up Calls Afteryousendyourrelease,youshouldcallthroughyourlisttomakesureitwasseen.Placeacalltothenumbersyoucollectedonyourmedialist.Youshouldaskforthecontactyousenttheemailto,orifyousentittoageneralnewsaddress,askfor:NewspapersTheLocalorCityDeskWireservicesTheAssignmentDeskMagazinesTheNewsEditorTelevisionAssignmentDeskRadioTheNewsDeskYoucansaysomethinglike,Hi,thisisKatecallingfromOccupyChicagotomakesureyousawourreleaseaboutTuesdaysactioncallingforanendtotherepressionoftheOccupymovement.Trytokeepitasshortaspossible.Usecommonsenseforthetimingofyourcalls.Earlymorningisbest.YoushouldnevercallaTVorradiostationtocheckonareleaseclosetoorduringtheirnewsbroadcast.Youshouldnotcallnewspapersneartheendofthedaywhentheyareondeadlinetofinishupthenextdayspaper.Ifyourreleasewasreceived,sayGreat!Wehopetoseeyouthere,letusknowifyouhaveanyquestions.Ifnot,sayWhatisthebestemailaddresstosendthatreleaseto?

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7. Collecting Your Clips YouwillbeabletofindmostofyourclippingsusingGoogleNewsandYahooNews.Gotowww.google.comandputthenameofyourOccupationorgroupintothesearchbox.SelectNewsasthetypeofsearch,chosepastdayorpasthourdependingonwhenyoulastsearched,andclicksortbydatetomakesureyoureseeingarticlesastheyappeared.YoucanalsosetupagooglealertforyourOccupationthatwillforwardallofyournewsarticlestoyouremailaccount.Otherwaystosearchforclipsincludesearchingforyourtownsnameandthewordsprotest,demonstration,orarrests.TrythesamesearchonYahoonews,whichsometimesturnsupdifferentarticlesthangoogle,notablySpanishlanguagepress.NotallTVclipsmakeittogooglerightaway.Tosearchforthose,gotothewebsiteforeachoutletandputyourOccupationsnameinthesearchboxorlookaroundonthefrontpagesofthesite.Onceyouvefoundyourclips,postthemtoyourfacebookpageandtweetthem.Ifyougetcoverageofaneventoractionbeforeitstarts,itcanhelpgetpeopleexcitedanddrivethemoutfortheevent.Keeparecordofthereporterandoutletthatcoveredyou.Ifthereportersemailaddressisincludedinthearticle,addthemtoyourmedialist.

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8. Messaging and Talking Points Whenyouthinkaboutmessagingtothemedia,askyourselfwhatthemostimportantideasbehindanactionoreventare.Trytoputtheseintoonesentenceeach,andrepeatthemasmanytimesaspossiblewhenspeakingtoreporters.TakealookattheTVnews.Noonereallygetsmorethantwosentencesout.Innewspapers,youreluckytogetaparagraphofyourinterviewquoted.Pressrelationsisallaboutcontrollingyourmessage.Ifyoukeepthingsshortandsimple,themediahasabetterchanceofreportingtheinformationthatisimportanttoyourOccupation.Ifyouspeakatlength,youaremorelikelytohavelessimportantinfobroadcasted,ortohaveyourwordscutinawaythatmaydetractfromyouroriginalmessage.FollowingisanexampleofthemessagingandtalkingpointsusedbyOccupyChicagoatthebeginningofourOccupation.YoushouldconstantlyupdateyourtalkingpointsastheissuesyourOccupationfaceschange.Inaddition,youllfindsomeworksheetsandtipsonmessaging.

