[IndyMedia Bombay] Global IndyMedia Overview

[PUKAR @ IndyMedia]

Dear IndyMedia Network:

For your information.


Shekhar and Sanjay
_____

GLOBAL INDYMEDIA OVERVIEW

This document is a general introduction to the inner workings, of the 
loose-knit Global Indymedia Network. This document is especially 
intended for people in local IMCs who are curious about how they can 
become a part of the international indymedia organizing effort - 
though individuals can also use the information below to learn about 
opportunities to get involved with the Global IMC.

WHAT IS GLOBAL INDYMEDIA?

That's a good question. In one sense, global Indymedia is a thriving 
organization composed of thousands of activists from around the world 
who communicate regularly via e-mail, telephone, and other 
communications devices to coordinate the development of an 
international network of independent media projects and 
community-based media centers. In other ways, the whole idea of 
"global Indymedia" is a misnomer. People who are helping organize 
"global indymedia" do so primarily via the internet, in virtual 
space, communicating via e-mail lists and meeting sporadically on the 
"irc.indymedia.org" IRC chat server (type http://irc.indymedia.org in 
your browser or find an IRC program at http://www.mirc.com), often in 
the #indymedia channel. Sometimes they get together in the 
non-virtual world to help coordinate event-based IMCs (e.g. around 
anti-globalization events such as those in Seattle for the WTO 
protests in '99, Washington and Prague for the World Bank/IMF 
protests in 2000, Switzerland for the World Economic Forum protests 
this winter and recently for the anti-FTAA protests in Quebec City).
"Indymediacs" also gather sometimes at independent media conventions 
and sometimes (gasp!) they even visit each other just for fun. In a 
very real sense, global Indymedia is a loose organizing network of 
individual activists who support each other and each other's 
independent media activities. In this way, global Indymedia is a 
virtual entity, a network, and a "big ball of energy" that is 
impossible to quantify.

Over the last several months, individuals who are interested in 
harnessing the power of Indymedia to produce inspiring, informative 
media, have come together to work on a number of international 
Indymedia projects. For example, the features in the center column of 
the http://www.indymedia.org web site as well as international print, 
audio and video productions. You will find information about how to 
get involved in these projects below.

WHY SHOULD YOUR LOCAL IMC GET INVOLVED?

Indymedia is nothing if the non-virtual, local IMCs are not strong. 
However, the idea that each local IMC is part of a thriving 
international network helps inspire local IMCs to do good work. The 
Gobal IMC provides a venue for dissemination of locally produced 
media as well as a support network for organizing IMC activities and 
events. When people in local IMCs become involved with global 
Indymedia projects they build strong bonds between the local, 
real-life, community-based Indymedia organizing and the global 
independent media "movement."

HOW CAN YOUR LOCAL IMC GET INVOLVED?

First of all, do not be discouraged by any of the techno-babble you 
read below. We try to make everything as user-friendly and accessible 
as possible, and people are more than willing to answer any questions 
you have. Remember, the fact that you are reading this very statement 
would be an incomprehensibly difficult task for most people working 
with computers only a decade or two ago! While some of the procedures 
may seem complex at first, you will find them easy if you follow the 
steps provided.

Recently global Indymedia has begun to develop a process through 
which we're going to be able to make decisions that apply to the 
whole network. One proposed way of doing this has been to have 
international meetings on the "irc.indymedia.org" IRC server (channel 
"#communication"). You can find information about how to attend IRC 
meetings at "http://process.indymedia.org/howtoattend.php3". Each 
local IMC would be strongly encouraged to have a liaison attend the 
global meetings. These meetings would be a place for liaisons from 
local IMCs to discuss their local IMC's reaction to proposals (found 
on the imc-proposals@indymedia.org list) and issues that effect the 
global Indymedia network. Decisions about indymedia policy would 
happen on the local level, in local IMCs, and the local IMCs will 
send their liaison to the global meeting to let everyone else know 
what they've decided. There are other models in the proposal stage, 
such as the idea of affirming decisions through the global e-mail 
lists rather than through IRC. You should make sure you have someone 
from your IMC subscribed to the imc-proposals@indymedia.org list so 
your IMC can see the most recent proposals for our decision-making 
structure. You may also check the archives of the 
imc-proposals@indymedia.org list by going to 
"http://lists.indymedia.org" and clicking the "imc-proposals" link.

