In 1999  http://www.mcspotlight.org allegedly had their coverage of the J18 International Carnival Against Capital ( http://www.j18.org) protests censored from the awards ceremony, as being unsuitable for the audience (see  http://www.ntk.net/1999/07/02 ). Times seem to have changed with Indymedia now getting an award.

This year however the New Statesman mistakenly published the URL of Indymedia UK as www.indymedia.org - the address of the global IMC portal - in both their magazine and website, proving their expert grasp of new media. In the same week that the magazine's awards were being announced Indymedia was being branded as a terrorist organisation by another magazine in Italy.

The presentation of the awards took place on October 1st at a fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference just days after the news that a police minister is taking steps to try and close down Melbourne Indymedia ahead of anti-WTO protests in November. Two Indymedia volunteers accepted the award and used the opportunity to highlight the increasing threats to free press and civil liberties and increasing political repression post September 11.

Detailing some of the attacks on Indymedia from around the world over the last year they wondered whether the support shown for Indymedia by Stephen Timms (E-commerce Minister) who presented the awards, and judges like Bill Edwards, the Director of the government's e-Communications office, could be counted on if Indymedia UK is attacked by the police or state in the future. Observers said the politicians were very uncomfortable indeed not knowing where to look, and the speech received an enthusiastic response.

After the speech a number of trade union workers pledged their support for Indymedia and many others commended the project.

The occasion was also used to highlight Media Democracy Day on the 18th October and the growing mobilisations for the UN World Summit on Information Society in Geveva, Dec 2003.

Don't Hate The Media - Be The Media!

Reclaim Your Media!


Indymedia UK was Winner of the Advocacy Award, and was commended in the Online Communities Award, see:
 http://www.newstatesman.co.uk/nma2002winners.htm

Media Democracy Day:  http://www.mediademocracyday.org /  http://www.mediademocracyday.org.uk

UN World Info Summit 2003:  http://www.crisinfo.org /  http://www.wsis.info

Don’t Hate The Media ~ Be The Media!
Bypass The Corporate Media Machine!
Reclaim The Media!