Nottinghamshire Indymedia Feature Archive

Publishing has been disabled here, please visit our new site: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk

It is nearly 5 years since the launch of the Notts Indymedia website. A lot of developments in internet media have happened since then. We're keen to keep developing the site and making sure you, the users, can get the most out of it. As such, we switched to our new Nottingham Indymedia website on 1st July. We think that it's easier to use and has better features than the current site. Why not check it out and post your news and events. We'd love to find out what you think so we can keep improving it.

Notts Indymedia are pleased to announce the first edition of the Notts Indypendent, an offline community newspaper reporting on local campaigns.

The publication was unveiled at Nottingham's Mayday demonstration. Further copies will be distributed to homes in Nottingham in the run-up to the general election. Copies are also available from the Sumac Centre and the Sparrows' Nest. Alternatively, you can read it online or download a copy and print your own.

Get it online: Download pdf (7.7MB) | Online viewer (via Northern Indymedia)

Previous features: Nottingham Mule Rides Into Town | Alternative Media Blossoms in Nottingham | Notts Indymedia Launches Radio Show

Contrary to popular perception, activists are not a humourless bunch. Not completely anyway. To prove this point, this year's April Fools' Day saw a spate of unlikely claims appearing on Indymedia.

We announced that Notts Indymedia was entering "a new era of collaboration with the Northcliffe Group, owners of the Evening Post." This was to see "content taken from the Indymedia newswire appearing in the Post, opening up the radical message of Indymedia to a larger audience than ever before. In return Indymedia will be able to use images collected by the Post's team of roving cameramen." All nonsense of course. The Post won't event return our calls.

Meanwhile, council-watching blogger and regular Indymedia contributor Andy from NCC LOLs claimed that he was planning "to run for election to Nottingham City Council in 2011 on an 'anti-sleaze' ticket." An annual celebration of the 1831 Reform Riots was to be a central plank of his manifesto. At least one local councillor fell for it.

On the newswire: NCCLols is standing for Election | Notts Indymedia announces new collaboration

Previous features: No case to answer after Notts E.On protest | Fossil Fools Take On E.ON In Nottingham

Link: Wikipedia on April Fools' Day

There will be a meeting on Mon 20th Oct, 7pm, Sumac Centre to discuss the future of Notts Indymedia. It will be a great opportunity to shape how the project works and input to the design of the new site. Please come along and have your say.

We are also holding a Riseup! Radio skillshare session to introduce people to the basic skills needed to record and upload interviews and podcasts. This will take place on Sat 1st Nov, 11am-5pm at the Sumac Centre.

Notts Indymedia have joined forces with a national free newspaper called the Mule to bring you a Nottingham edition of the paper. Most of the edition is nationally relevant news, but there is also a four-page Nottingham pullout which includes articles on the library uniforms issue, the Fossil Fools Day of action of April 1, activities by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, alternative media in the city and more.

Copies are being distributed across the city, and available from a number of locations including The Sumac Centre, the Arts Organisation, Rosy Lee's, Refugee Forum and wherever else we can get people to take them. Alternatively, it's available online here or you can email us and we'll sort out getting you a copy.

Newswire: New free newspaper for Nottingham?

Previous Features: Alternative Media Blossoms in Nottingham

Links: The Mule

A number of alternative media projects have sprung up in Nottingham over the past months. In February the Riseup Radio project was launched, and this month sees a new edition of the Nottingham Sparrow, and steps towards the launch of a GreenZine aimed at young people.

Meanwhile, Notts Indymedia continues to go from strength to strength, with an astonishing number of contributions. In February, we hosted the UK Indymedia gathering, during which we were approached to produce a Nottingham pullout for The Mule newspaper. We hope that all of these projects flourish in the year to come, but they all need people to help make them work. That's where you come in!

Feature: Nottingham Hosts UK Indymedia Gathering

Newswire: GreenZine Open Meeting | Rebel bulletin The Nottingham Sparrow - March 2008 - No.3 | Riseup! Radio: #2 The March Show Now Online | Notts Indymedia Indymedia Topic Page

Links: The Mule | Riseup Radio | Nottingham Sparrow

On Saturday and Sunday, Nottingham hosted a national gathering of the UK Indymedia network, bringing together around 40 people from as far afield as Scotland and Bristol.

A whole host of issues were discussed, such as the future of Indymedia, developments on the startpage and calendar, and aspects of moderating the site. A range of viewpoints on the role of Indymedia were expressed, and a number of proposals to take the project forward will be implemented as a result of the gathering.

Audio: Interviews At UK Indymedia Network Meeting

Articles: Notts Indymedia Launches Radio Show | Where Do We Go From Here? | Indymedia contributor comments on alternative media and Schnews gathering | Mexican Indymedia Activist Speaks In Nottingham | Introducing IMC-UK-PHOTO

Documentation: UkNetworkMeeting2008 | UK Indymedia startpage changes (2008)

Notts Indymedia and others have launched a new radio show called 'Riseup! Radio'. The community based podcast includes reports covering issues often overlooked by other local media, as well as music from local artists and bands, and chat about stuff that matters. Each month a new podcast will be downloadable through the riseup! Radio website, or by subscribing to our feed. Look out for extra features and new shows in the near future, but for now.. Download, listen, enjoy, distribute and comment on February's show !

