Here's a "press release" written by an anonymous source that can be sent to the media about the thinner magazines

by AndersonsInfo 44 Replies latest jw friends

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  james_woods

  James-Woods- also door to door minstry is FREE publicity for the WT...and as you said a perfect guilt mechanism, where even if a JW doesn't do it they feel guilty, and probably compensate by donating more $$.

  Yes, I had not quite thought of the guilt trip ending up in more guilty contribution money. I think that is true - I knew some affluent witnesses who did this very thing to compensate for not being regular door to door people.

  But, in retrospect - as far as the general public, the general media, and everyone outside the ex-JW community - changing the number of pages in one of the watchtower issues is pretty much a non-event.

  And for sure - no competent media editor is going to publish anything on an anonymous source without confirmation - even if it were a newsworthy item.
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  Dutch-scientist

  So they will cut their cost for these publications. The end is near! Now they drop pages in their magazines which will follow by their drop of members.

  We will see. 7million is maybe the top. No extra education will affect in my country that they will have no job or an hard job which no time for field service.

  Year 2014 we celebrate that the last days take already 100 years and we are proud to annouce that we are going to bundle the awake and Watchtower into one magazine. We preach that a generation are two overlapping ones which give us new light to fullfill this into our monthly publications. Where we had two publication who overlap the same BS into one stronger BS publication.

  ;) DS
• 

  AndersonsInfo

  To clarify: The anonymous source is the person who wrote the article, and it really doesn't matter who wrote the article. What matters is that a name, date, and contact information of the person who sent the information to the media has to be at the top of the "Press Release" so that the sender can be contacted by an interested reporter.

  I know of one former JW who is definitely sending the "Press Release" in his own name to two media sources - both are religious editors. I would suggest removing from the "Press Release" the words in the first paragraph, last sentence, "(See PDF attachment)" which refers to the BOE letter since we don't have the letter in English. If a religious editor is interested in doing an article, they will, of course, call the Watch Tower to verify if the statements in the "Press Release" are accurate. It has been my experience that media people usually use press releases as a guide and write their own story around it after they talk to all concerned.

  There are many religious newspaper editors and religious magazine editors that might be interested in this story especially when they talk to the person who submits the "Press Release" and hears how for years the WT condemned the use of the Internet, but now is acknowledging the trend among the public is to use the Internet for information and not printed matter; hence, they are moving with the times by cutting in half the size of their religious journals and expanding and modernizing their own Internet site. However, this is not an endorsement of the Internet by JWs, but in a way the religion is acknowledging the power that the (previously condemned) Internet has in the world today, which they will now significantly use in their evangelical work.

  It might be a good idea to quote a recent Wt or Awake! magazine where negative statements about the Internet are found.

  When it comes to exposing the WT, my motto has been, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Many times, I've had little success (or so I thought) dealing with the media, and then at other times my efforts really paid off. And it's been fun and interesting to see what brings results.

  FYI, I posted the "Press Release" to get ideas and suggestions from the broad spectrum of thinkers who post at JWN, and, as usual, I have not been disappointed.

  Barbara
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  james_woods

  I guess I just don't get this - what good is it going to do to release this to the press a week or so before the JWs publicly announce it themselves?

  It is not like it is revealing some important hidden dirt on them.
• 

  isaacaustin

  James_Woods...I think those words"confidential", and words to build that up is simply to stir emotions in the minds of the JW's, nothing else. Its to give the elders a sense of superiority and responsibility...
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  james_woods

  James_Woods...I think those words"confidential", and words to build that up is simply to stir emotions in the minds of the JW's, nothing else. Its to give the elders a sense of superiority and responsibility...

  Agreed. But - aside from the small JW world (and some ex-JWs), who else in the real world would give a flying fart?
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  Gayle

  A couple months ago, two JW males called at my home,,they never knew me, I left JWs many years ago and moved into this territory long after.

  I told the JWs I used to be a JW but found 'many' things disapponting, growing up in JWs. They responded many things have changed and that I should read the literature 'now.' I informed them I do get the mags on jw.org and for free and I know that things have not changed, policy is the same. Their body and face language showed a fizzle and not too much later had to leave.

  I don't think the JWs will be able to compete with the computer age. With the computer, we get their new lite mos. before they do. We have advanced knowledge, even their own info, way before most of them do. I think more and more, now that the GB have 'sanctified' the Internet for their organizational work, that many r & f will be going online to get their own updates earlier as possible. Won't want to wait for the 'printed' page. Then, it will be too intriguing to go on to other sites (ex-JW). It's human nature to want to deliver news updates first if possible, even among themselves.
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  isaacaustin

  James_Woods...I think those words"confidential", and words to build that up is simply to stir emotions in the minds of the JW's, nothing else. Its to give the elders a sense of superiority and responsibility...

  Agreed. But - aside from the small JW world (and some ex-JWs), who else in the real world would give a flying fart? Absolutely no one! In their own minds, the JWs are legends. Ex-JWs have an interest. Outside of that...no one cares.
• 

  AndersonsInfo

  Religious editors don't necessarily print "religious dirt." They print what they perceive as interesting information about religion. As we all know, many people of all religions read the newspaper columns of religious editors. I find many of the articles by religious editors boring, but every so often there is one that I'm interested in. That's what makes the world go round. These editors are always on the lookout for something to print about a religion. I know because I've talked to many of them.

  The person (not me) who wrote the "press release" gave a great deal of thought to the idea and to the actual writing of it because that XJW is an activist. (Interestingly, that person also is a former-Bethelite like I am. Maybe this is due to something in the water in Brooklyn! ) Most former JWs are not activists. I am. However, it doesn't matter to me that most aren't, but we activists appreciate the spoken support from so many on this discussion board.

  If anybody is interested in doing something with the "press release" I posted, that's great. If not, that's ok. Whatever floats your boat!

  Barbara
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  steve2

  I actually see where Barbara is coming from with this potential press release. Having a close friend working in the print media, it is not at all unusual or relevant that a press release does not have a specified author. Besides, the media are not backward in coming forward and contacting the source and asking fro more info.

  BOTR your comments reflect a lot of emotional heat and less rational light this time round - which is disappointing because you often make pretty insightful comments. If this approach isn't your cup of tea, well and good.

  Why do all news stories on the Watchtower have to be momentous and dishing up the dirt? Isn't that what some posters - including me at times - have alleged Barbara has done in the past? I like the low-key approach - which is not intended as momentous news but nonetheless interesting - possibly to a small audience - but, hey this is the age of news specialization so why not?

  There are possibly a few religious publications/editors that would feature this and any angle could be taken, including, a well-known door-to-door religion starts a new "initiative" or "door-to-door meets the internet age" and so on. Besides, like others have said, the "value" of the news is it is released for publication before it is released to the congregations. Not earth-shattering, true, but an important signal to the watchtower that it's own "hush, hush, this is confidential' tone is, er, well...ludicrous in this age of the internet, as many politicians have found out to their chagrin.