Mojuk might be right here, however, your idea is very good, because WHEN the wipe and content changes happen, this same problem will arise. There is a critical mass to such games as this, which is needed to sustain itself, else, it the pop will drop to a "number of pvp apes knowing about the game plus a few casuals/newbies" level.
So, my suggestion to Khans and others is, to prepare promoting stuff for the right time, but do not use it. Make videos (for promotion purpose, not the usual "ego trip between factions" kind), that newspaper of yours is epic, once wipe hits, post that paper that you guys are recruiting or something, with ur best lines and ofc with the side purpose of advertising the server itself. (I specially love that "Khans: It just got worse" line
) Anything you got, focus on wipe, if for a few weeks the population will rise to the sky, there is the possibility of staying there or half way there for who knows, maybe until next-next wipe.
That reminds me, the biggest turn-off for newbie PvP-ers is that if they do not meet other newbies at their level. So if the team did not do it so far (I checked map encounter but already forgot the specifics) noob-protection should be disabled if the other guy is a newbie as well and alone on encounter drops. (And yeah I know, people could abuse that with low level high potential alts, but still better than nothing or a full group of pvp-ers spamming the map forced entry for the low random roll vs newbie protection)