On an ongoing basis, other than making an effort to visit people at 
local IMCs when you travel, and/or trying to get to any regional 
independent media gatherings or events an IMC is covering, the best 
way to get involved with global Indymedia organizing is to 
participate in the global Indy e-mail lists. Some local IMCs are 
making an effort to have at least one member on each list. Below is a 
description of the global Indymedia lists. All of the lists would 
LOVE to have representation and involvement from all local IMCs.

INDYMEDIA E-MAIL LISTS:

You may sign up for all lists and view all list archives through 
http://lists.indymedia.org. Just click on the name of the list to 
which you would like to subscribe (or of which you would like to see 
the archives) and follow the simple instructions. You will have to 
sign up individually for each list you would like to join.

Imc-proposals@indymedia.org
This list is for proposals ONLY. Only proposals that working groups 
(i.e. the people working on each of the Indymedia mailing lists) have 
made with the intent of being brought back to local IMCs for feedback 
will appear on this list. Each local IMC should have someone on this 
list, and when a proposal appears s/he should raise the issue in 
his/her local IMC. We are moving toward developing a place for 
focused discussion of these proposal, and to creating a 
decision-making process for how to put these discussions into action.

Imc-process@indymedia.org
People have used imc-process as a place to discuss the organizational 
structure of Indymedia. Participants on imc-process have been 
focusing on the approval of new applications for local IMC sites and 
what "being an IMC" entails. People are also posting process 
documents and having process discussions on the web at 
http://global.indymedia.org.au.

Editorialpolicy@indymedia.org
This list has just become the place for people involved in the 
Indymedia network to work on issues such as editorial policy for the 
www.indymedia.org news wires, and on broader issues related to how to 
present the content on the www.indymedia.org site.

Imc-editorial@indymedia.org
This list is a public contact point between those outside the network 
and Indymedia to discuss issues about editorial policy and other 
general concerns about Indymedia.

Imc-communications@indymedia.org
The purpose of this list is to develop better communication between 
the local IMCs and to initiate a global Indymedia communication 
structure. The people on this list have been coordinating the global 
Indymedia IRC meetings that have started to occur, and will continue 
biweekly.

Imc-tech@indymedia.org
This is the list for people who are working on general indymedia 
technical issues and programming concerns. There is also a list for 
people working on the web code that underlies the indymedia sites at 
webcoders@cat.org.au.

Imc-print@indymedia.org
A global print team has developed through this list to work on 
network-wide print projects such as the PDF project. The imc-print 
list has recently begun to post a weekly page of Indymedia news in 
printable (PDF) format. Having a printable page of news will enable 
individuals all over the world to print and distribute information 
that Indymedia has gathered, bringing Indymedia news off the computer 
and into the real world. You may participate with the PDF thorugh the 
imc-print@indymedia list and through the http://print.indymedia.org 
web site.

Imc-presentation@indymedia.org
This group coordinates the way the www.Indymedia site looks (fonts, 
type colors, etc.)

Translation@indymedia.org
This list is an organizing group for the Indymedia translation team. 
People on this list are developing the system by which translation 
team volunteers will translate things like Indymedia process 
documents, the weekly PDF, and www.indymedia.org center column 
features.

www-features@indymedia.org
This is a list for people who are coordinating the features that 
appear on the center column of the www.indymedia.org page. Anyone can 
suggest a feature to this working group by e-mailing the suggestion 
to the list.

Imc-global@indymedia.org
The purpose of this list is still being defined, but people have been 
using it as a place to discuss general issues that effect the whole 
network, such as what to do with donations and what kind of general 
ideas people have for the future of Indymedia.

