[Imc-india] Idea for Indymedia during the WSF in Mumbai

[evan]

SUMMARY:
	Proposal to setup a small media lab with a web radio station during 
the WSF in Mumbai.
	Discussion of project costs and fundraising sources.
	Proposal for a mailinglist of imc-wsf-2004 at indymedia.org


Hello indymedia india people. I'm evan with indymedia uruguay and 
general indymedia techie. I'm planning on being in Mumbai during the 
WSF.

Please don't take what i'm saying as trying impose my ideas on 
indymedia india or what people want to do, or not do, during the 
upcoming World Social Forum in Mumbai. I'm just trying to help organize 
something which will be approiate given my past experience organizing 
both large and small indymedia projects. Let me apologize for the 
length of this email.

The other day i spent a while talking to Vic from Mumbai about possible 
ideas. First we talked about upgrading the indymedia india website to 
mir.

Vic and i were talking about setting up a small indymedia workspace / 
media lab at the WSF. Because the exhibition and conference center is 
located in an industrial area there are not many available spaces 
outside the official forum. We thought it might work to petition the 
organizers to give us a room inside the center complex. In the past 
indymedia has always setup an office outside the official conference 
center but this time I don't think indymedia is known widely enough for 
people to know to search out a separate media center space.

The idea came up of setting up an audio studio and running an internet 
web radio station. Independent community radio stations effectively 
effectively don't exist in India. Demonstrating web radio would allow 
an approachable way for people to get involved, know something about 
indymedia, and help cover the forum. It also is a political act because 
it connects globalization movements and media activism to a local 
cause, the movement to create non-commercial / non-governmental 
community media.

We were thinking of having a media center with 5 computers, for 
accessing the internet, streaming the web radio, editing audio, and 
writing stories. Vic who is in contact with the WSF organizers is going 
to go ask them if we can have a room somewhere in the complex and the 
ability to hook in to use the WSF's internet connection. If we can't 
use the WSF connection we will have to get our own, which will probably 
cost between $50 and $100 USD. The computers can be rented for $50 per 
month. Vic has some of the audio equipment such as a mixer, cables, 
minidisc recorders, and microphones which he can loan to the IMC during 
the forum.

We might want to print out and make pamphlets which introduce and 
describe indymedia and also talk about community radio and internet 
radio.

There isn't a detailed budget, but looking at initial numbers I expect 
a final cost between $500 and $750 USD.

There are a number of sources of funding which we can use to cover the 
costs.

Indymedia Global Fund
A fund of  money donated directly to the whole indymedia network. There 
is about $20,000 USD in the fund which is given out as internal grants 
to indymedia centers and projects. There is no fixed limit on the grant 
size, but most proposals are for less than $3000 USD and take a month 
for local imc's to discuss the proposal, offer amendments, and approve 
or reject it. There is an emergency grant of up to $500 which has no 
minimum time frame. Most grants from the Indymedia Global Fund 
(IMC-Finance) are given to indymedia centers in the developing world 
who are unable to raise sufficient money locally. Money is not used for 
paying salaries or meeting the day to day expenses such as paying rent 
for a permanent office. The Global Fund is administered by the 
imc-finance at indymedia.org mailinglist which is open for all indymedia 
centers to participate in the decisions on a equal basis.

Global South Fund
This is a separate fund of money of microgrants for indymedia centers 
and projects in the 'Global South'. The grants have been used mostly in 
latin america to help indymedia centers purchase radio transmitters, 
setup a media center to cover the WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico, to 
help Indymedia Chiapas in collaboration with Guatemalan media activists 
cover the elections in Guatemala, etc... The money comes from Panta 
Rhea, a small San Francisco based foundation which funds projects 
related to media activism, media reform, and globalization. The Global 
South Fund can be reached at gsf at ucimc.org.

Solidarity Fundraising
Informal fundraising within the indymedia network often happens within 
the indymedia network where one IMC sells videos and cd's or holds 
events such as video showings or parties to raise money for another 
indymedia center. This has been very effective to raise money for 
projects and to provide ongoing sustainable funding for indymedia 
projects. It relies on particularly on social networks and ties which 
can be build up by events like the World Social Forum in Mumbai where 
activists will be able to work together face to face. Perhaps we could 
build upon people planning on coming to the WSF to raise some money 
through solidarity networks.


Mailinglist Proposal
To incorporate both indymedia activists within indymedia and 
internationals coming for the WSF I think it might be a good idea to 
create a mailinglist for discussion and organizing. We can create new 
lists easily at http://newlist.indymedia.org/ . There are lots of 
people on the imc-india list and i feel awkward taking it over to use 
for this one event and flooding people with email. That said, clearly 
indymedia india hasn't used mailinglists much for organizing up until 
now, so perhaps it's not a good idea. Can somebody from india give me 
some feedback on this idea?


in solidarity,
evan