[Seattle-editorial] Where's the news?

Sun Aug 24 11:41:54 PDT 2003

Judy, 

please know that you are very much invited to be a part of 
indymedia. The workload is enormous, and as it is shared it becomes 
more fun and of higher quality. Your statement that it's way to 
much work to rewrite and compile stuff of the newswire, but that 
you expect "the editors" to be pulling stuff off the newswire and 
putting it on the center column seems contradictory. It is a lot of 
work, and the center column is almost always stuff from the 
newswire. 

The center column writers, both of them, have at least one regular 
job each, and yet the quality of the features in the column is 
incredible. And yes a story does seem more important when it gets 
to the center column, but as one who has published a hundred 
articles on indymedia, in many cities, I assure you that not only 
the headlines are important. In fact, as in most newspapers, 
digging through the 'back pages' is very productive for 
investigative work. Some of my articles have been a part of a 
feature, but a feature comes about when many folks are writing 
about and interested in a subject. One good story-newswire story, 
many good stories on the same subject-center column feature. I'm a 
good writer, and if I choose to write on a popular issue, my piece 
gets in as often as any one elses. Like a lot of writers, my 
inspiration comes when it does, and timing is an important part of 
whats on the front page. The best story ever written on, say, 
taxation will not appear on the front page after a huge blackout, 
but a pretty good article on power plants will. 

Every great journalist starts out on the back pages. If you only 
read what's on the front page, you'll get a small sampling of geat 
writing, but you'll miss some of the best stuff from young or less 
experienced or *less connected* writers. That's where indy comes 
in. There exists no editing in the traditional sense at indy. I 
have no formal editor to tell me, using her experience and 
knowledge, that I could say my piece better by rewriting it some 
othr way. Not for the newswire anyway. The source material is from 
the average contributor. The center column articles are built by 
someone, then suggestions and modifications are made, but not from 
on high. I'm not a member of the ed collective, but my input is 
considered as highly as anyone elses if I'm right, or creative. 

We have held feature writing classes, and will again. You have 
found the work bench though, the editorial list. Your idea of 
meeting personaly is excellent, but do proceed regardless. 
remember, Jonathon and Gentry are the active eds. The meeting would 
be of about 3-5 folks, although others drift in and out. If you 
would like to get together on our Media Makers night at Space and 
talk features, I can't imagine Jonathon & Gentry, and others not 
showing up, if they are free. So, propose a meeting of the ed. 
collective, suggest a time and place and let the others commit or 
not. When enough say OK, meet. The bulk of collaboration will 
continue to be done on the list I'm sure. 

Hey, the fact that your upset is a good thing. Things need to 
improve. We are a small group if individuals at indy, not a 
nebulous organization. Or maybe we are a nebulous small group of 
organized individuals. Either way, you ability to change us for the 
better is quite front and center. Try changing things at the times!

Thanks,

Joseph

Quoting typist at speakeasy.net:

> Wait a sec.  Who are all the people writing for the newswire if
> they're not people writing for Indymedia?  Why not use their
> stuff?  It's way too much work to have to rewrite and compile
> everything off the newswire.  As a reader of the page I would
> expect the editors to be reading the newswire and pulling the
> best stories off of it for me to read down the center column.  As
> a reader, I will just not have the time to read everything on the
> newswire and sift through what is worth reading and what is junk.
> If I have to do that, I'll go somewhere else to get my news.
> 
> Please guys, I beg you to rethink how you're doing things.  I've
> been reading the wire and people are disgusted that Indymedia is
> not more on top of things--that it took so long to get a protest
> story up, and in general being too timid with the center column. 
> It's a website people want to use everyday to get local news; I
> think it's the editors job to screen what comes in for the
> readers and post what the editors think is worth a readers time
> to read.  It's a transparent process if readers want to know
> what's coming in, they too can review the wire; but it's a lot of
> work to stay on top of the wire and it will be even more work as
> the site becomes more popular and more stuff comes up.
> 
> Please, please, please use the wonderful stories on the wire for
> the center column.  They will get quickly lost in the slush if
> they're not featured.  This will encourage good writers to
> continue to submit stuff because they know they have a chance at
> being published.  And I call being published the center column --
> the editors' picks.
> 
> I realize I may be jumping in and proposing something outside of
> what's been done in the past, at the same time what's been done
> in the past may not be working.  Hits to the site are going down.
>  People aren't donating because they don't see much being done
> here.  I feel the need to speak up for these reasons.  Believe me
> I wouldn't otherwise.  But I do care about the work Indymedia is
> doing as about the most important work there is to do right
> now.
> 
> So hang in there.  Could we meet personally as an editorial
> group?  I have newswriting and publishing experience.  I
> published a newspaper in Portland, Oregon.  I'm with you.
> 
> Judy
> 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Gentry Lange [mailto:g at art13.com]
> > Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2003 09:36 PM
> > To: typist at speakeasy.net,
> seattle-editorial at lists.indymedia.org
> > Subject: RE: [Seattle-editorial] Where's the news?
> >
> > Well, here's the thing-- Jonathan and I are the main two
> writers currently writing for Seattle's Indymedia. And unless we
> have the time, things don't get updated. My feelings are that if
> you want something posted, edited, etc.. the policy is clear...
> write it up as a propsal to the editorial collective. Then we can
> either approve or edit it, etc. But as this is an all volunteer
> organization, simply asking us to do it is really not the way to
> get something done. I don't mean to admonish you for taking the
> intiative of bringing up story ideas... but what I do mean to say
> is that you are just as capable as me or Jonathan for
> writing/editing something then submitting it.
> >
> > As it is, I haven't had the time to do anything since
> yesterday, and am unsure of my ability to get on something today,
> but I'd be happy to comment on a proposal, and get it posted with
> editorial collective approval.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Gentry
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: seattle-editorial-bounces at lists.indymedia.org
> > [mailto:seattle-editorial-bounces at lists.indymedia.org]On Behalf
> Of
> > typist at speakeasy.net
> > Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2003 9:02 AM
> > To: seattle-editorial at lists.indymedia.org
> > Subject: [Seattle-editorial] Where's the news?
> >
> >
> > Hi folks,
> >
> > Can we get the feature column updated?  Get the old news off
> and some new news about the protests yesterday up?
> >
> > There are several good pieces on the newswire that could use a
> little editing.  I don't think they have to be perfect; readers
> will know we're in a rush to bring the news...  But as the only
> source for any immediate alternative news, we need to get up what
> happened yesterday now!
> >
> > Some articles off the newswire --first hand reports of what
> happened yesterday.  This is something people are hungry for. 
> Some good ones to feature right now:  "Crowd Erased, State Set,
> all cameras controlled" by Todd Boyle.  Let's get it up!
> >
> > Other first hand accounts: under "Showdown with Bush Please
> Post News" IMC staffer gives account from our offices: "Quiet
> Day, relatively, no arrests, no confrontations"  Why not feature
> that?
> >
> > Also under same newswires:  "Union Worker rally and protest in
> Bellevue"  that needs lots of edits but has good general tone and
> info.
> >
> > Anyone?
> >
> > Judy
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Seattle-editorial mailing list
> > Seattle-editorial at lists.indymedia.org
> > http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/seattle-editorial
> >
> >
> 
> 
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Joseph Eisenschmidt