Thanks for your input, let me run through these sugestions, remember we do not live in Texas where guns are not seen as the tool of the Devil...
Ok, here goes:
If you want 'good' media coverage (TV), form an organization that doesn't have anything to do with shooting in the title. Something like "Maryland Citizens for Equality". (take a lesson from SARC)
Sounds like a Seinfeld episode, "create a group about nothing". (Sorry, cheap shot, just kidding) How do we get people to join this group? Why would they join this group? How do we get them to work for this group? A group without members is not much of a group. Getting people to work for the cause here in Maryland is the tough part. If we had motivated people we would not have a problem. If we do get TV time and we don't "have anything to do with guns" in our name, how does that help our plight?
Put up a professional looking website with said organization name.
Doable.
Find someone amongst your numbers who can articulate your stances/opinions well on camera. Keep your opinions based on equality, safety, etc... Don't make it about guns.
We have someone that can do this, but guns, or lack there of, is the topic.
A week before your scheduled events, issue press releases to all of your local media outlets.
Done that , only one paper showed any interest. The press in Maryland just want horror stories about guns.
The idea is to play the (TV) media the way they play us. If you play by their rules, you'll get far more accomplished than simply staging a protest and expecting them to show up; or, worse yet, having them show up and paint your group as a bunch of 'gun nuts'.
How do the media "play us"? You are not very clear here. How do I "play them"? I have notified them of the event, offered to provide more info and/or interviews... how do I make them cover us?
(TV) Media attention means exposure. More exposure will likely lead to more 'members', which means larger protests, which will draw more media, etc...
No argument here. How do we get them to cover our event? If the Press does not show up, what then?
This strategy worked very well for a certain 1st amendment issue I worked on a couple of years ago. Our 'spokesperson' even made it on CNN, and was actually called upon to comment on other, unrelated freedom of speech issues for months after our particular issue was resolved.
Thanks for the example, you have obviously been there, done that. Unfortunately, 1st Ammendment and 2nd Ammendment issues are not viewed the same by any media outlet. They tend to be bias towards their own Ammendment. So how do we get our spokesman face time on CNN? Do you know of a CNN reporter that might want to do a possitive story on Shall Issue and Open Carry gun laws?
I am not trying to be an ass, but the devil is always in the details. In order to get our message out (Shall Issue CCW and Open Carry) we need to talk about guns. Yes, it will be wrapped in a public safety message, but the Press is not interested in facts here in Maryland (or most of the rest of the country). The only story they run is on "automatic, pump shot guns" being used in a crime. It is not funny, we need to break the ice and I can use any constructive advice that can be used.
In the mean time, we are still ON for this Saturday in Annapolis, we hope to build on this protest, rally some troops and get enough people to get the Presses attention.
-Boxcab