I have some great news about a project we’re working on that we believe has the potential to become a major player in the online media realm. I’ll tell you about the project, along with ways you can get involved shortly. First, I want to talk about the path we took to lead us to this project.
For those who do not know, Ken Marrero and I have been deeply involved in content websites for many years. In fact, before I got in to politics I independently managed travel websites. At the same time, I was also doing online marketing for a major US Bank.
The combination of these two efforts dealt me a wealth of experience in running content oriented web portals. In 2007 and 2008, I was a privately contracted consultant for one of the largest wiki projects outside of Wikipedia itself. During this time I also worked with a blog hosting site that at one point had almost 300 fully active blogs/bloggers.
In 2008 I also developed the foundation work for NewsPlatoon, a project that was aimed at setting up state based news sites. This project provided me with a painful lesson in the requirements of running a large scale, high content web portal.
My point here is that we’ve had a great deal of experience in this realm. We’ve worked on major projects that were successful beyond our wildest imagination (the wiki project, for example, had more than a million and a half visits on election day alone!). But we’ve also worked on some difficult projects that ultimately failed.
But we learned. We learned what works and what doesn’t. We learned about different structure, different models, different systems, etc. We learned what to do vs. what not to do.
Now that the American Liberty Alliance can proudly claim tens of thousands of members, the Tea Party Movement is in full swing, and the liberty movement in general is looking for immediate action, we’re ready to roll out the final version of what we see as the next logical step for us.
Online Media News Hubs
There is no question that our side is “catching up” when it comes to online media and news outlets. For example, you have HotAir.com and Michelle Malkin dominating the blogosphere with daily doses of everything that’s hot. We have RedState.com with its high impact, high response rate community of center-right activists. We have the guys over at TheNextRight.com putting together more strategic thoughts and updates.
When it comes to blogs, our side has far more of them. And we’re quickly catching up on the readership. The only thing that seems to be missing as a comprehensive gathering spot for all the news.
I mean, I despise a lot of what is written at Huffington Post. But the reality is… they’re good at it. They cover very wide ranges of topics and they cover them well.
On our side you need to visit a good ten sites in the morning to get the full web digest. On their side you just go to Huffington Post and you know about everything that’s happening.
Our News Project
There is no point in trying to hide it… we’re going to give it a go. We’re going to pool our collective experience, build an editorial team that can put together a content army. We’re going to release our own “movement” minded news portal.
The site will be a little more “independent” with its branding. We’re not going to be red this or conservative that. We’re just going to go float the daily news and make it as user friendly as possible.
Project 73
We’re not really ready to go public with this project just yet. We have the branding, we have the domains, we’re already coding and working on the site, but we aren’t ready to release it to the world. So for now, we’ll just refer to it as “Project 73.”
Now in order to make this work, we’re going to have to build a brigade of citizen journalists. More than 350 of our members checked the “I want to blog” option when registering, so we know we have a lot of folks who are looking to generate some news.
This is good. Because we need you. All of you.
Citizen journalism is beating down biased, liberal media every day. We’ve got a ton of citizen journalists on our side. Now it’s time to put a call out for us to unify and begin working as a team.
We’re hoping that Project 73 can help with this.
Editorial Team
We’re currently working on putting together an editorial team to manage the day to day operations of the site and keep an eye on the content that hits our front page. This will be lead by a “Managing Team” that will act as the Site Admins and Chief Editors.
Under this team will be a group of category editors/leaders. The following are the categories we’re going to be implementing right out of the gate.
-Breaking News
-Hot/Featured
-Weekly Opinion Columns
-Daily News
-Politics
-Entertainment
-Sports
-Video (daily vids)
-Special Reports
-TV (team vlogging)
If you can commit an hour a day and want to get in on the ground level of a potentially big project for the liberty movement, we want to hear from you. If you see a category you might like to edit, please contact us ASAP.
(eric@americanlibertyalliance.com)
Bloggers/Citizen Journalist Wanted
Of course, we’re going to need as many citizen journalists as possible to work under these categories. If you’re ready to start playing a bigger role in the movement, if you’re ready to change the online environment for the better, if you’re ready to help us confront this left wing attack on our way of life, you need to join our team.