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OccupyChicagoPressTeamTalkingPointsFall2011Thesetalkingpointswerecompiledwithinputfromatleasttwelvemembersofthepresscommittee.Thereisnotspacetouseeverywordeverypersonsaidorwrote,butthe*is*somethinginherefromeveryone.TheyARENOT:TheofficialwordofOccupyChicagoTheonlythingspeopleshouldbesayingtothepressFinished.Thisisaworkinprogress!TheyARE:Areferenceforanyonewhowouldliketospeaktothepress,oranyoneelse,aboutOccupyChicago.Adaptthemforyourownuse.Usefulwhenwritingpressreleases,pamphlets,facebookposts,tweetsandothercommunicationsA.WhatisOccupyChicagoallabout?1.Itsaboutbuildingcommunity.Werecreatingaforumfordiscussion,wheregrievancescanbeaired,engaginginthekindofconstructivedebatethatnolongertakesplaceinpolitics,orinthemedia.Thepeopleofthisnationhavemuchmoreincommonwitheachother,thanwedowithourleaders.2.Itsabouthope,inanoncampaignkindofway.Wehavenopoliticalagenda.Werenotalllikemindedpeople,butwehavecometogethertosolveacommonproblem.WebelievewecanturnAmericaintoarealdemocracy,wherepeoplehavepower,notpoliticiansandcorporations.3.Itsaboutdiversity.Wecomefromavarietyofsocial,ethnic,political,andreligionsbackgrounds.Weseeacommonroadblock,thatthewealthiest1%controlsmorethanhalfourwealth,usingittoinfluencethedemocraticprocessandthemedia.Thatisnotrealdemocracy.4.Itsaboutequality.Weresayingthat,justbecauseyouhavemoremoneythansomeoneelse,doesntmeanyoushouldhavemoreofasayinthepoliticalprocess.B.WhatisthegoaloftheOccupationmovement?1.Itsaboutfindingsolutions.Wedonthaveavoiceinourcurrentpoliticalstructure,sowehavetakentothestreets,occupyingmorethan1,000citiesaroundtheworld.Wearebeginningaconversationabouthowtoputpowerbackinthehandsofordinarypeople,takingitawayfromcorruptpoliticiansandcorporations.Together,wewillcreateanewsystem,builtonsocialandeconomicequality.

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2.Thismovementisonlyamonthold.Rightnow,weareopeningupconversationswithpeopleofdiversebackgrounds,allaroundthecountry.Giveustime,andwewillgiveyousolutions.C.WhatistheorganizingstructureofOccupyChicago?1.Tobestchanneltalents,wehaveorganizedourselvesintocomities,includingPress,ArtsandRecreation,andOutreach.Comitiesareempoweredtomakedecisionsonquestionsthatfallundertheirareaofinterest.Bigquestionsthateffectthewholemovementareputtotwicedailygeneralassemblies,andvotedonby9/10consensus.Thisisanonhigherarchial,flatlinesystemwhereeveryoneisabletoparticipateattheleveltheywouldliketo.2.Recently,acallcamefromPennsylvania,askingforanassemblyofrepresentativesfromeachOccupation.Thismovementwillorganizeitselfinanopen,directlydemocraticway,creatinganewsystembaseoneconomicandsocialequality.3.Wearenotaleaderlessmovement,butamovementofleaders.Ourorganizingisfun,open,inclusive,lifeaffirming,andhopeful!4.Protestscanbeintimidating,andsomepeoplemaybereluctanttojoinin.Wearecreatingamovementthatisacommunity,witha24houradaypresence.Anyonecanparticipatebydroppingby,helpingspreadourideasthroughwordofmouthorontheinternet,orcallingonelectedofficialstorespectourrightstofreespeechandassembly.D.WhatisOccupyChicagosrelationshipwiththepolice?Aretheypartofthe99%?1.Thepolicearepartofthe99%,andwereheretoprotecttheirpension,justasmuchaswearehereforworkersintheteachersunion.Werecognizethatthepolicehavetoenforcecitypoliciesorlosetheirjobs.2.Thepolicearepartofthe99%.Theyareaffectedbycostcuttingmeasures,andtheirpensionsarethreatened.Everypoliceofficerhasfamilyandfriendswhohavelosttheirhomesandjobs,whoarestrugglingwithstudentloansandcreditcarddebt.3.Weareexercisingourconstitutionalrightstoassemble,andtoaddressourgrievances.WeasktheChicagoPoliceDepartmenttoallowustodothatinadirectlydemocraticway.4.InourinteractionswiththeChicagoPoliceDepartment,wehavebeenkind,courteous,andrespectful.Weareanonviolentmovement.

