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orbemnews · 3 years

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Amazon Moves From Film Industry’s Margins to the Mainstream Sacha Baron Cohen may have been going a little mad. It was August 2020, the pandemic was raging and his secret production had shut down. He was determined to reprise his role as Borat in a feature film designed to satirize the Trump administration ahead of the November election. But how? First he persuaded Universal Studios to allow him to shop his incomplete movie. Then he cobbled together an hour of footage. (The infamous scene with Rudolph W. Giuliani had yet to be filmed.) Hulu was interested. So was Netflix. But Amazon Studios was the one most committed to getting the movie out in time, no matter the cost. Amazon spent $80 million to acquire “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” a decision that incurred extra expenses because of Covid protocols, test screenings in New Zealand — one of the few places in the world at the time where the company could gather a group of people in a dark movie theater — and a last-minute dash to incorporate all the gonzo footage before the film’s release on Oct. 23. (Mr. Cohen was cutting it close, still shooting three weeks before he had to deliver the movie.) “They broke every rule for us,” Mr. Cohen said in a phone interview. “There was a certain delivery schedule that they felt was necessary, and they halved that time. They realized the imperative of getting this out before the election. And they changed their procedures completely to help us do this. I’m really, really grateful.” Jennifer Salke, the head of Amazon Studios, is also grateful. When the Golden Globes air on Sunday, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” will be competing for three awards: best comedy or musical, best actor and best supporting actress (Maria Bakalova). Other Amazon acquisitions, including Regina King’s directorial debut, “One Night in Miami,” and “Sound of Metal,” starring Riz Ahmed, are also contending for prizes. Those accolades, coupled with the cultural impact “Borat” has enjoyed across the globe, have significantly altered the perception of Amazon Studios’s film division in Hollywood and among Amazon’s more than 150 million Prime subscribers. (The studio, which does not disclose viewer numbers, will say only that tens of millions of subscribers watched “Borat.”) Once a home for indie darlings such as “Manchester by the Sea” and “The Big Sick,” Amazon Prime Video is transforming itself into a place for commercial films with broad appeal that can travel internationally. It’s all part of Ms. Salke’s plan to turn Prime into a service people subscribe to for more than free shipping for their paper towels. “We had seen firsthand when Amazon gets behind a piece of content, just how big the muscle is that they are capable of flexing,” said David Ellison, chief executive of Skydance Media and the producer of Amazon’s “Jack Ryan” series. He recently sold the films “Without Remorse” and “The Tomorrow War” to Amazon. “With ‘Borat,’ they showed they could do that with films, too,” he said. Amazon has thrived in the last year, with profits increasing some 200 percent since the pandemic began. That success has extended to its film business. Like other streaming services, it has been able to snatch up big-budget, star-driven films that studios have been forced to shelve in response to the closing of movie theaters. Netflix, Apple, Disney+ and Hulu have all benefited from the studios’ woes, but Amazon has been one of the most aggressive in acquiring new movies. In September, Ms. Salke acquired “Without Remorse” — starring Michael B. Jordan and based on a Tom Clancy series — for $105 million. It will debut at the end of April. The following month, it paid $125 million for the rights to “Coming 2 America,” which will premiere on March 5. Eddie Murphy was initially hesitant about taking the sequel to his much-beloved film to Amazon, but Ms. Salke and others say he was reassured by the performance of “Borat.” In January, the company made its biggest bet yet, paying $200 million to acquire the Chris Pratt-led action film “The Tomorrow War,” which Paramount was set to release. To date, it stands as Amazon’s largest financial commitment in acquiring a feature film. The company hopes to debut it on Prime Video this summer. “We don’t have a huge bench of big blockbuster movies in the works,” Ms. Salke said with a laugh. “So for us it was opportunistic to be able to lean into that.” With more players than ever joining the streaming fray (Paramount+, anyone?), the pace at which new content is delivered is an issue every service worries about. Netflix threw down the gauntlet in January when it announced its 2021 strategy of delivering one new