[New-imc] Q: mission/editorial policy, free speech v. censorship, 501c3 status

[Bill Huston]

Hi all,

This is for anyone who is not busy for the F15 event ;^)

I have been struggling with the mission statement and editorial policy 
for IMC Binghamton.  Here is my dilemma. Do we choose:

Editorial model 1: 

  Public Access / Free Speech / No editorial control / No censorship 
  (and run the risk of giving a voice to right-wing conservatives), or

Editorial model 2: 

  Restricted Speech, Editorial Control, Possible Censorship, 
  stack the editorial staff with progressives. 

This page (for example) acknowleges the same dilemma
I am facing ("risky" free speech vs. "safe" censorship):
http://atlanta.indymedia.org/edpolicy.php3

All of the IMCs I've seen have a real radical/progressive vibe to them,
and I suspect that most IMCs use the second model.  However, this presents
a problem for my ideas locally with regards to Public Access TV.

I have been trying for 3 years to get my city to provide a public
access television facility, with training classes and equipment.
In New York, we are very lucky to have a good state law which
makes this compulsory. However, sometimes a lawsuit is necessary
to compel the parties to come into compliance with the law, which
is where we are presently.

So at some point in the near future, I expect to have a budget
for building a Public Access Television facility, which will
require an orginizational structure. I am planning on creating
a non-profit corp (501c3) to hold the assets. 

I am thinking about using the Binghamton IMC as the central
organizing principle: citizen reporters, website, Public Access TV
facility and producers, and someday, our own community radio 
station.

However, NY and US Federal law require that Public Access Television
centers give "non-discriminatory, first-come, first-serve access".
Meaning, no censorship, no editorial control of any kind.
A public access TV facility by law must give access to both
peacenik, pot-smoking progressives and to right-wing war-mongering 
conservatives as well. 

How can I make the Binghamton IMC the organizing principle of
a Public Access Television facility, and not give a voice to
the people who already dominate the commercial media?

Perhaps the IMC needs to be a seperate organization from
the Public Access TV facility, working in conjunction
with it, perhaps providing per-project grants?

Also, if anyone has any experience with forming an IMC
as a 501c3 not-for-profit corp, I'd like to hear about
it. There are restrictions on the speech of 501c3's and am
interested in ideas how to get around this.

Regards,
Bill Huston