Listwork@indymedia.org
People on this list are working to coordinate the creation and 
management of the indymedia e-mail lists.

new-imc@indymedia.org
This is working group list for the "new IMC working group" which has 
formed to help aspiring IMCs from around the world to develop their 
applications to become part of the Indymedia network. We're asking 
that people who want to join this list have experience with 
organizing a local IMC and that they should be ready to participate 
actively in the working group.

imc-conferences@indymedia.org
This list is the place for discussions about conferences that have 
invited Indymedia to participate so we can decide who to send as our 
representative and as a discussion group about local, regional and 
international Indymedia gatherings.

General-discussion@indymedia.org
This list is for discussion of issues surrounding the variety of 
questions people send to the general@indymedia.org e-mail box. The 
people on this list
are using the helpdesk.indymedia.org system to answer those varied requests.

Imc-finance@indymedia.org
An imc-finance list has started for people working on the financial 
aspects of the global Indymedia project, including accepting, 
encouraging and organizing donations, and figuring out how to spend 
what we raise. We have not yet decided if this working group will be 
open to all or if it will consist entirely of people who are active 
participants in local or global Indymedia organizing.

Imc-dmwg@indymedia.org
This is a working list for people involved in the Indymedia network 
who would like to develop a proposal for a network-wide 
decision-making process.

HOW DOES YOUR LOCAL IMC SHARE CONTENT WITH GLOBAL INDYMEDIA PROJECTS?

Text features:
If you have a feature that you think has international relevance, 
send notice about it (and the proposed text, which would be helpful), 
to the www-features@indymedia.org list. Features for the 
www.indymedia.org page should have some kind of international 
relevance and should include links to articles on a local IMC 
newswire or on the www.indymedia.org newswire. You may also submit it 
to the imc-print group for possible inclusion in the weekly PDF. Look 
at http://print.indymedia.org for the most recent information on the 
process for submitting your articles for the PDF.

Photos:
Post interesting photos from your local IMC that you think have 
international relevance to the www.indymedia.org newswire. You may 
also suggest your best photos to the
imc-print@indymedia.org list for inclusion. Look at 
http://print.indymedia.org for the most recent information on the 
process for submitting your articles for the PDF.

Audio:
The IMC radio team recently worked with the National Radio Project 
(http://www.radioproject.org) to produce a weekly five minute news 
headlines report as part of their Livewire news month-long pilot 
project, which perhaps will become a regular production. The IMC 
radio team (radio.indymedia.org) is currently organizing several 
audio projects through that web site and their e-mail list, 
imc-radio@indymedia.org.

Video:
"The Indymedia NewsREAL," a regular Indymedia network-wide video 
production, debuted in April on the Free Speech TV 
(http://www.freespeech.org) U.S. satellite channel (DISH Network, 
9415) and in local screenings around the world. Local IMCs that 
produce video segments regularly should contact Rachel 
rarinald@midway.uchicago.edu, Robert rjwyrod@midway.uchicago.edu 
and/or Eric programming2@fstv.org to get involved. You may find 
information about the project at http://satellite.indymedia.org

Upcoming projects:

News Blast:
There is a proposal floating around to start producing a weekly index 
of the most intriguing news that has passed through the Indymedia 
news wires in the previous week. We will distribute this via e-mail, 
and perhaps will use it as a fundraiser and/or subscription service.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
There is some information about how to organize an IMC at 
http://process.indymedia.org. While that site is quite out of date, 
there are a couple "blueprints" from event-based IMCs that give good 
advice about how to put together local event-based coverage. You can 
also get to a global Indymedia "to do list" at 
http://todo.indymedia.org, and find some imc-tech information at 
http://tech.indymedia.org. If you have any general questions about 
Indymedia or anything related, direct them to general@indymedia.org. 
Remember that the volunteers who answer those requests are quite 
overtaxed and may take a few days to get back to you.

_____

PUKAR (Partners for Urban Knowledge Action & Research)
P.O. Box 5627
Dadar, Mumbai 400014, India
E-Mail <pukarsecretariat@vsnl.net>
Phone +91 (022) 2077779, +91 98200.45529, +91 98204.04010
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