movie per week, which followed WarnerMedia’s announcement that all of Warner Bros.’s 2021 theatrical films would debut in theaters and on its HBO Max streaming service at the same time. With so much volume being offered by those two companies, along with Disney’s recent announcement that at least 80 percent of its 100 new projects would be earmarked for Disney+, the only way to compete is to go big. “It’s going to be really interesting over the next three years,” said Roeg Sutherland, one of the heads of media finance for Creative Artists Agency. “With platforms programming one new movie a week, this is fueling a competitive marketplace for high-end, independently financed films.” At the Sundance Film Festival last month, Apple paid a record $25 million for rights to the independent film “Coda.” Ms. Salke pushes back on the idea that her plans to broaden her offerings is a reaction to her competitors. Rather, she said, it’s the culmination of a strategy that began at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, when as a newcomer to the film world, she spent $46 million to acquire four films, including “Late Night” with Emma Thompson and Mindy Kaling, and the feel-good movie “Brittany Runs a Marathon.” Before joining Amazon, Ms. Salke spent her career in television, shepherding hits like “Modern Family” and “Glee” at Fox and “This Is Us” at NBCUniversal. After her Sundance shopping spree, she was mocked by some film insiders as an out-of-touch television executive overspending to acquire niche movies. She was criticized for paying $13 million for “Late Night,” when it grossed $15.4 million at the box office. “Brittany Runs a Marathon” earned just $7 million. That commentary still seems to sting Ms. Salke, though she argues that she released the films theatrically only to appease the filmmakers. The movies’ real metric of success, she said, was how they played on the streaming service. “Those movies all kept coming out as No. 1,” said Ms. Salke, referencing the films’ performances on Amazon Prime. “Every time we launched one, the next one would eclipse the next one. We were training our audience to know that we would have big original films that were more commercial on Prime Video. It’s a little bit of an ‘If you build it, they will come’ strategy.” But what happens to that plan once the pandemic is over and studios are no longer willing to sell their movies to streaming platforms? Amazon has some 34 films in various stages of production around the world and Ms. Salke said the company was committed to spending upward of $100 million on a production if merited. (Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, is stepping down as the company’s chief executive later this year, but the studio isn’t expecting any big changes when Andy Jassy takes the reins.) The Culver City, Calif., complex is still being built and, if anything, investment has increased. Ms. Salke points to Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming film about Lucy and Desi Arnaz, starring Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, as a potential hit. There’s also George Clooney’s film “The Tender Bar,” starring Ben Affleck, and an LGBTQ romantic drama called “My Policeman,” featuring Harry Styles and Emma Corrin (“The Crown”). “The new news is that you will see us embrace some bigger projects going forward that are self-generated,” she said. In Ms. Salke’s mind, this was always the place where Amazon Film was going to land. And there is a newfound confidence to her outlook as she celebrates her third anniversary as the head of the studio. In addition to her recent acquisition spree, she’s made overall content deals with Mr. Jordan and the actor and musician Donald Glover, which she says will reinforce her mission to burnish Amazon’s reputation as a talent-friendly place. With its healthy subscription base, Amazon is attracting those in Hollywood who are interested in the company’s global reach but also curious about the company’s other businesses that have the potential to expand a star’s brand beyond film and television. Mr. Jordan, for one, said his overall content deal would allow him to explore areas other studios can’t offer: specifically fashion, music and podcasts. His portrayal of the physical incarnation of Amazon’s Alexa during a Super Bowl ad was an example. And Ms. King got a kick out of just how pervasive Amazon’s marketing of her film was whenever she logged into the company’s e-commerce site. “When I’m on Amazon, buying doggie bags, and my film pops up at the top, that’s pretty amazing,” she said. “That’s like, wow! Every single day I am getting a text from someone who saw the movie that probably wouldn’t have seen it if it didn’t pop up in their shopping queue.” Source link Orbem News #Amazon #Film #Industrys #mainstream #Margins #Moves