All bloggers/writers are required to submit two posts per week (minimum). There is a revenue sharing system in place that will help you earn revenue on the posts you get published. The more content you get published, and the more views it receives, the higher your chances will be that you can actually make some money from this as well.
It’s time to take control of our country. It’s time to take control of the information being passed around. It’s time to take control of our future.
The time is now.
Stay tuned for more news on Project 73.
For Liberty,
-Eric Odom
IMPORTANT NOTE TO THE SOCK PUPPETS AND TROLLS: Every day I spend time wading through silly “Astroturf” comments. This charge is old and worn out. Not a single person involved with our organization, or any tea party movement related organization for that matter, is profiting off of the movement. To assert such shows your clear ignorance of fact and reality.
Instead of a pitiful attempt to shoot the messenger, perhaps you should attempt to apply your energy towards addressing the message? I mean, here we are talking about a totally people powered news project with absolutely no funding, yet you fail to mention the fact that HuffPo got well over $10 MILLION to kick its operation in to gear.
Seriously… give it a rest. And no, your Astroturf comments will not be approved.
Eric Odom
Eric Odom is Executive Director and Co-Founder of the American Liberty Alliance. Eric is a libertarian minded, free-market activist. His profession is web strategy and online community development.
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I’m in.
I’m interested but not certain of what role to play. I’m a writer, am publishing a Tea Party book and am decent at editing. I don’t know if I can do the type of writing you’re looking for but would like to stay in the discussion to see what develops.
Hi Eric! Met you at the rally we put on for you guys in Loveland, Co!
Stephanie,
Northern Colorado Tea Party
does not surprise me, we need a tax revolt, among other things
Not if you’ve gone “Through The Looking Glass” which Washington DC has clearly done.
Eric,
I’d like to contribute, but I don’t want to be paid. You can go to my preservationofliberty.com site as well as Google Guy Pacot Summit Daily News for my local letters to the editor.
Guy
Stephanie, Jane and Guy… you’ve all been added to the invite list and you’ll get an email tomorrow with call details.
Thanks,
-Eric
We are moving from Mike Honda’s district in CA to Barney Franks’ in MA for professional reasons, should be able to contribute in a minor way by mid-October. How do I start?
I would be interested in editing weekly opinion columns or politics. I have two blogs, one for business and one for conservative dissent. Living in an extremely liberal community in Ohio, my views are widely known. My verbal jousting with local liberal politicians is expected and detested. The local leader of the Democrat Party accuses me of being left of Attila the Hun. I’d like to get involved, as I already spend a few hours a day on various conservative forums. My frustration is reading the opinions of like-minded patriots, who merely howl without taking some action. As an author of two novels, I’m ready to write for this worthy cause.
Don’t forget PJTV. They are great!
I’m interested in political blogging. I’m already posting several stories a week on my personal blog. Are there specific requirements for the posts, such as length?
Eric & Ken,
Count me in! Hopefully I can provide some assistance to your efforts.
Derrick
I also get most of what I need by following InstaPundit. Also, you should consider adding a Sports category. Just list the scores and any major issues that might be of interest to conservatives and libertarians.
I happen to believe that many liberal newspapers are kept alive by their sports sections. Some conservatives even subscribe to liberal rags just because of their sports coverage.
I’m in and very excited about this opportunity.
Count me in. I am fed up with the bias of the former mainstream media. I even canceled my newspaper after 29 years and told them that when they could “report” the news, I might consider resubscribing.
I’m interested. Blogging/Editorials. Anything you need help with.
Eric,
I didn’t see anyone addressing a “military viewpoint” – I think it would be interesting to have it as a weekly feature. There are many great milblogs out there, but perhaps, you would want a blogger of your own?
Those of us in the military carry a unique burden with the current regime in charge, and our public protest options are somewhat limited. We can, however, blog.
Just my 2 cents…
Colleen
I am a Newsvine blogger I will gladly assist in any way I can please advise my Newsvine blog is under my pen name, B. Blythe III
I just replied to the email, Eric. I’d love to help however I can. As I said in my email, I’d love to be a writer/blogger and possibly an editor for the video category. I look forward to the conf. call!
Everyone has been added to the list. We already have more than 50 RSVP’s for the conference call and it will max out at about 100. Please let us know ASAP if you wish to attend and be a part of the call.
