How can my father promote his New Orleans towboat pilot relief effort?

September 2, 2005 11:35 PM

My father is attempting to start a New Orleans relief effort among towboat pilots (he is one himself). He's posted a "call to action" on his site, and I'd like to get the word out. I haven't posted it on the front page because it seems dangerously close to a self-link (and is just one editorial, really). Any suggestions?
posted by brundlefly to Etiquette/Policy at 11:35 PM (7 comments total)

You mean here? It is a single link to an editorial post. Is Metafilter his intended audience? I'd think it'd be better getting the word out to Marine schools, Coast Guard offices, and Maritime lawyers. Not to mention sending a few emails to blogs such as your fathers.
posted by ?! at 11:42 PM on September 2, 2005

Buy a textad.
posted by sbutler at 12:15 AM on September 3, 2005

how about nola.com? and the times-picayune? they'd cover it, i bet...send an email to them and to the tv and radio stations in the area---they'll mention it too.
posted by amberglow at 1:17 AM on September 3, 2005

You may also want to rewrite the request in the form of a press release. It reads like an editorial -- it needs to be much more plain, concrete, and urgent. You need to cut right to the chase: TOWBOAT CAPTAINS NEEDED FOR RELIEF EFFORT -- immediately followed by the details of where, when, who to call. When asking for help, don't expect your audience to have the patience to read the long chain of reasoning behind it. Just make it clear what you need.
posted by Miko at 6:32 AM on September 3, 2005

Speaking as an editor: what Miko said.
posted by languagehat at 6:36 AM on September 3, 2005

Yes, rewrite the sucker and send it to the Times-Picayune, Fox, MSNBC and CNN.

Who: Towboat pilots
What: Fire up the engines
Where: New Orleans
When: NOW

Why is obvious, yet dominates the entire announcement and obscures details of what action is needed.
posted by nyterrant at 7:48 AM on September 3, 2005

Wow, nice copy-edits, nyterrant. Hemmingway would be proud.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 10:58 AM on September 3, 2005