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svetlanawagner-blog · 5 years

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As I entered the bright white building, I heard the quiet whirring of small machines. I weaved through the museum doing my best to interpret and experience the art but couldn’t shake a feeling of familiarity. Then it hit me, I’ve seen this same artist before in NYC! Who would have guessed we would find a slice of the big apple in the small town of Marfa.

A big thank you to Travel Texas for hosting our trip. All opinions are always our own. This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. Read our full disclosure for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.

Last Updated: July 8, 2019

25 Coolest Things to Do in Marfa TX

We ended our West Texas Road Trip in Marfa. Before visiting, we knew very little of the area other than hearing about the artsy community and seeing Prada Marfa and El Cosmico on instagram.

Marfa truly surprised us and felt like an anomoly. It’s quaint and charming and has small town vibes, but it’s also is completely different from any small town we’ve previously seen.

We found it hard to describe, and it almost felt like the twilight zone. We expected to find eclectic desert art and instead found an art scene as sophisticated as NYC. Sometimes it felt like a small town in West Texas, and other times it felt like a neighborhood in Brooklyn.

If you’re planning a trip out to Marfa, we’ve put together a guide to help you plan your trip.

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What You Need to Know Before You Visit Marfa

Like a lot of the small towns in West Texas, hours are limited. Visit between Thursday to Sunday for the best experience, but even then there’s no guarantee that all businesses will be open.

Be flexible with your schedule. Even with posted hours, some stores and restaurants may close. Some even run out of food and close once the food is out. They’ve adopted a siesta mentality and close whenever they feel like it.

The closest major airport is in El Paso (about 3 hours away). Take advantage of your location and see other surrounding sites in West Texas. Here is our road trip guide.

Renting a car is the best way to get around town. When we talked to locals and asked about Uber, they said there are only 1-2 drivers locally.

Talk to locals to find out what else is going on around town. We heard about a free concert from a bartender which was the perfect way to end the night.

Cell phone coverage can be spotty. We have T-mobile and it worked in most cases but as soon as we were out of the main area, we lost signal.

If you plan on visiting during a holiday weekend, book early. This has become a popular destination.

Marfa is in a desert climate. it gets hot during the day but chilly at night. Have layers ready. During the winter, it can snow and gets dangerous to drive.

1. Marfa Mystery Lights

US-90, Marfa, TX 79843, map

The Marfa Lights have mystified people for generations. The glowing orbs appear in the desert outside Marfa and have been described as white, blue, yellow, and red. The first mention of the lights comes from Robert Reed Ellison in 1883 and you can see them from an official viewing platform, although you can’t predict when they will appear.

2. Ballroom Marfa

108 E San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Ballroom Marfa is one of the iconic contemporary art spaces in Marfa. They curate art from well-known and emerging artists from all over the world. During our visit, we saw an artist that was also on display at MOMA PS1 while we lived in NYC. They also host music acts in their space. Visit their site for their upcoming schedule.

Hours: Wednesday to Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-3pm

More: 25 Fun Things to do Indoors in NYC

3. Judd Foundation

104 S Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Donald Judd is attributed with bringing the NYC art scene to Marfa, Texas. The foundation maintains and preserves Judd’s pieces, workspaces, libraries, and archives. You can take a guided to tour to visit different properties in Marfa.

4. Chinati Foundation

1 Cavalry Row,Marfa,TX,79843, Marfa, TX 79843, map

The Chinati Foundation is a contemporary art museum founded by Donald Judd. They specialize in large-scale installations spread over the 340 acres of land where Fort D.A. Russell used to be. Public tours are a great way to get more insight into the pieces or you can explore on your own.

Hours: Wednesday to Sunday 9am-5pm

5. Ayn Foundation

107 – 109 Highland St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

The Ayn Foundation focuses on large-scale products by major international artists. It currently includes Andy Warhol’s The Last Supper and Maria Zerres’ September Eleven.

6. Marfa Book Company

105 S Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843, map

MBCo has been around for almost twenty years and functions as a bookstore, publisher, and performance space. Stop by to check out their unique selection of books or visit during their talks, readings, or performances.

