Welcome!!
I can't help you much though because I don't watch their shows much, mainly for the fact that I barely understand Japanese and their isn't many subtitles available. I prefer their performances instead.
A new subtitle project is happening at this website
http://sub48forum.kevinkwanhk.com/index.php
You can check out the AKB dramas Majisuka Gakuen and Sakura kara no Tegami if you want to see the girls act.
One member of Stage48 used to have a great livejournal account with lots of AKB downloads but unfortunately they had to close it recently. Though if you searched on google you can find lots of links still.
AKBINGO is AKB's main variety show. Their are some subtitles on the link I posted above. Unfortunately there are not many subs for AKB shows.
But you can still get to know the members through researching them reading their translated blogs on the blog48 live journal account and watching them perform.
This is what I have done and I didn't find it too difficult to learn the members names and choose favourites!
Even just lurking on Stage48 for a while and reading other members posts about the girls helps you learn about them!