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January 3, 1968 MEMORANDUM TO: Andrew Heiskell and A. Philip Randolph FROM: Joseph E. Allen, John Johnson, Harold Fleming SUBJECT: Report of the Urban Coalition Task Force on Communications and Public Support The co-chairmen of this Task Force have been in frequent communication both in person and by telephone. Our activities, current and prospective, are as follows: Membership of Task Force We have invited about a dozen prominent leaders in the communications field -- newspaper and magazine publishers, presidents of the major television networks, and the like -- to join with us as members of the Task Force . Acceptances to date include Mrs. Katharine Meyer Graham, Gar dner Cowles, and Arthur Ocha Sulzberger. We should -be able to report other acceptances when the Steering Committee meets on January 8. Within the next few week s, as the membership of the Task Force is completed, we will h a v e an o r ganizational meeting a t wh i ch specifi c plans and commitments will be a greed upon . Meet ing o f Inf o r mation Staffer s The Coa l ition staff h a s sugges t e d that we c onv e ne a p l anning s essio n o f info r matio n staff perso ns asso ciated wi th the various organizatio ns and busines ses represented on the Steering Committee. This group reaches a large segment of public opinion through periodica ls, n ews letters, and o ther publicatio ns, as well a s in their dea l ings with the mass med ia. A concerted strategy of public education through these channels could be an important adjunct of the work of the Coalition. We intend to hold a session of the sort proposed in the very near futureo �2 Advertising Council Campaign Joseph Allen and Harold Fleming have met several times with Bob Keim, President of the Advertising Council, and his associates to discuss the prospects for a Council campaign that would dramatize the urban crisis and urge people across the country to support and participate in local coalitions. The Advertising Council requires a permanent organization as sponsor of such a campaign, and Urban America has agreed to assume this role, including the major responsibility of raising the funds necessary to meeting the cost of materials for the campaign . An application from Urban America to the F o r d Foundation for this purpose has recently been submitte d. We very much hope that the campaign can get under way in the Spring. The American Business Press Joseph Al l e n has me t and di scus sed t h e Coa l ition's concerns with President John Babcock and the Board of Dire ctors of ABP. Subsequently, Mr. Babcock has issued a strong "action" communication to all member publications , initiatin g a major effort in support o f our common objectives . In a f o l lowup letter to his member edi tors , Mr. Babcock r epo r ts : As e xpec ted, busin e ss publica tion e ditor s a r e r e sponding to t h e challenge of solving the crisis in our cities . In f a ct, ma n y have bee n wo r king i n this area long b efo r e my memo o f Nove mber 1 4, 1967. Reaction h a s been o n t h e favo r able side b y a 1 0 t o 1 r a t i o . Thank you f or your quick and enthusiastic re s p onse. As you will remember, o ne s e rvice I felt ABP could pro vide is t o act as an "idea interchange" o n what y our fellow edito rs are publishing t o tell their respective industries, businesses, or professions what has been done to help meet this most complex problem. In looking over the first samples we received, i t seemed to me that many may have parallels that can be applied to other fields. By reporting or adapting these innovations by businesses outside his own field, each editor can provide stimulation, and crossfertilization of ideas. �3 I have asked ABP's Editorial Division Executive Committee to study the feasibility of this idea and to consider instituting a regular INTERCHANGE Bulletin. �