7. Freda

207 S Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843, map

This shop is a local favorite where you’ll find jewelry, found objects, vintage clothing and more. A record playing in the corner sets the mood while you shop.

8. Cobra Rock Boot Company

107 S Dean St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

If you love handcrafted artisan products, then you need to see the boots made by Cobra Rock. As you walk in, you are immediately greeted by the smell of leather. You can browse through items by other small independent designers, see the machines they use to make the boots, or order your very own.

9. Moonlight Gemstones

1001 W San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

If you’re looking to pick up a gift our souvenier, check out Moonlight Gemstone. They specialize in West Texas Agates but carry a wide variety of choices. They also do custom gemstone cutting. and create custom silver jewelry.

10. Wrong Store

110 W Dallas St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Awarded the Most Beautiful Independent Store in Texas by Architectural Digest, this shop is an eclectic collection of local items, carved wooden pieces, and artsy wares.

11. Marfa Brands

213 S Dean St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

What started as a hobby, Marfa Brands makes soaps with fans from all over the world. Hand pouring 150 bars at a time, you’ll find combinations like Rosemary Peppermint, Bergamot Grapefruit with Lemon Peel and Earl Grey Tea, and Oak Moss with Kelp and Sea Salt.

12. Prada Marfa

14880 US-90, Valentine, TX 79854, map

This is probably the most popular photo of Marfa, even though it’s not technically in Marfa. The permanent installation was created in 2005 and actually houses items from the fall/winter 2005 collection.

13. Tiny Target

US-90, Alpine, TX 79830, map

In early 2016, an anonymous artist painted a bullseye and the word Target on an old railroad structure. This is also outside of Marfa (about 45 mins east), but is often associated with Marfa.

14. Marfa Museum Thrift Store

610 W San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Fans of thrifting can stop by to see if they can find any treasures in this artsy and ecclectic town.

15. Building 98

Bonnie St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Once a US army base bachelor offer quarter, it is now known for the WWII German POW murals. The western murals were completed in 1945 and show Marfa’s history in the arts.

16. Marfa Holocaust and Historic Model Ship Museum

901 E Oak St Marfa, TX 79843, map

Find historic artifacts, documents, and books about the Aliyah Bet (Jewish “illegal immigration” ships). What makes it really special is the collection of over 140 handmade, plank-on-frame ship models.

17. El Cosmico

802 S Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843, map

El Cosmico has your choice of teepees, yurts, and RVs, and looks like it’s made for the gram.

18. Planet Marfa

200 S Abbot St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Planet Marfa is a great place to unwind after a long day. The quirky beer garden features a tepee and vintage school bus where you can hang out too.

19. Lost Horse Saloon

306 E San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

This local watering hole is a popular hangout spot. The rustic, Western-style decor is the perfect backdrop for drinks and live music.

20. House Bar (Casita Bar)

Ranch Rd 2810, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Step into the 80s at one of the most unique bars we’ve ever been to. It was converted from an old home, and the decor is next level here. They host shows and we only found out about it because we asked the folks at Planet Marfa.

21. The Get Go

208 S Dean St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

The Get Go is an independent grocery store opened in 2007. It features local products, organic and alternative ingredients, and more. Not only can you pick up supplies if everything else is closed, it’s also a great way to get a glimpse of local life in Marfa.

More: 13 Secrets to Traveling like a Local

22. Frama at Tumbleweed Laundry

120 N Austin St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

If you’re looking for a place to get good coffee, a scoop of ice cream, and do your laundry, come to this coffee shop and laundromat pairing.

More: All the Best Stops on the Ultimate West Coast Road Trip

23. Marfa and Presidio County Museum

110 W San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

Located in a historic adobe home built in the 1880s, this museum has a little bit of everything Marfa and Presidio County. It coveres ranching, local military, geology, settlers, Native Americans, and more.

24. Presidio County Courthouse

300 Highland St, Marfa, TX 79843, map

The Presidio County Courthouse was added tot he National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It’s a beautiful building in the heart of the city and you can even check ou the interior.

