[New-imc] updated "global indymedia overview"

[Jay]

An updated version to post on the newimc site.  Comments?

Jay

GLOBAL INDYMEDIA OVERVIEW
(updated June 7, 2002)

This document is a general introduction to the inner workings, or lack
thereof, of the global Indymedia network.  This document is especially
intended for people in local IMCs who are curious as to how they can become
more a part of international indymedia organizing, though individuals can
also use the information within to know how to get involved.  

WHAT IS GLOBAL INDYMEDIA?
That’s a good question.  In one sense, global Indymedia is a thriving
organization composed of hundreds of activists from around the world who
communicate regularly via e-mail to coordinate the forward 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
myth.  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 real world to help coordinate event-based IMCs, primarily
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.  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 that way, global Indymedia is a virtual entity, a network,
a big ball of energy that no one can quantify.

Over the last two years, 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, such as
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 real-life, 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.  In turn, 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? 
Recently global Indymedia has begun to have bimonthly meetings on the
“irc.indymedia.org” IRC server.  Each local IMC is strongly encouraged to
have a liaison attend the global meetings.  These meetings will be a place
for liaisons from local IMCs to discuss their local IMC’s reaction to
issues that effect the global Indymedia network. For information about how
to be involved in the meetings, contact imc-communication at indymedia.org.

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.  Having someone from your IMC active on the
lists marked with an * are strongly, strongly suggested to keep in tune
with what's happening throughout the network.  

* Imc-communication at indymedia.org
The purpose of this list is to develop better communication between the
local IMCs and to initiate a global Indymedia communication structure.
Every IMC is asked to have someone on this list.  The person from your IMC
on this list will bring issues being discussed throughout the network back
into your local meetings so you can discuss them there (and of course pass
a summary of your discussion back to the list).  

* Imc-process at indymedia.org
People have used imc-process as a place to discuss the organizational
structure of Indymedia.  It has also been a list for people to raise any
and every issue they feel is important to the network.  Lately it has also
been the list that formally accepts new imcs into the network.  Your IMC
should have at least one person following conversations here.  People are
also posting process documents and having process discussions on the web at
http://global.indymedia.org.au and http://internal.indymedia.org.

* Imc-finance at indymedia.org 
An imc-finance list exists 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.  So far
almost all of the donations to Indymedia have gone to local IMCs, but some
people and foundations have expressed interest in supporting the global
Indymedia entity, which in turn would support the local IMCs, especially
formation of local IMCs in the Global South.  We are asking each IMC to
have a member participating on this list.  

* Imc-proposals at indymedia.org
This list is primarily for proposals and communication that the
imc-commwork working group (described below) decide should go out to every
IMC contact. Each local IMC should have someone on this list, and when a
proposal/issue 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-tech at 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 at cat.org.au. 

Imc-print at indymedia.org
A global print team has developed through this list to work on network-wide
print projects such as the PDF project (a weekly printable page of IMC news
coverage).  The project has printed sporadically, and could always use a
burst of energy from new participants.  IMC-print team members often work
on articles together through the print.indymedia.org web site.

Imc-video at indymedia.org
This is a list for international communication about and coordination of
IMC video projects.

Imc-audio at indymedia.org
This is the place for discussions about IMC audio projects. 

Imc-editorial at indymedia.org
People on imc-editorial have been working on issues such as the editorial
policy for the www.indymedia.org news wire, and on broader issues related
to how to present the content on the www.indy site.

www-features at 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.  If
you have a feature idea to suggest, or an upcoming event to have listed in
the top right corner of www.indymedia.org, post to this list.  

Imc-newswire at indymedia.org
This working group focuses on keeping the www.indymedia.org newswire
healthy by hiding posts that don't fit into Indymedia editorial policy.  

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

Imc-commwork at indymedia.org
This working group tries to improve network-wide IMC communication, most
recently by organizing bi-monthly global IRC meetings.  

Syndication at indymedia.org
Come here for discussions about all aspects of syndicating your center
column feature stories to the "features-wire" on the www.indymedia.org
site, as well as other syndication issues.  

Translation at 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 and
www.indy center column features. 

Imc-global at indymedia.org
The purpose of this list isn’t exactly clear, 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 at indymedia.org
People on this list are working to coordinate the creation and management
of the indymedia e-mail lists.  

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

New-imc at indymedia.org
The new-imc working group helps welcome aspiring IMCs into the network by
answering their questions about Indymedia and by working with them as they
advance through the new-imc process (described on
http://newimc.indymedia.org).  

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 at indymedia.org list.  Features for the www.indy page should
have some kind of international relevance and should include links to
articles on a local IMC newswire or on the www.indy newswire.  

Photos:
Post interesting photos from your local IMC that you think have
international relevance to the www.indymedia.org newswire.  In the future,
when the PDF project is active, you may also suggest your best photos to
the imc-print at indymedia.org list for inclusion.  

Audio:
Please communicate with the imc-audio at indymedia.org list about your audio
ideas and adventures.  You may also find information about Indymedia audio
at http://radio.indymedia.org.  

Video:
Please communicate with the imc-video at indymedia.org list about your video
visions and accomplishments.  You may also find information about the
Indymedia newsREAL, a monthly compilation of Indymedia video being
broadcast on Free Speech TV (http://www.freespeech.org) at
http://satellite.indymedia.org.  

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 at indymedia.org.  Remember that the volunteers who answer those
requests are quite overtaxed and may take a few days to get back to you.
Of course you may send any questions related to forming a new-imc to
"new-imc at indymedia.org".