URGENT MESSAGE
October 8
Concerning the TV Public Service Announcements
We are calling on people all over the country to raise money with groups, churches and individuals in their local areas so that Public Service Announcements can be run on national TV. The money should be sent to the National Office of NDP as soon as possible -- within the next week. Call and tell the NO how much you are sending as soon as you know.
The PSAs bring together an unusual combination of artists and parents of children who lost their lives at the hands of the police.
The PSAs videos spotlight major national actions against police brutality set to take place on October 22, 1997 in cities around the country, and feature the call to WEAR BLACK on that day. Other PSAs feature the "Stolen Lives Project" which is compiling and publicizing a list of all the people around the country who have died at the hands of the police since 1990. All the PSAs feature a toll-free number to call: 1-888-NO BRUTALITY.
Currently available are PSAs about Stolen Lives and October 22nd/Wear Black Day made with:
The video directors aim to get these PSAs on national cable and network outlets as well as local cable access stations. The PSA with Wyclef was recently featured on MTV News, and is now airing in regaular rotation on MTV.
Think about this: if the group or individual sends in $300, a powerful 30-second spot featuring someone like Reg E. Gaines or Wyclef Jean or Iris Baez can be bought on BET (Black Entertainment Television) during the evening hours to run in between rap, comedy and R&B shows, and it will reach over 200,000 people nationwide. This will help make our day truly nationally known. If we can run a number of such spots on BET and other outlets before the 22nd, we would have a chance at involving many of the people who hate police brutality who we cannot reach another way.
We have tentative reservations at BET to run our spots during the week just before October 22nd. We are just in need of the funds. We need to buy the spots at least two days before they will run. Therefore, we need the money by October 15 to begin booking spots for October 17.
Help save lives - Help get these PSAs on the air - ADOPT-A-SPOT!
Every time the PSA has aired on MTV in a particular region, dozens of people have called the toll-free number, many of them with stories of friends and family who have been killed or harmed by the police. We are reaching people!, but to build a strong movement to stop this, we need these PSAs showing all over the airwaves, especially between now and October 22nd/Wear Black day. In some cases the PSAs can be run for free or as part of news stories on various cable networks. But this isn't nearly sufficient to saturate the airwaves in the whole country. To reach all the people who need to see them, we also need to run them as paid commercials.
We are seeking 50 or more churches, mosques, synagogues, union locals, student groups, community organizations, individuals, etc who will each "Adopt-A-Spot".
More Info:
To contribute to "Adopt-A-Spot" contact October 22nd Coalition to Stop Police Brutality at 212-664-7793 or 1-888-NO BRUTALITY
VHS copies (for viewing only, not for broadcast) of all the PSAs now available are $10.00 postage included.
Send checks for Adopt-a-Spot and for VHS copies:
October 22 c/o KHL Inc
Box 124
160 First Avenue
New York City, NY 10009
Checks should be made out to Oct.22/IFCO. (tax deductible)
ATTENTION: RADIO PSAs made with Reg E. Gaines (30 seconds, in English) and Iris Baez (60 seconds, in Spanish) also available now. Contact the National Office to have these digitally sent to a radio station in your city that will run them!!
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