Roll Call Announces Ground-Breaking “The Mission Ahead”

Series will have innovative print, online and TV components and will launch Nov. 20

WASHINGTON, DC – In the wake of the historic 2008 elections, Roll Call, the newspaper of Capitol Hill since 1955, is launching “The Mission Ahead” on November 20. The Mission Ahead is an ambitious multi-platform initiative to distribute the opinions and ideas from prominent national thought leaders on the steps that must be taken by the 111th Congress and the new administration in the coming year.

“The new Congress is inheriting a country at a crossroads. There is no clear roadmap for success,” says Roll Call Editor-in-Chief Charlie Mitchell. “Recognizing this juncture, Roll Call is gathering some of the greatest thought leaders in the world to offer the 111th Congress advice on what must be done.”

Contributors will weigh in on topics like revitalizing the economy, restructuring energy priorities, remedying increasing health care needs and much more. They include:

“The Mission Ahead” will be distributed through an innovative multi-platform approach:

Print: The initial series will be published as a special section within the Nov. 20 issue of Roll Call and printed on a distinct stock of paper to give the section a unique look and feel.

Online: On RollCall.com and Congress.org, Roll Call’s online destination for politically engaged citizens, Roll Call will host an ongoing online forum focused on key policy areas and soliciting input from leading thought and opinion leaders that will continue in 2009. Plus, through a partnership with BigThink.com, the world’s first online interactive think tank, both sites will feature exclusive Web video interviews with contributors and other notable thought leaders along with user generated video content.

TV: Through Roll Call’s partnership with Comcast’s CN8, Roll Call TV will air a special episode on Dec. 12 focused on The Mission Ahead with on-air interviews and roundtable discussions with several opinion leaders.

“The Mission Ahead embodies where Roll Call is moving as a company,” says Peter Cherukuri, Roll Call publisher. “Our goal is to distribute exceptional content through comprehensive interactive channels that deepens our relationship with our readers, strengthens the overall conversation on Capitol Hill and provides our advertisers with innovative ways to engage our audience.”

About Roll Call Group

Founded in 1955, Roll Call Group is the leading news source for coverage of the people, politics and process that shape the legislative landscape. From our daily Capitol Hill newspaper, Roll Call, to our legislative wire service, CongressNow, to our centralized policy intelligence service, Briefing Room, and our comprehensive legislative-tracking service, GalleryWatch, Roll Call Group provides its readers with the tools, data and access to understand and influence Congress. On Aug. 1 2008, Roll Call Group added Capitol Advantage to its growing stable of properties. Capitol Advantage helps organizations politically empower citizens through market leading online and offline products including the Congress At Your Fingertips Congressional directory, the CapwizXC online grassroots advocacy suite, and Knowlegis, a collection of online tools providing legislative data designed to help organizations manage their relationships with key policy makers.