25. Stardust motel sign

US-90, Marfa, TX 79843, map

The Stardust Motel sign sits on its own just outside of town. There’s no trace of the motel itself, but the light still flickers from time to time.

Map of Things to Do in Marfa TX

More Things to Do in Marfa TX

Cast + Crew

Chinati Hot Springs (Presidio, TX)

Etherington Fine Art

Exhibitions 2D

Faith Alive Cowboy Church Radio Station

Garza Marfa

Ice Plant Museum

Julie Speed Studio

Marfa Activity Center

Marfa Contemporary – Closed

Marfa Fim Festival (late spring)

Marfa Gliders

Marfa Maid Dairy

Marfa Municipal Golf Course

Marfa Myths Music Festival

Marfa Visitor Center

Mirth

Mystery Blimp (on US-90, 15 miles outside Marfa)

Palace Theater

Private Marfa History Tours

Rule Gallery

Best Restaurants in Marfa TX

Buns N’ Roses (Breakfast, $)

Cochineal (New American, $$)

Do Your Thing (Coffee, $)

Frama (Coffee, $)

Food Shark (Mediterranean, $)

Lost Horse Saloon (Bar, $)

Marfa Burrito (Mexican, $)

Pizza Foundation (Pizza, 2$)

Planet Marfa (Bar, $)

Stellina (Italian, 2$)

Bar St George (Bar, $), Boyz 2 Men (Breakfast, $), Capri (New American, $, 3.5), Mando’s (Tex Mex, $), Jett’s Grill (American, $), LaVenture (Seafood, $$)

What to Pack for Marfa TX

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Where to Stay in Marfa Texas

Hotel Paisano – We stayed at Hotel Paisano during our visit to Marfa. It’s centrally located the hotel is full of history. You’ll find GIANT memorabilia throughout the lobby and hallways too.

Hotel Saint George

Thunderbird Hotel

El Cosmico for Glamping

What's Nearby

Fort Davis National Historic Site (25 min, 22.5 miles)

Davis Mountains State Park (27 min, 24.1 miles)

McDonald Observatory (50 min, 38 miles)

Big Bend National Park (1 hr 35 min, 98.2 miles)

More Resources

Lonely Planet Texas Travel Guide

West Texas Travel Guide

Texas State Map / Waterproof Texas State Map

Texas Road & Recreation Atlas

2019 Rand Mcnally Large Scale Road Atlas

Have you been before? Any other things to do in Marfa TX we’re missing?

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Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, which is one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found both near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.

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#tips #>25 #map #>More #restaurants #>What #stay #>BACK #ff865c;#><strong>Local #FFB53A;#texplorer #texas #marfa #marfatx #traveltexas #localadventurer #><strong>Pro

