[IMC Bombay] Re: [Imc-india] Idea for Indymedia during the WSF in Mumbai

[Harsh Kapoor]

Dear Evan,

thanks for taking this as far as it has gotten; I  along with others 
from the small scatterred IMC india collective (which includes Vic) 
has also been exchanging re both the moving of IMC india to mir 
...and the autonomous media space at WSF mumbai + an adjunct 
residential space if possible.

There seems to be general agreement among IMC india edit collective, 
which is hard strapped with time between handling the newswire and 
the site move issue, to fully support and endorse an autonoumous 
(internationalist and open) media space for activists attending the 
WSF. The idea to have a lab like space, is very fine indeed and  this 
would give and opportunity for people to share experience and 
knowledge.; and to also debate and to do practical hands on things 
with activists, but also a non sectarian and open space to discuss 
practice and politics among independent media activists. (BTW we have 
to tried with no success to reach people on the IMC Bombay . . . the 
group seems to be kind of dead by now. It would be good if someone 
from the group other than vic responds)

It would be very good if we can get some volunteers to join us in 
helping out with logistics in Bombay.
I would be there and will be willing give a certain amount of my time 
to the autonomous media space ... but for now we have to depend on 
Vic among others who is based in Bombay.

I think a full blown budget needs to be drawn up, to include costs of 
equipment rentals, ISP access, space rent as may be required by WSF, 
and miscellaneous associated  funds for logistics etc.

I am not writing from India but i suggest certainly that we start an

more later

H.


At 11:02 PM -0300 27/11/03, evan wrote:
>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
>
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