With regards to a Sports section… I think we can handle that.
I am in Eric….
You should offer LOCAL sections like Huff does (ie. Denver, etc). That is one of the best parts of their site.
Eric,
I am the founder and front man for the Acadiana Tea Party in Lafayette, La. I am not a professional writer but I do have a few contacts in this area who would love to (possibly rotating) submit writings for print considerations. Tell me what you need to move forward, or who I/they should contact. Also, on a side note, I am working to increase public awareness on a specific issue of prime importance and could use the kind of reach your “Project 73″ might bring to bear. I am therefore looking forward to what you guys get put together. Best of luck to all of you.
Glenn
Tricia!!! Long time no type!
I hope you aren’t too upset about our Bears sending your Steelers a bit of a beating last week?
Anyway… I added you to the list.
@Colleen I think that’s a great idea and probably something we can work in to the mix.
Eric,
I would appreciate having a writing roll on this project. Count me in sir!
Let me know as to the requirements of the articles or oppinion pieces. I look forward to hearing from you. I am currently very active generating awareness of the issues on a state and national level.
Sincerely,
Chris Thiele
Eric,
I’ve no experience in professional editing or writing and have never blogged until just recently. Our local tea party (Blue Ridge Patriots) in Martinsburg, WV has set up a .ning page. I’ve been submitting letters to our local newspaper, written our congressmen & women, called their offices, marched in local rallies, etc. My new goal is to start meeting the seniors in two local senior apartment complexes and make sure they’re aware of the dangers this administration poses from public gov’t run HealthCare to changing our constitution, and everything in between. I plan on getting those who are not registered – registered and to the polls in 2010. Guess that I might fit into the Blogger category. Please count me in.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Robinson
Eric,
I want to be involved! Writing, blogging, or if there is anything else I can reasonably contribute.
As always I am always glad to help in any way.
Eric,
I’m a retired journalist from Lake Charles, La.; I am interested. I am experienced at writing editorials, features, and news, as well as editing. I prefer to write, however. I now write Letters to the Editor. I am a member of the Southwest Louisiana Tea Party and feel passionately that government should be limited. I also feel that the current Administration has far overstepped the Constitutional bounds of good government, and I would like to combat the growing tide of Stateism, arising from socialistic thought. I can E-mail samples of my work, if you are truly interested.
Carolyn Moffett Shank
HI Eric,
We met at a Tea Party protest this summer in Chicago.
I could blog for you as a media watcher, monitoring how NPR covers or fails to cover news of interest to conservatives….how they pretend to show both sides of issues while making conservatives look like an oddball fringe group. Even its popular Saturday shows like ‘Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me’ and ‘This American Life’ are sometimes alarmingly skewed towards the left side of the cultural spectrum. In order to manage my time involvement, I would want to share the monitoring task with other bloggers.
For awhile, I was actively blogging on my own, but stopped doing this, since I didn’t feel it was making much of an impact. Twitter also can be a big time sink. I want to use my time effectively to promote conservative values & legislation.
Love what you’re doing. Keep up the good work.
Joyce
I’ll be happy to add some opinion pieces and not just on the rallies, but on other hot items. You may want to get a hold of Kimberly Morin, her latest piece is here http://www.examiner.com/x-9100-Boston-Conservative-Independent-Examiner~y2009m9d26-Liberal-lobbyists-using-US-Capitol-Switchboard-to-push-their-propaganda
My other website is http://www.BeaufortTeaParty.webs.com
Good Luck & Thanks for the forum!
Ann Ubelis
I am a RL editor in the “grammar/spelling/consistency” role, taking chaos and making order of management training materials. I don’t blog or write but would be willing to be a “second set of eyes” for publishing readiness of any materials.
thanks,
Karen Martin
I am more then willing to help. I am a news and political junkie, not sure what is the best for me to do, but I get up around 0500 hrs eastern and always get the early morning news and post on twitters & facebook.
I am in Charelston, SC.
That said, I gues getting the early news and sending it along to to others.
Eric,
I am a senior citizen and just sick about the direction our great country is headed. I am especially concerned for my children and grandchildren. I am constantly emailing, calling and snail mailing the people who are supposed to be representing us in DC (my postage bill has gone up greatly). Count me in. LET’S TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!