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E.Whyareyou,personally,participatinginOccupyChicago?1.Imastudent.WhenIgraduate,Illbegoingintotheworstjobmarketindecades,andIprobablywontearnenoughtoliveonwhilepayingmystudentloans.2.Thiscountryisworthfightingfor,andourfuturedependsonrestructuringoursocietytowardseconomicjustice.Withoutitweriskbecomingathirdworldcountry.3.AtOccupyChicago,peoplearestrivingtobetheirbestselves,andareengaginginopen,constructive,thoughtfuldebate.Thisistheonlywaytofindademocraticsolutiontotheproblemsourcountryfaces.4.Ibelievethatrealculturalchangecanhappen,thatIcanhelpmakethiscountryabetterplaceformychildren.5.Thisisanimportantstepforward.Peoplearecomingtogether,gettingtheirvoicesheard,andcreatingatrulydemocraticmovement.Sinceweareleaderless,weattractpeopleofallopinionsandpoliticalbeliefs.F.WhatisOccupyChicagosrelationshipwithOrganizedLabor?1.Unionsfoughthardtosecureworkersrights.Weareregressing,workingmorehoursforlesspay,withcutsinbenefitsandpensions.2.Wewelcomesupportfromallworkersmovements.AnumberofUnionsofficiallyendorseOccupyChicago,manyhavehelpedusbyspreadingourmessagetotheirmembers,andcountlessindividualsfromorganizedlaborhavejoinedourdemonstrations.G.IsOccupyChicagoworkingwiththeMayorsOffice?1.Aftercarefuldeliberation,OccupyChicagofeelsthat,whilechargesarependingagainstChicagoansarrestedatourdemonstration,itsnotinourinteresttohaveanopendiscussionwiththeMayorsoffice.WehaveaGeneralAssemblyopentothepubliceveryevening,includingtheMajorandhisstaff.H.OnOurRighttoDemonstrate1.Thereisntanasteriskinthefirstamendment,whereitsaysfreedomofassemblyaslongasitsconvenient.Wearenonviolent,andhavearighttoairourgrievances.I.OneLiners:1.Wearethe99%

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2.YOUarenotalone.YOUcanmakeadifference.YOUhavethepowertoaffectchange.YOUarethe99%.3.Wearenotaleaderlessmovement,weareamovementofleaders4.TheOccupymovementisanonviolent,andwearedeterminedtodemonstratepeacefully.5.Weareagainstcorporateabuseofthepoliticalsystem.6.Americandemocracybeganasanexperiment,anditstimeforanewone.

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9. Training Speakers and Giving Interviews Thebestwaytogetgoodatinterviewsistopractice!Trytolearnyourtalkingpointsandmainmessagesbyheart.Practicewitheachother,switchingoffbetweenreporterandinterviewee.Thenumberone,mostkeythingtorememberisthatyoudontneedtoanswerthequestionareporterasksyou.99%ofthetime,youwontbeonalivenewsbroadcast,andyoucangetawaywiththrowingoutatalkingpointinresponsetoatrickyorhostilequestion.Ifareporterisgettinghostilewithyou,neverbeafraidtoendaninterview.Simplysay,Thankyou,thatsallthetimeIhavefortoday.Pleasesubmitanyfurtherquestionsviaemail.Whenyougiveaninterview,makesuretogetcontactinformationfromthereporterandaddthemtoyourmedialist. 10. Managing Interview Requests Youshouldtrytorespondtocallsandemailsfromreportersasquicklyasyoucan.Evenifyourenotsurewhoisgoingtotaketheinterview,getbacktothereporterrightawayandaskthemwhattheirdeadlineistospeakwithsomeone.Trytospreadinterviewsaroundasmuchasyoucan,withtheunderstandingthatthosewhotakethemshouldhavepracticedtheirtalkingpointsanddonesomepracticeinterviewswithotherOccupiers.

