[Seattle-editorial] FEATURE PROPOSALS: Offshoring Tech Jobs etc.

[jonathan lawson]

[note == 3 separate features]

subtitle: OFFSHORING TECH JOBS
title: Microsoft Plans Largest-ever Lay-off of Full-time Employees

As Microsoft prepares a massive relocation of telephone support jobs to 
India and Canada, U.S. employees expect the company to eliminate hundreds 
of jobs from call centers in Dallas, Issaquah and Charlotte, NC, shifting 
the work offshore. Earlier this year, Microsoft officials specifically 
denied that they would lay off workers or transfer work offshore, although 
those claims are contradicted by recent comments by Microsoft management, 
as well as by an <a 
href="http://www.washtech.org/docs/html_ppts/01.php">internal Microsoft 
campaign</a> encouraging divisions to cut costs by shifting work to India.
<a 
href="http://www.washtech.org/wt/news/industry/display.php?ID_Content=4585">Read 
the whole story.</a>

<p>On a related note, Bill Gates and free software theorist Richard 
Stallman have both crisscrossed India in recent months; soon large-scale IT 
infrastructure projects will dramatically expand computing access 
throughout India, bringing Internet access  millions across India. Gates 
would like them to be using Windows--but there's also a very strong Free 
Software Movement resisting the Microsoft-ization of Indian computing. For 
information, see:<br>
<a 
href="http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20021209/indcomp1.shtml">Windows 
vs. open source in India</a> | <a 
href="http://www.symonds.net/~fsug-kochi/mass-memo.html">Kerala activists 
protest placing of Windows computers in public schools</a> |
<a href="http://www.fsf.org.in/">Free Software Foundation India</a>



subtitle: MEDIA DIVERSITY IN SEATTLE
title: Citizens Group Fights to Keep Seattle a Two-Newspaper Town

The newly-formed <a href="http://www.twonewspapertown.org">Committee for a 
Two- Newspaper Town</a> has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit 
between the owners of Seattle's two daily newspapers. The group, a 
coalition of community, political and labor leaders and activists, hopes to 
protect the Joint Operating Agreement which has kept both papers in print 
for the past twenty years.

In April, the Hearst Corporation (owners of the Post-Intelligencer) filed 
suit to prevent the Times from dissolving the JOA and shuttering the P-I. 
The Times countered April 29 by saying it had lost money for three years 
and needed to close the P-I to return to profitability. The new Committee's 
intervention takes aim at a provision of the JOA that would pay Hearst 32 
percent of the Times' profits for 80 years if it closes the P-I. The group 
contends that this provision may be an illegal restraint of trade. The 
group also argues that the Times has breached the JOA contract by asserting 
it has had three years' worth of losses. Finally, by intervening in the 
suit, the Committee guarantees itself a seat at the table for any 
discussions of a settlement between Hearst and the Times.
<a href="http://www.reclaimthemedia.org/stories.php?story=03/07/01/4256550">
Read the full story</a>.

<p><a href="http://www.twonewspapertown.comCommittee for a Two-Newspaper 
Town</s> | <a href="http://www.nwguild.org">Pacific Northwest Newspaper 
Guild </a>


subtitle: MEDIA ACTIVISM
title: Community Media and Social Change: Tacoma, July 9-12

On July 9-12, the <a href="http://www.alliancecm.org">Alliance for 
Community Media</a> will hold its annual conference in Tacoma. It's a great 
opportunity for Northwest community video producers to meet colleagues from 
across the country, and to attend seminars and workshops on production 
techniques, media literacy, funding challenges and public policy related to 
community media.

<p>This year's conference features a special <a 
href="http://www.reclaimthemedia.org/socialchangemedia.php">Community Media 
and Social Change</a> track, in which grassroots producers, media activists 
and educators can consider their role in the media democracy movement and 
other social justice struggles. Topics include youth media production, 
media ownership reform and cable franchise negotiation challenges. 
Presenters represent a broad range of media and activist groups: <a 
href="http://www.colorsnw.com/">Colors Northwest</a>, <a 
href="http://www.hatefreezone.org/">Hate Free Zone</a>, the Independent 
Media Center, <a href="http://kbcs.fm">KBCS</a>, <a 
href="http://www.mediatank.org">Media Tank</a>, <a 
href="http://www.reclaimthemedia.org">Reclaim the Media</a> and <a 
href="http://www.cultureisaweapon.org/">Third World Majority</a>, among others.

<p><a href="http://www.reclaimthemedia.org">Reclaim the Media</a>