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our-revolution808 · 7 years

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"The Democratic National Committee (DNC) plans to overhaul its fundraising operation as it looks to tap into the grassroots energy on the left and fulfill campaign promises made by its new chairman, Tom Perez. In an interview with The Hill, DNC Finance Committee Chairman Henry Muñoz III — the group’s only elected official to carry over from the previous leadership — detailed the organization’s plans to appeal to the young voters who turned Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) into a small-dollar-fundraising juggernaut in the 2016 presidential race. The DNC is mulling several initiatives aimed at enriching the state parties that have expressed frustration over the lack of funding, resources and attention they’ve received from the national party. In the past, the DNC would cut state parties a monthly $7,500 check and then stop communicating, only to sometimes swoop in for competing fundraisers that local officials knew nothing about. The organization is now also aiming to have a more transparent budgeting process it hopes will root out waste and lead to more effective spending. Under former Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), the budget was a clandestine document that didn’t require the approval of anyone but her. And Perez officials — working closely with Deputy Chairman Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), a progressive favorite who lost the chairmanship race to Perez last weekend — are telling party members they can expect changes on all of these fronts. 'This redesign of the financial organization will be a better reflection of the times while also returning to the more relationship-based, philanthropic model we got away from,” Muñoz said. “There was a time, when Obama was running for president for the first time, when we were innovative. Everyone is ready to get back to innovating.' The new fundraising and spending strategies are an acknowledgement that the DNC was not ready to capitalize on the energy of young liberals who felt more tied to Sanders, who officially remains an independent, than to the Democratic Party as a whole. In recent years, the party became dependent on big-dollar donors. But many of those deep-pocketed donors are burnt out and say they will sit on their money in the wake of the disastrous 2016 elections. The DNC also hopes that the new initiatives will repair the relationship between state parties and the national party and set Democrats up for local electoral gains ahead of congressional redistricting in 2020. A more transparent budget process could go a long way toward alleviating the deep-seated feeling among liberals that the DNC squandered its millions enriching Washington consultants, whom many in the party blame for widespread Democratic losses. Still, donor skepticism runs deep. Florida lawyer John Morgan, a top fundraiser for the party’s 2016 presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton, said he is encouraged by Perez’s leadership and cheered by Ellison’s magnanimity. But Morgan says he will invest in individual congressional races rather than send his money 'into the black hole at the DNC.' 'If the DNC were a stock on the New York Stock Exchange, the question is whether I would invest in it,' Morgan told The Hill. 'Today, the answer is, ‘Hell no.’' The DNC is now working to earn the trust of the grassroots liberals who proudly circumvented the national party to invest in Sanders, whose $27 average for individual donations became a rallying cry for his supporters. Sanders has so far declined to share his valuable fundraising email list with the DNC. Still, it took former President Obama some time to do the same after his 2008 win. Clinton is also still in sole possession of her list. This is where Ellison, who leveraged Sanders’s list to raise more than $1 million in small-dollar donations in his bid for DNC chairman, could be an asset. Far from being only a symbolic appointment, Ellison has been by Perez’s side ever since the chairman chose him to be his top deputy. Ellison has been in close contact with the DNC’s finance team and appears eager to help the national party transition to the Sanders donor model. The DNC is working on what one official described as 'an innovative, small-dollar digital fundraising effort' authored by Perez and Ellison that is 'designed to reach the most diverse cross-section of our party as possible.' Among the ideas being bandied about is a way for small-dollar donors to invest in specific programs at the DNC. In the past, the DNC would send an email broadly asking for $5. Going forward, if a young liberal wants to give $5 to the DNC’s voter registration drive rather than to a general campaign fund, they would have that option. The DNC will also be looking to create more meaningful and 'educational' content on Facebook and other social media platforms as an entry point for potential contributors. 'There’s plenty of research that shows millennials don’t identify with the Democratic Party; they identify with the principles and personalities that we have,' Muñoz said. 'Bernie taught us a lot about how to create an online revolution and how to fund it with low-dollar ownership in something. Now we need to offer those people something invest in.' Another top priority for DNC leadership will be reconnecting to the state parties, a commitment that is in line with Perez’s vow to return to former DNC Chairman Howard Dean’s '50-state strategy.' The DNC is considering raising the discretionary spending allowance it sends every month to the state parties, but only as a starting point. The national party is also looking at signing joint fundraising agreements with the state parties. And DNC leaders are talking about offering fundraising training sessions, listening to pitches from the state parties seeking grants or looking to launch new programs that require seed money or offering financial incentives to state parties whose innovations produce electoral wins. That’s music to the ears of state party chiefs who have long felt frozen out of the national party. 'We were truly separate to the point you’d hear second-hand about a DNC fundraising event in your state that you didn’t know about,' said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. 'That baseline of financial support the DNC provides is great, but we’re hopeful that going forward it will include opportunities for new programs or other ways they can invest in us. I think we’ll see that change under new leadership.' The Perez administration is also pledging to bring greater transparency to the budget process. Several DNC officials told The Hill that, under Wasserman Schultz, the finance chairman would raise the money and the chairwoman would spend it, all with little collaboration from anyone outside of her inner circle. Going forward, there will be input from DNC members and state parties who can pitch new programs for investment. The budget will for the first time go through an approval process."