Hi Eric,
Absolutely. I am in. I live in the tyrannical state of New Jersey. We need tax help! We need it fast. Our imminent gubernatorial election will set the tone for change in the whole country. Let’s help get New Jersey first. If we get New Jersey, the opposition will be shaking and blue dogs will run from the public option. I’ll blog, I’ll edit, whatever you need. We definitely need a Huffington of our own! We need a central place to visit! I hope you get it up and running as fast as possible. Good luck.
While I have the time, and the inclination, I have little to no talent. Yes, I do run my own blog, and can spout opinions with the best of ‘em, but I see all these really smart, talented folks, and wonder…what can I do? I don’t think you have an opening for trash can emptier. :/
But, if you can find a use for me, I’m more than pickled tink to lend a hand!
I’d love to spread the word through Twitter and Facebook. I will help in whatever way possible. Count me in on the conference call!
I’d like to know a little more, but “m very encouraged by what I’ve seen. Maybe someone could give me a quick description of this group.
Jack
I’m interested
Sports and entertainment? Please tell me you’re kidding.
GH
Eric,
I sent a reply to your email announcement – please put me down for the conference phone call. As I said in the email, I’d love to write a weekly editorial. I’m disabled and there’s so much I canNOT do that I really do feel this is my niche in the movement.
Thanks,
Rhonda Bodoin
I would like to write opinion pieces based on current events. I have a master’s degree in Communication (journalism emphasis)and experience as an editorial/column writer. I am a member of San Jacinto Tea Party locally and have been active in helping with events. I have limited time (full-time school teacher)but I’m a quick study. I’m passionate about conservative issues.
Eric,
I’ve done several investigative blogs on Acorn-Demos-SAFRA that I would like to post here.
I’d love to help in any way I can. Though I’m not much of a writer I go to multiple sites daily and am good at aggregating info for friends and family. If there’s a niche for me I’d love to take part.
Thanks,
Beth
what ever i can do count me in!
Eric …. I like what your are doing with Project 73. I would like to let Tallahassee folks know more about Project 73 and April 15, 2010. I am concerned that they are looking for more of a Rally than Townhall this Wednesday in Tallahassee. Would like to know more about the program for this Wednesday so that I can PASS THE WORD. Will Lloyd Markus speak and/or perform ? Did you get up with Preston Scott or Eric Eggers at WFLA-FM, Tallahassee ? Pace Allen, founder, http://www.taxteaparty.com
Count me in on the call and as a writer. Thank you!
I’ve never blogged in my life, but I am a founding member of the Rock River Patriots, and I have moved to what is likely the 3rd most liberal city in the sate of Wisconsin.. Janesville. I could comment on the garbage in the local paper, and what our group is doing… can I listen in on the call and see if this is something I can do? I have funky hours(im a nurse) and that makes it hard to participate in many events. This could be a chance for me to stay active in the movement
I am interested in the concept, but will wait to judge the direction this will take. I was on the team that wrote the first National Retail Sales Tax legislation H. R. 3039 which was submitted to Congress in 1996. It has morphed in to the popular “Fair Tax”, but needs more work to see the benefits. The NRST or Fair Tax would completely replace the Income Tax System.
I am interested in the phone event.
I will commit to 1 article a week…
Also if you maintain an event schedule by state,
I will be the contact person for Minnesota event schedules.
Some of my blogs
http://twitter.com/DMashak
http://donmashakspoliticaltwittertweets.blogspot.com/
http://donmashakswrightcountymnfreepress.blogspot.com/
http://donmashakjudicialreformaccountability.blogspot.com/
http://donmashakschallengetouspoliticalparty.blogspot.com/
http://donmashaksmn10judicialdistrictfreepre.blogspot.com/
http://www.examiner.com/x-11172-Minneapolis-Independent-Examiner
http://my.nowpublic.com/search?fulltext=1&type=story&keys=cynical+patriot
I write in the vain of Thomas Paine, I seek no leadership road
I only aspire to reduce events and circumstance to paper
such that American people can find their own way using their
own “common sense”.
Respectfully,
Don Mashak
The Cynical Patriot