Imc-Aus Re: [Imc-oceania] PROPOSAL: United IMC

[wowi at grepgrrl.org]

Hi all,

this is my somewhat delayed response to Cam's original United IMC
proposal. Apologies in advance if it's a rehash of other peoples
responses..
*Pls note my added suggestion for a CopWatch wire.

I'm just getting back into this network..but I've liked the idea of Aus
IMC since I first heard it at Oceania Conf.

(cc'd mail)-> to anyone interested to join Imc-Aus:
http://lists.indymedia.org.au/mailman/listinfo/imc-aus

whatever happens.. i'm excited !

wowi.

<begins>

Re: [Imc-oceania] PROPOSAL: United IMC

I'm not supporting a 'united' Oceania site effort. I think it's too hard
to co-ordinate across languages (Burma - when
functional/Philippines/Jakarta), and cultural contexts. Perhaps the
initial proposal is too big a project?

Facilitating Australian radical news is a big enough project as it is. We
need to concentrate on talking about what is happening *here*, and getting
a central point of info exchange for radicals to use - network/resource,
and to better document Australian movements/campaigns. If we want to be
effective, we need to focus on our context, and make a stronger tool for
action.

Considering a lot of Australian IMC's are defunct.. there is definitely
dire need for an Aus IMC site, and experienced crew out there who can help
maintain it. (Imc-Adelaide/Imc-Melb!?)

> This project does not aim to replace existing Indymedia collectives or
> websites, rather it serves as a starting point for new individuals and
> collectives and shared space for us all to combine our energies and
> present our work.

I see no need for local sites to stop, if there is  enough geek/editoral
power. However consider the case of Imc-Scottland, formerly part of the
IMC-UK page, who now find their stories/traffic split between sites.
Additionally, a consolidated Australia site with city sections could mean
a consolidation of the work load, particularly within a transient activist
community.

CMS: I'm totally cool with drupal. For the sake of organisation, perhaps
stories should be tagged by both cities and themes.
Either a login open publishing system like SIMC, or moderated open
publishing.

Wishlist: -Strong solidarity links with indymedias in the Oceania region.
Links to Oceania Newsreal and Engage Media,
-an ability to make photographic stories with captions (like nz imc),
-an ability to upload/share audio, for other Indymedia/Community radio
shows to pick up and play on air.

Name/Style: I think the title "united" is ambiguous and a tad orwellian.
http://australia.indymedia.org/   or    http://au.indymedia.org/   or
something more indig respecting?  http://country.indymedia.org/ 
<-ambigous
-Banner theme could be a rainbow serpent (respect?), or something with a
strong indig flavour to try and counter the colonial/national inference.
I'd like to see a strong acknowledgement to indig people so that they
really feel welcome to use the site, because a lot of indig elders I met
at the ANFA meeting really support and like the project.

Editorial Policy /Mission (Principles of Unity) statement /Consensus
Policy (with Conflict Resolution section): we can consider an amalgamation
between existing local and global docs.I'd be happy to work on this, (and
am fairly exp'd with it), in a temporary working group.

NewIMC: I am also on the new-imc list so would be happy to sort that with
Cam.

*An addition to the PROPOSAL:*
It would be fantastic to have a moderated open publishing national
"copwatch" wire. so people can post photos of cops bashing people, for
later legal use (a vital activist resource)! It is not defamation if its
true, so aslong as the photos are clearly cop->protest brutalising then we
are ok. (checked with the Union)

Final Rant:
The need for an Australian IMC site is stronger than ever.
1. large areas of this country have no way to publish radical news.
Melbourne/Adelaide/Darwin/Brisbane, and PARTICULARLY rural Australia.
Consider Alice Springs has a diverse radical community, one of the
potentially biggest campaigns in Australia (proposed
commonwealth/international radioactive waste dump) and no way to
effectively disperse info.
2. Australia wide radical protest convergences are regular events that
need better coverage. An AU site would allow for a continuation of
onground networking, and resource sharing, with simulataneous national, as
well as city coverage.
egs; Baxter 05 reporting required a new site, which no longer exists, and
then manual syndication (posting) to local sites. APEC has decentralised
actions that would be better covered all on an Imc-Aus site.
3. small city collectives cannot cope with the amount of spam on local sites
4. we need to enable Aus activist networking/communication more than ever
! There's been too much power with a coalition senate + murdoch press..
its time to redistribute !

<end>


Cameron Gregg wrote:
> Here is a more detailed proposal for a united Oceania effort.
> --------
> Proposal:
>
> Convert oceania.indymedia.org into an open publishing website.
>
> Form an editorial and tech collective to maintain the site. All people
> of current IMCs can of course be in these collectives.
>
> Maintain and extend the ability to syndicate in feeds from other
> Indymedia websites and perhaps non-indymedia websites too.
>
> This project does not aim to replace existing Indymedia collectives or
> websites, rather it serves as a starting point for new individuals and
> collectives and shared space for us all to combine our energies and
> present our work.
>
> Maintain the imc-oceania list as a place for all oceania people to
> communicate and organise. Create an editorial list for this projects
> activity to take place on.
>
> Utilise an editorial process to minimize disruption by trolls and
> trouble makers such as having trusted users which can promote good
> content to a wire for general consumption.
>
> Facilitate translation of articles and website interface.
>
> Create the following documents for the operation of the collective and
> website: Mission statement, editorial policy, conflict resolution.
>
> Once organised, put ourselves through the global new-imc process.
>
> --------
>
>
> Consensus, participation and time limit.
>
>
> All collectives in the Oceania network should consent or stand aside for
> the proposal to pass.
>
> Participation by people from throughout Oceania is crucial for the
> project to be legitimate. People should indicate willingness to
> participate separately from their general support for the project.
>
> An initial time limit for this proposal and consensus test is 4 weeks.
> Ending Wednesday 15th of August.