#tom perez #keith ellison #dnc #democrats #democratic party #notmeus #ofthepeople #bythepeople #forthepeople #political revolution #political revolution media #campaign finance #grassroots activism #grassroots donors #grassroots for bernie #bernie sanders

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newstwitter-blog · 7 years

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New Post has been published on News Twitter

New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/02/10/huffington-post-bernie-sanders-has-a-massive-email-list-but-he-has-good-reason-to-think-twice-about-sharing-it-17/

Huffington Post: Bernie Sanders Has A Massive Email List. But He Has Good Reason To Think Twice About Sharing It.

WASHINGTON ― In the course of his unexpectedly popular run for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) amassed a huge network of supporters ― along with their email addresses and other personal information. Now Democrats are gunning for access to that list, which is estimated to include millions of people.

An email list may sound like an arcane item to become the focus of a battle for the party’s future. But access to a large list of enthusiastic liberals would allow candidates and campaigns to mobilize thousands of activists and donors at a moment’s notice. In short, the “list” has become a coveted form of political currency in the digital era.

The question for Sanders is whether he should share his data, and if so, how he should go about doing it, according to experts in the list-building systems that have become a cornerstone of contemporary political organizing.

If the goal is for Sanders to provide the party greater access to his base, the most logical entity with which to share his list is the Democratic National Committee, the party’s main national organ. And right now the DNC is in the midst of a seven-way competition between the major candidates who would like to become its next chair.

The Sanders campaign’s email list is now housed at Our Revolution, a political action committee Sanders set up to continue the work of his presidential campaign. And Shannon Jackson, Our Revolution’s executive director, said he doesn’t want to just hand that list over to the Democratic National Committee, since Our Revolution is committed to remaining independent from the party. For his part, Sanders told The Washington Post that he would “cross that bridge” when the DNC race is settled.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), who is Sanders’ preferred candidate to chair the DNC and the owner of his own large email list, suggested Sanders should grant party leadership access to the list. If elected chair, Ellison would “absolutely” ask the Vermont senator to share his powerful campaign list, Ellison said at a HuffPost-sponsored DNC candidate debate on Jan. 18.

Our Revolution’s Jackson declined to comment on Ellison’s statement, but reiterated that his organization supports Ellison’s candidacy. Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs said in a statement that “there has been no discussion with the DNC about use of the list.”

Some diehard Sanders backers aren’t so into the idea. “If they wanted the Democratic Party to have their information, they would have given it to them by now,” one such fan wrote in a scathing criticism of Ellison’s remarks.

List sharing always poses risks. And in this case, the matter is especially sensitive.

Many Sanders supporters are still angry with the DNC for what they saw as unfair intervention on behalf of Hillary Clinton in the primary. Those supporters would likely only support the most progressive political candidates and causes, and would not want to hear from the DNC as it tries to raise money or turn out activists for anything that doesn’t meet their standards.

Jackson said Our Revolution has already had to reassure many active members that it is not sharing data or otherwise colluding with the DNC. People have contacted the organization with accusations of unwanted collaboration on several occasions, typically when Our Revolution has mobilized members to take action for Ellison or other candidates it has endorsed in battles for control of local Democratic parties, he said.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), left, enjoys the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in his bid to head the Democratic National Committee.

There is not a particularly long tradition of individual candidates with large email lists sharing them with the party. Organizing for America, a 501(c)(4) former President Barack Obama created out of his 2008 presidential campaign, and its post-2012 successor, Organizing for Action, inherited the Obama campaign’s successful email list. OFA only shared the list, which numbers in the millions, with the DNC in August 2015.

Once the 2016 Democratic primary ended, top Democrats ― including former Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) ― began talking to Sanders about sharing his list or its data with Clinton’s campaign or the DNC. Speculation about the fate of Sanders’ list has only escalated since November, with some more establishment-friendly Democrats seemingly hoping that putting Ellison in charge of the DNC would ensure access to Sanders’ base.

One Democratic operative, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak on the matter, said this is “uncharted territory” in many ways: “Bernie was an independent who became a Democrat and built a unique campaign that we haven’t seen in a very long time.”

