Townhall launches new 'Soapbox' Blog

[paineinthearse]

Townhall.com Empowers Grassroots with New Blog; 'Soapbox' Blog Increases Ability of Citizens to Contribute to Political Discourse

6/23/2005 1:10:00 PM


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To: National Desk

Contact: Maribeth Armitage of Townhall.com, 202-675-6509

WASHINGTON, June 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Townhall.com, a conservative news, opinion, and action source serving 1.5 million readers per month, announced the start of a blog that will increase the ability of citizens around the world to speak out on issues important to them. In the first 48 hours after announcing the new "Soapbox" blog, nearly 1,000 people have signed up for their own Soapboxes.

The Townhall.com "Soapbox" blog will feature many of Townhall's prominent conservative columnists, but will also become a major new tool for citizens. This is the beginning of Townhall.com's effort to give average Americans a much bigger voice in political issues.

The Soapbox is launching at the same time that blogs are being recognized for their contribution to the national political discourse, including "Rathergate", and the 2004 election. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, growth in blog readership in 2004 alone increased by 58 percent. Townhall.com sees its large, loyal readership greatly contributing to this discourse in the weeks and months ahead.

The Soapbox blog is also one of the first steps in strengthening conservatives' ability to speak out and mobilize on important issues, one of Townhall.com's new focuses as an independent organization.

"We're excited about bringing citizens, political professionals, authors, professors, parents, pundits, and scholars together for a unique discussion of the issues that matter most," said Townhall.com Editor-in-Chief, Jonathan Garthwaite. "This is one of the ways Townhall.com can fully engage its readers."

The blog can be viewed at http://www.townhall.com/clog/. For more information on the Townhall Soapboxes, contact Laura O'Dea at 202-675-6509 or at [e-mail].

Townhall.com is the first truly interactive community on the Internet to bring Internet users, conservative public policy organizations, congressional staff, and political activists together under the broad umbrella of news, opinion, and action. The mission of Townhall is to use 21st century communications to call people together for informed, thoughtful and civil discussions on issues of public importance, and to mobilize, equip and activate these people to act on their beliefs. Townhall believes that the best public policy solutions are those that are in concert with the following guiding principles: The balance of power between people and governments should be heavily tilted in favor of the people; A national government's first priority is to defends its people and homeland; Long-standing moral and ethical values are the bedrock of any civil, prosperous, and sustainable society. These values should be preserved.

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