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10. Setting up a Press Conference Apressconferenceshouldbeheldwhenyouhavebignewstoannounce,orbeforeamajordayofaction.Asfarasbasicorganizinggoes,youllneedto:1.Pickyourspeakers,andanemcee.Youshouldtrytokeepthelistasshortaspossible.Remember,themorewordsyougivethepress,themoreeasilytheycandistortyourmessage.Trytostickwiththreeorfourspeakerswhotalkfornomorethanthreeminuteseach.Makesureeachpersonknowsthethemeoftheirspeech,andbesurespeakersarenotrepeatingeachother.Whenworkingwithalliesoracoalitiononadayofaction,youmayfeelpressuretoallowaspeakerfromeachgroup.Instead,findspeakerswhocanrepresenttheinterestsofseveralgroupsinyouraction.Forexample,apressconferencebeforeamassactionmightfeatureoneunionmember,onestudentactivist,oneOccupier,andonerepresentativefromacommunitygroup.2.Pickalocation.Youllwanttobesurethereisroomforthemediaandtheirequipment,aswellasyourspeakersorsupporters.Ifyouaregoingtohaveitoutdoors,thinkaboutprovidingsomekindofshelterforreportersandtheirequipmentincaseofbadweather.3.Pickadayandtime.Keepthemediacycleinmind.IfyouwanttomaketheafternoonandeveningTVnews,youshouldhaveyourconferenceonaweekday,nolaterthan2pm.4.Providevisuals.Italwayslooksgoodtohaveacrowdofsupportersstandinginasemicirclebehindyourspeakers.Bringingsignsandbannersthatwillbefeaturedatyouractionisaplus.Beforetheformaleventstarts,youcandosomechanting,drumming,andmiccheckstogivetheTVcamerastheBrollimagestheyneedtomakeagreatstory.5.Sendareleasetothemediaaboutyourpressconference.SeepageXXforasample.Besuretopassoutcopiesofyourreleaseatthepressconferenceitself.6.Createamediasigninsheetandpickapersontomakesureallmembersofthepresswhoattendtheconferenceaddtheirinformationtoit.Later,youcanaddthesepeopletoyourmedialist.

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PressConferenceScriptHaveyoursupportersandspeakersarriveahalfhourbeforeyouinvitethemediasoyoucangetthingssetupandtakecareofanylastminuteproblems.Supporters,emceeandspeakersarestandinginasemicircleEmceestepstothefront:Emcee:Wewillbeginnow.Wehavefourspeakerstoday,eachwillspeakforthreeminutes.Pleaseholdallquestionuntiltheend.OurfirstspeakerwillbeMarkFair,thatsMARKFAIR(sayandspellname)fromtheOccupyChicagoLaborCommittee.Emceestepsback,MarkstepsforwardHi,ImMarkFairfromtheOccupyChicagoLaborCommittee...etcMarkstepsback,emceestepsupNextis...etcAfterthelastspeaker,theemceestepsbackuptothefrontNowwewilltakequestions.PleaseraiseyourhandandIwillcallonyou.Youmayaddressyourquestionstoanyofourspeakers.Allowthreeorfourquestions,thentheemceeannouncesthatthepressconferenceisover.

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11. Interacting with Reporters at Events and Actions ThejobofagoodPRpersonistohelpreportersgetgreatstories.Ataneventoraction,thiscaninclude:1)Haveateamofpeoplereadywhoarewillingtotalktothemedia.Knowtheirbackgroundssoyoucanofferreportersdiversevoices.Atleastonepersonshouldbestrictlyfocusedonhandlingreporters.2)Greeteachreporterorcamerapersonwhentheyarrive,identifyyourselfasamemberofOccupyXX,handthemapressreleaseaboutthedaysaction,andaskiftheywouldlikeaninterview.Often,camerapeoplewillarrivewithoutananchor.Askthemifyoucangiveafewstatementstothecamera,evenifthereisnoonetoaskyouquestions.Thisisagreatopportunitytopulloutyourfavoritetalkingpoints.3)Afteryougiveashortinterview,askthereporteroftheywouldliketospeaktoanyoneelse,orifthereisaparticulartypeofpersontheywanttotalkto.Forexample,theymightwanttospeaktoaparent,officeworker,unionmember,student,etc.4)Collectcontactinformationfromeachreporterthereandtellthemyouwillkeepthemupdatedonyourmovement.Keeptrackofcamerapeoplewhoshowupwithoutreporters,aswell,soyoucanfollowupwiththestationsnewsdesktoseeiftheyneedanyadditionalinformationtoruntapeofyouraction.5)Iftheweatherisbad,holdanumbrellaoverthereportersastheytakenotes.