[CIMC-working] fyi -- discussion/critique -- The Sad Decline of Indymedia

[Chris Kaihatsu]

http://chicago.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=16994&group=webcast

The Sad Decline of Indymedia

by Chuck0 for InfoShop news 12:12pm Sun Dec 8 '02 (Modified on 3:00pm Mon
Dec 9 '02)    article#16994

It was a great idea when the Independent Media Center opened up its first
website for the Seattle anti-WTO protests in December 1999. The first IMC
website came out of years of alternative and grassroots media activism. By a
strange quirk of fate, the Seattle IMC also included something called the
"open newswire," an experiment that allowed every reader to be a reporter,
if they wanted to get involved in DIY, participatory media production...

It was a great idea when the Independent Media Center opened up its first
website for the Seattle anti-WTO protests in December 1999. The first IMC
website came out of years of alternative and grassroots media activism. By a
strange quirk of fate, the Seattle IMC also included something called the
"open newswire," an experiment that allowed every reader to be a reporter,
if they wanted to get involved in DIY, participatory media production. The
IMC network recently observed its 3rd anniversary and the 100th IMC went
online, but the IMC project is facing some serious problems which, if they
aren't addressed by the supporters of the IMC network, will eventually
destroy the wonderful idea that is Indymedia.
There are some that would argue that the Indymedia network needs a stronger
organization to address its current and persistent problems. This may be
somewhat true, but those of us who have pressed for reforms find ourselves
at the mercy of a network of people who are afraid to step forward and make
tough decisions. It might help if there were some more organized processes,
but I see the chief problem with Indymedia these days to be a political one,
not an organizational or technical problem.
The IMC Network has a statement of principles and so do most local IMCs.
However, the political orientation of the IMC has never been firmly
established. Other IMC volunteers and myself have strongly argued for a
series of regional IMC meetings and conventions to resolve these questions.
The problems with the IMC's vague politics is not so much what ideology it
should embrace, rather what ideologies and content the IMC Network
rejectsand opposes. This vagueness on politics has allowed an international
network of right wingers and racists to abuse and disrupt the IMC websites,
which has harmed the IMC's functionality and reputation in ways that may not
be fixable without stepping on lots of toes.
If you are a regular visitor to the IMC-Global website
(http://www.indymedia.org), you may have noticed some big changes earlier
this year. The "open" newswire was moved off the front page for a variety of
reasons. The most diplomatic reason was that many felt that the features
being created by local IMCs should be featured on the Global website. This
was a solid idea and should have been implemented despite the other reasons.
The messier reason why the open newsire was relocated was because the IMC
Global volunteers were fighting a losing campaign against right wing
disruption of the website. This disruption aimed to establish "free speech"
space on the Indymedia websites for right wing views and racist posts--the
people doing this knew that the liberal free speech attitudes of most IMC
volunteers would paralyze them from implementing consistent moderation. This
right wing attack also included the posting of constant anti-semitic
content, right wing op-eds and articles (carefully stripped of their source
infromation), conspiracy theories, and other crap designed to ruin the
reputation of the Independent Media Network.
I was part of the IMC Global Newswire collective during this period and made
proposals concerning a process to deal with this problems. I also
painstakenly documented the attack patterns by the right wingers and showed
that certain individuals were posting similar content at the same time to
various IMCs. This campaign by our enemies was successful because the IMC
volunteers refused to implement aggressive moderation and otherwise dragged
their feet until the changes were made earlier this year.
What did we lose when the right-wingers won? First, we lost the Indymedia
network as a public space for our activists. If you remember what the IMC
websites were like in the year after Seattle, you will remember them as
places where activists came together to talk about issues. After the right
wingers had their way for a year, you would commonly hear activists complain
about Indymedia and say that they didn't bother with Indymedia anymore.
Secondly, the inability of the IMC network to take aggresive action against
racist and anti-semitic posts further damaged the Indymedia's reputation
with Jewish people and people of color. We understand that some pro-Israel
extremists think that anycriticism of Israel is anti-semitic, but the IMC
network became a hotbed of just plain anti-Jewish articles, opinions, and
comments. Part of the problem within the IMC network is that most activists
refused to stand up to the free speech totalitarians within the network, who
argued that everything posted should stay visible to the public. I've been a
free speech advocate for many years and often considered myself to be a free
speech zealot, but not even I would argue that our websites should provide
anyspace for right wing and racist views. The racists have their
websites--we don't need to use our limited resources to promote their
hideous and offensive views.
The net result of this inaction is that racist and anti-semitic views became
normalizedon Indymedia websites. Sure, newswire moderators would remove the
occasional racist rant or picture, but lots of stuff was left online. This
normalizationof racist content showed the racists and right wingers that
they could have their way with Indymedia. It also alienated lots of
potential Indymedia supporters. Why should a Jewish activist participate in
an alternative media project that tolerates hate speech against that person?
I'm also convinced that the right wing posted lots of conspiracy content to
ruin the repuation of Indymedia. I have no problem with the occasional
conspiracy-type article posted to an IMC website, but I think there was good
circumstantial evidence that the right wing was posted conspiracy content
with the aim of damaging the reputation of Indymedia, not just in the eyes
of the public, but in the eyes of the chief stakeholders: the activist
community (and movements).
I still remain a big supporter of the Indymedia project. The Indymedia
project has become a revolutionary force that has greatly empowered DIY
journalists, rank-and-file activists, and average working people. This essay
is not meant to criticize IMC volunteers, rather to call out to supporters
of alternative media projects to speak up and demand that the IMC make some
tough decisions to address these vexing and persistent problems. The
Indymedia project has great potential. Let's not throw out the baby with
bathwater in our efforts not to step on toes.
add your own comments
 edit 

