[Seattle-editorial] Re: [Seattletech] RE: [IMC-Seattle] David vs Goliath, or IMC News vs Corporations

[sheri at speakeasy.org]

I LOVE this idea Bill!
It's a great way of bringing into the discussion the larger community and creating a space for imagining what kinds of community media we'd like to see in the city/region.  
for those who aren't familiar with the wsf and all it's about, check out the local sf website that bill references and here's another very interesting link
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1557.html - about the forum process itself.
peace,
sheri


> -----Original Message-----
> From: bill aal [mailto:waal at toolsforchange.org]
> Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 08:30 PM
> To: ''Joseph Eisenschmidt'', ''ListSeattle''
> Cc: ''ListSeaTech'', ''ListEditorial''
> Subject: [Seattletech] RE: [IMC-Seattle] David vs Goliath,	or IMC News vs Corporations
> 
> Actually,
>  The northwest social forum is a potential project that indymedia could
> be involved in a ,major way in October.  It is vision building not
> opposition.
> If people are interested to collaborate on creating a media space ( with
> other like minded people, this could be an opportunity.... Or it could
> be simply a place to have a large scale conversation about political
> media vs the empire, etc....  I know others in Seattle are wanting to
> have that conversation.  Could it be a rallying pint for indy?
> www.nwsocialforum.org  is a touch stone.
> 
> Bill
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: imc-seattle-bounces at lists.indymedia.org
> [mailto:imc-seattle-bounces at lists.indymedia.org] On Behalf Of Joseph
> Eisenschmidt
> Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2004 10:01 AM
> To: ListSeattle
> Cc: ListSeaTech; ListEditorial
> Subject: [IMC-Seattle] David vs Goliath, or IMC News vs Corporations
> 
> Friends, 
> 
> Staying Strong means staying small.
> 
> Staying small is really the only option, and since we are small at
> this point, with a tiny but functional Ed. WG, and a tech person
> still maintaining the site, we need to find out what is working for
> the folks doing the day to day work, and see if it's ok just to
> continue doing that. 
> 
> We experienced, creative folks can come up with more great ideas
> than the field units will be able to use. I think you'll agree that
> this is part of our long-term institutional problem. Striking the
> balance between support and direction, needed imagineering and
> actual reality based organizational capability.     
> 
> Frankly, we have nothing to ramp up for; no G-8 in Seattle in 2005,
> etc. And Seattle has a wealth of 'news and ideas' in it's
> alternative press at this time, from KBCS to Colors mag.
> 
> My concerns about the top heavy nature of imagineering must be
> tempered with the need to develop formal as well as informal ways
> for the community to interact with - and help give direction to-the
> IMC. An advisory board or something might help. 
> 
> We ARE just a website now, and will remain so for as far as I can
> see at this point. Randy's video work is a good source of raw
> material, and I think the way he plugs into the SEAIMC, like an
> autonomous module doing great supporting work, is the model we
> should seek to encourage and foster.
> 
> UC-IMC is run this way, with WG's doing their own thing, and only
> reporting back occasionally. The decision-making is forced down to
> the WG level, and GM's are twice yearly. All meetings are open, so
> anyone who wants a say just plugs in where they feel most useful.
> 
> After all is said and done, I can see there are still great and good
> feelings towards the SEAIMC. I was talking to Jim G., the local
> permit-getter who is the official permit holder for the DNC in
> Boston, and he said folks in Boston were concerned with our
> struggles and thought highly of us. That feels warm and fuzzy.
> 
> At Ed., we need bodies. Not many, but just a very few good workers
> streaming in over time. Same with Randy's video collective. S.B.
> can't train newbies easily do to the technical nature of software
> work, and her schedule and stuff. Recruiting just the right tech
> person or three is something we need to work on. 
> 
> Add in fundraising for bandwidth and a piece of media recording
> equipment or two and an occasional upgrade, and were still tiny.
> Like a diamond or a little baby, we're tiny and therefore hold much
> promise and potential.
> 
> In Solidarity, 
> and keeping it simple and therefore not stupid, 
> 
> Joseph 
> 
> 
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