Legally, political organizations or candidates can sell or donate their email lists. It’s how you do it that presents the challenge. Donating a list is generally called a “list swap”; an organization can trade lists with a like-minded candidate or organization. They can also just sell their list to another organization, which can bring in a lot of money if the list is large or particularly useful. In each example, the organizations decide whether to allow list members to opt in to the new list, or directly add their emails and then let them opt out.

Direct adding email addresses and then forcing people to opt out comes with a higher risk of an organization’s emails ending up in a spam folder. Internet service providers try to help their customers by sniffing out unwanted email, thereby creating a high barrier to entry for unwanted political solicitations.

“Signing people up for email lists without telling them is a very typical way to get marked as spam,” said Emily Schwartz, vice president of organizing at NationBuilder, a nonpartisan digital firm that specializes in political campaigns.

Jason Rosenbaum, a veteran progressive digital guru and technology director for the Action Network, a nonprofit that builds online organizing tools, recalled excessive spam rates dooming campaigns he has worked on.

“I have seen programs go to zero because they have screwed up with this kind of stuff,” he said.

If we see a new DNC chair who takes the party in a new direction … then maybe this type of sharing makes a lot of sense. Jason Rosenbaum, Action Network

Other risks include the prospect of activists disengaging or unsubscribing from an email list, which could lead to attrition ― for both the DNC and the original Our Revolution list.

If Our Revolution chooses to share its list with the DNC, there are ways for the group to leverage its following to benefit the Democratic Party without compromising the trust it enjoys with its members, said Rosenbaum, who previously led online campaigns for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Health Care for America Now.

One way to do that is to start with joint actions between the two organizations ― inviting list members to sign a petition, donate money or mobilize around a cause. That would make it abundantly clear to list members that their contact information is being shared with a new organization, rather than forcing it on them.

One can envision Our Revolution asking its list members to join an action against Republican cuts to Planned Parenthood funding or attempts to privatize Medicare, for instance. The challenge, however, is ensuring that the DNC does not try to mobilize Our Revolution list members for a candidate or cause they don’t like.

The best insurance against that kind of a mistake ― and the inevitable blowback ― is the election of a DNC chair that progressives trust, Rosenbaum suggested.

“The Sanders folks ― though I think they overstate their case ― they do have a point about the corruption in the DNC around the primary process,” he said. “If we see a new DNC chair who takes the party in a new direction and is able to make a clean break with the past there in a way that Democratic activists understand, then maybe this type of sharing makes a lot of sense.”

But Nomiki Konst, a former Sanders campaign surrogate who now works for The Young Turks, a progressive YouTube network, warned Democrats against viewing an email list as a panacea for the party’s shortcomings.

“The Democratic Party has to reinvent itself. No Bernie list, no Keith Ellison list, is going to solve that problem,” she said. “The Democratic Party has raised more money than ever, spent more money than ever, and lost more than ever.”

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New Post has been published on http://www.news-twitter.com/2017/02/10/huffington-post-bernie-sanders-has-a-massive-email-list-but-he-has-good-reason-to-think-twice-about-sharing-it-16/

Huffington Post: Bernie Sanders Has A Massive Email List. But He Has Good Reason To Think Twice About Sharing It.

List sharing always poses risks. And in this case, the matter is especially sensitive.

Alex Wong/Getty Images

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), left, enjoys the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in his bid to head the Democratic National Committee.

“I have seen programs go to zero because they have screwed up with this kind of stuff,” he said.

If we see a new DNC chair who takes the party in a new direction … then maybe this type of sharing makes a lot of sense. Jason Rosenbaum, Action Network

Other risks include the prospect of activists disengaging or unsubscribing from an email list, which could lead to attrition ― for both the DNC and the original Our Revolution list.

The best insurance against that kind of a mistake ― and the inevitable blowback ― is the election of a DNC chair that progressives trust, Rosenbaum suggested.

This post has been harvested from the source link, and News-Twitter has no responsibility on its content. Source link

0 notes