[CIMC-working] draft 2: the future of the indymedia network: reformist institutions or networks of networks

[Doug Morris]

A few revisions to add pts on main theme:  reformism vs. decentralized network

Draft 1, See top for discussion of how this could be revised:
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-chicago-working/2002-December/000382.html

Best,
Doug

DRAFT 2

Greetings,	

The indymedia is undergoing major transformations now.

What do we want to create together?

Do we want the indymedia network to gradually (and without discussion) grow 
reformist institutions or to remain and grow as a decentralized networks of 
networks?

There are many promising developments in indymedia now.
Consider:
	- the growth of imcs internationally, over 110 locals now
	- the vitality of various media projects
	- the unique coverage offered by indymedia activists in key struggles in 
last year such as in Aregentina, Chiapas, Italy, Palestine,
	- the emergence of regional networks (imc latina) and national 
collaborations (brazil, france germany, italy, etc.) across imc locals
	- the gradual improvement of the free software base for open publishing

We are doing great things.

There are some problematic developments in the indymedia network that we 
need to deal with.

To mention some of the most serious:
	- a lack of strategic planning
	- an unclear network decision process
	- yet, indymedia network processes have been are being created that are 
fairly centralized (in approach to fund raising in particular, and the 
basic tech system has often worked this way, perhaps some of it by necessity)
	
Of particular concern, recent approachs to fund raising have been in 
private by indymedia *organizers*

A large amount of work now is being done by long term indymedia 
*organizers* -- this is mostly not being done on indymedia 
listserves.  This may well impact greatly the future of indymedia networks. 
See the next note to this list on the tmf proposal (or see below).

For a complex network to grow and work, it is necessary to co-create and 
revise participation processes, even very detailed and ellaborate ones. 
But, we can create processes that are decentralized, rather than leaving 
the emergence and creation of network processes to a small group of 
dedicated folks, who often come from imcs with a lot of experience in local 
projects and grants (to create physical spaces, tech resources, ongoing 
projects, etc.).

We invite locals and imc participants to discuss diverse approaches to imc 
stragic development and process creation on the imc-strategies 
(unmoderated) and imc-process (now moderated) and imc-process-work (very 
new, moderated, multi-lingual) listserves:
http://lists.indymedia.org/listinfo/imc-strategies
http://lists.indymedia.org/listinfo/imc-process
http://lists.indymedia.org/listinfo/imc-process-work

In an extra note, included below, we discuss some pressing, perhaps urgent 
indymedia funding issues.

In solidarity,
Chicago IMC

[Should this be a separate note refering to the one above?]

On grants for indymedia: Soros and the Tactical Media Fund

There is a new proposal being develop by some indymedia participants, on a 
private listserv with little announcement to indymedia lists: the tactical 
media fund, tmf.  The tmf proposals states itself as being independent of 
indymedia.

See here:
PROPOSAL TO THE OPEN SOCIETY INSTITUTE FOR THE TACTICAL MEDIA FUND
AND IN SUPPORT OF SEVERAL INDYMEDIA PROJECTS
http://internal.protest.net/osi/

The tactical media fund while claiming to be independent of indymedia has 
these 5 characteristics, we think:
	written by long term indymedia participants who've been very active in the 
imc network
	cites indymedia success specifically
	is proposed by an imc local, Urbana-Champaign imc
	to be administered by same
	aims to fund specifically various imc projects, some at a network level

This new tactical media fund proposal includes a proposal to fund a network 
strategy planning meeting and an elaboration of an "open editing" model and 
a tech training aspect and a summaries documentation aspect.

These ideas have very interesting and creative aspects.

An independent media fund (which obtains funds *without specific indymedia 
grant-making ties*, which has widespread *participation* in its 
development, which has *unity principles* like indymedia, and which dolls 
out funds *without (or with vanishingly) few strings*) could be great, very 
helpful.

However, as the tmf project does not seem to be a funding project 
independent of the indymedia network:
This project needs to be considered on indymedia listserves and in light of 
indymedias unity principles and local membership criteria and previous 
positions taken on grants by a number of locals.

Of very serious concerns, and in light of the statements made by imc locals 
on the Ford grants and against capitalist foundations in particular by 
numbers locals, the tmf is pursusing a grant from the Soros foundation. See:
statements against grants from capitalist funds by imcs
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-chicago-working/2002-December/000327.html

As part of this consideration, we (Chicago IMC) would like to ask the 
Urbana Champaign IMC:
Why are you pursuing the Soros funds for the TMF and other indymedia 
projects, in respect to previous imc statements about grants.

We, Chicago IMC participants, support the development of funding processes 
both outside and inside indymedia to fund an array of projects.

We are further very grateful to those who are working on the imc-finance 
list to send funds to various imc locals and projects.

But, we have serious concerns separately about the tactical media fund, the 
role of urbana-champaign imc in this, and with soros affilicated grant making.

People, please consider reading this long and well researched article on 
very serious, negative results of Soros funded projects:
George Soros, Imperial Wizard - Covert Action Quarterly
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/public/imc-chicago-working/2002-December/000332.html

We invite locals and imc participants to discuss the tactical media fund - 
its promise and problems
and serious problems -- and the issue of seeking and accepting funds for 
indymedia from the open society institute of George Soros, an agent of 
imperial capitalism of the worse sort.

However this all works out, we wish the people working on the tactical 
media fund the best luck in their pursuits.  We hope they drop seeking 
grants from Soros and turn to other less dangerous sources, in terms of 
cooptation (see article above).
	
For the future of indymedia as a decentralized network of networks, we 
invite you to discuss these issues of strategy (imc-strategies) and process 
(imc-process).

In solidarity,
Chicago IMC