local rule 
by local rule 2:33pm Sun Dec 8 '02    comment#17000



local rule. 

major decisions like this should be made at a local level.

not all sites need to have the same policies.

local rule. 
The way I see it......
by Kevin 5:58pm Sun Dec 8 '02    comment#17005



Well, I've been coming here for a couple of months only, and I generally
like what I see, & read. It's a hard one to decide. you want "free speech"
but you don't want it to devolve into a site controlled by spammers. I
think, generally, Indy is doing a great job. I've had posts which were
refused, because of mystaken interpretations of what I was trying to say,
but hey, all in all, I think what's being published is good. I think you do
need editorial policy, but I think so far, you're doing a good job.

While I've seen many articles critical of Israel (which I would expect and
want in an independant news site) I haven't seen many things that I could
characterize as being anti-Semetic, except the occasional comment on an
article. But even that is maybe ok, because, the way I see it, if Israel
keeps acting as it does, real anti-Semitism around the world will increase
and become very dangerous, and maybe it's good to occasionally see
manifestations of that, as kind of a warning.
late night thoughts on chicago indymedia
by Dan lb 1:19am Mon Dec 9 '02    comment#17009
address: Hyde Park, Chicago phone: 773-834-6923 dwlb@uchicago.edu,
danwlb@yahoo.com 



I also would like to offer a list of possible suggestions to improve the
chicago indymedia site.

The chicago indymedia website could be used as a valuable source to collect
and diseminate easily accesible information about issues of social justice
in the Chicago area. There is plenty of 'information' on the internet if you
want to access it, but sifting through the bullshit requires a lot of time
and energy that most people don't have.

The Chicago indymedia site could potentially be used as both an alert system
for organizations and coalitions and individuals to inform others about
upcoming events and campaigns as well as a news site to tell chicago-area
people the state of the movement.

Indymedia should solicit community, labor, faith-based, student and
environmental, anti-racist groups active in the city to submit weekly
calendars of events and work with them in documenting them and reporting
back from rallies, teach-ins, vigils, and protests and other local actions.

C-imc should develop closer ties (putting web links) and helping get online
other alternative news organizations active in their respective communities.
(We the People Media's "Resident's Journal" reporting on the public housing
crisis, the zine "Hasta Cuando" reporting on gentrification and other
issues, etc....) 

c-imc should try to have media training workshops sometime down the line.

The open source newswire should be split into local news, national news, and
opinions and analysis. So we can sort out all the random shit (no offense)
posted on this site. Also, features should probably be updated much more
frequently and then stored in the features section at the bottom of the
page, which could then be moved towards the top so people could check out
what is up in their area of interest.

MEDIA / CIVIL LIBERTIES / LOCAL ISSUES / LABOR / ENVIRONMENTAL / CRIMINAL
(IN)JUSTICE / NATIONAL/GLOBAL / C-IMC's 9-11-Crisis/Anti-War Feature Archive
/ C-IMC CATEGORIZED COVERAGE / OPINIONS / AFGHANISTAN / ANTI-WAR ACTIONS


About internal democracy, Chicago indymedia might want to become a
membership organization. It could hold a convention this spring and actively
encourage people to come to democratically decide an editorial policy and
talk about how to use this website to facilitate the spread of information
and ideas about Chicago related issues. Minutes of meetings and the
editorial policy should defintitely be posted on the email list and on the
website to allow people who can't make it all the way to logan square every
other sunday to participate and facilitate a healthy internal democracy

just some thoughts, I don't know shit about html or web design, so I can't
really step up like that. But hell, how hard can it be to make this a kick
ass site?. 

dan lb 

p(lu)s. If you're on the south side, listen to "The Smoking Gun" on WHPK
88.5 next monday Dec. 16 from 3-4 p.m.
Confirmed Interviews with:
--Rene from the Chicago Coalition to Protect Public Housing about their
campaign to keep the CHA from demolishing more homes and kicking people out
into the street 
--Jerry Mead, from the southwest side green party speaking about their
campaign to clean up the Fisk and Crawford power plants
My work is blocked at Indy Media
by Judith 9:08am Mon Dec 9 '02    comment#17016



My work is being blocked at Indy Media. It doesn't get through Mp[ls or
Chicag. So, I guess you got some fascists in there that don't like other
opinions. We need more opinions - not lessQ We need more freedom of ideas,
not less - dummies! The liberals are the worst fascists right now. They are
so afraid of other ideas, because they know they aren't right anymore. What
works is volunatry cooperation, not force. No force of any kind, including.
The only thing that works is talk, discussion, debate - not blocking out the
non-PC or whatever women or whoever.
Look who posted this
by g8 10:04am Mon Dec 9 '02    comment#17017



Those infoshop guys have been jealous of Indymedia's success since the
beginning. Look at their new site. Looks a lot like Indymedia, huh? They
really do have a great site but Indymedia is even better. He tries to
convine us that IMC has lost is democratic roots because the newswire isn't
on the front page anymore. It was a democratic decision to move it from the
front page. This guy and plenty of others have been crying over spilled milk
for too long. Infoshop lacks the global/local roots that make IMC great. Yes
there is a lot of room for improvement, but that improvement will come as
more people get involved. Okay, that's my rant.
Hey Judith, 
by Marat 11:19am Mon Dec 9 '02    comment#17021



Ever since you began posting to IMC, I've noticed that the bulk of your
stories are comprised of regurgitated snippets from that legendary
libertarian capitalist wingnut, Ayn Rand,and little else.

Fact is, that right wing rants condemning those nefarious liberals and
assorted leftists who dare to challenge the infallible logic of unrestricted
free market are easily available in the pages of the New Republic, or on any
right wing cracker bonehead talk show that you care to tune into, or on
countless websites like the Free Republic. (or in the policy papers of the
CATO foundation) Wanna exercise your perogative as a true believer in Rand's
vision of the ideal unfettered marketplace? Take a hike and start your own
website. But better yet, pick up another book.
Those Infoshop guys
by Chuck0 3:00pm Mon Dec 9 '02    comment#17024
chuck@tao.ca 



>>Those infoshop guys have been jealous of Indymedia's success since the
beginning. Look at their new site. Looks a lot like Indymedia, huh? They
really do have a great site but Indymedia is even better. He tries to
convine us that IMC has lost is democratic roots because the newswire isn't
on the front page anymore. It was a democratic decision to move it from the
front page. This guy and plenty of others have been crying over spilled milk
for too long. Infoshop lacks the global/local roots that make IMC great. Yes
there is a lot of room for improvement, but that improvement will come as
more people get involved. Okay, that's my rant.

Speaking as one of the main "Infoshop guys," let me say that you are totally
wrong here. I've been a staunch supporter of Indymedia since its inception.
If I recall correctly, I posted something on IMC Seattle on N30, 1999. I've
volunteered my time and labor over the past couple of years for both the
Global IMC website and at the IMC DC. I don't see this as some kind of
competition, as Indymedia and Infoshop are different projects. I've been a
promoter of alternative media for over a decade, with my activism ranging
from publishing Alternative Press Review to my activism with the
Alternatives in Print Task Force of the American Library Association.

Indymedia is a great project, but it continues to be dogged by several
problems. My essay is about those problems and it is a call for the
Indymedia nework to get its butt moving on these issues.

Lastly, I supported the move of the open newswire from the front page of IMC
Global.

www.infoshop.org