Listen: #1 The February Show | #2 The March Show

Links: Riseup! Radio Website | RSS feed | Notts Indymedia Audio Archive

Notts Indymedia has been going for over 2 years now and has grown into one of the most successful Indymedia collectives in the UK. We have an ever expanding dedicated group of contributors and many readers. The site has become an important resource which informs and inspires ourselves, our friends and others who care about injustice and wanting to create a better place for all. The site is now even listed by the BBC as an alternative local news source... The Demo Project helped us financially with a benefit night (see photos [1] and [2]) which enabled us to pay for priniting costs for leaflets as well as for a couple of us to attend an alternative media conference in Brighton last May (read announcement and listen to audio). We were also able to get ourselves a digital audio device, and have started building up a substantial audio archive.

There are various ideas about where the project should/can go from here. Website redesign, streaming online radioshow, producing (bi)montly printout, it is all possible. So where do we go from here? Are you able to commit some time for media creation? Help out with publicity? Able to donate some money? We are getting together for a meeting on Monday 8th October at 7.30pm at the Sumac Centre, Forest Fields, Nottingham. Everyone is welcome and we'd love to see you there.

Links: Notts Indymedia Documentation | How to get to the Sumac Centre

On Friday 14th September, an Indymedia activist from Oaxaca, Mexico came to the Sumac Centre to speak of the ongoing struggle in Oaxaca against the unpopular and corrupt governor and the repression that followed an annual teachers strike. Since the strike, the resistance in Oaxaca has turned into the largest popular rebellion in over a decade. The hundreds of illegal detentions, disappearances and injuries, and at least eighteen documented deaths mark an unignorable part of modern Mexican and world history. Around 40 people attended the talk which lasted about 2 hours and consisted of short films with talk in between. Please see the report and listen to the audio.

Report: An Evening With M - Oaxaca Talk At The Sumac

Audio: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Links: Oaxaca tour feature article (UK Indymedia) | Oaxaca Topic Page (UK Indymedia) | Indymedia Oaxaca

Previous talks at the Sumac Centre: Argentinian film makers screen Indymedia film | Indigenous Woman from Ontario, Canada voice their struggle in defend of land

Argentinian film makers including director Andres Ingoglia will visit Nottingham next week as part of the european tour of their film "i". The film is a meditation on the relationship between media and power as it is manifested by the worlds largest all volunteer network of media activists: 'Indymedia'. The feature-length documentary follows the first year of a small collective in Buenos Aires as it struggles amidst assassinations, a collapsing economy, and a whirlwind of political upheaval.

The film will be screened as a one-off in Nottingham at the Sumac Centre on Thursday 12th October, where the film's director will introduce the film and answer questions. Food will be served from 6pm and the film starts at 7.30pm at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Forest Fields, Nottingham. During its UK tour the film is also screened in London, Brighton, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Report: Report and Audio from Screening

Links: "i" The Film website | Schedule UK and Europe tour | Film reviews | Argentina Indymedia | Video Indymedia | Wikipedia on Indymedia | Notts Indymedia 'Video Stuff...'

On Saturday 18th March photographer and serial Indymedia contributor Alan Lodge - or Tash - was arrested after taking photos of armed police in public. Tash denied the charge of wilfully obstructing a police officer at Nottingham Magistrates Court on Monday March 27. Defending solicitor Paul Dhami told the court: "The officers took exception to his presence, and one took it upon himself to physically impede Tash and then arrested him." The arrest came only weeks after Nottingham police issued guidelines to their officers reminding them to respect journalists' rights.

Recent topics covered by Tash include: Council workers on strike 1 + 2, Nottingham's new rinky dinky, the campaign against incinerator expansion, Ashbourne's Shrovetide 'Mob' football and surveillance of Nottingham city centre.

Links: NUJ backs photographer in press freedom case | All articles published by Alan on Indymedia since 2003 | Previous article on Notts Indymedia about the incident | Guidelines for police and media at incidents | NUJ Freelance - May06 Defend the Nottingham One! | Trial Date now set for hearing at Nottingham Magistrates

Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday for a day of talks, information, discussion and workshops on the theme of peace.

The Nottingham Students Peace Movement's conference welcomed Sam Azad (International Federation of Iranian Refugees), author Milan Rai and Alan Simpson MP to lead a discussion on "justice not vengeance." They were followed by lecturers Richard Keeble and Beryl Aldridge and Notts Indymedia's Wietse talking about combating media bias. Both sessions welcomed extensive audience contributions. Various workshops were later held on alternative media, creative campaigning, civil rights and black activism.

Event photos
Listen to media bias debate
See full timetable

Nottinghamshire Indymedia has published a printed version of showcasing recent articles and the website. It reflects our active community with a selection of articles and photos on varying campaigns and issues. Also in the print out are large refences to the website and versions of our newswire and diary. We hope this will attract readers to engage with the site. Four hundred copies were prepared for the recent peace conference event in the city - remaining printouts will be distributed elsewhere. Attached is the PDF version of the publication.

Print out and distribute around!

>> Download PDF here (14MB)

A meeting will be held on Monday 16th January to discuss and plan the future activities of the Notts Indymedia project. Things that will be discussed:

* Dividing up tasks, see previous article
* Going through the New IMC process
* Liason with UK Network, see Liason Wiki
* Publicity/Outreach, see Publicity & Outreach Wikipage
* Getting new people involved

More information on the Project Documentation.

The meeting will start at 7pm and will be held at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Forest Fields, Nottingham, NG7 6HX, 0845 458 9595. A map can be found here. All welcome. Please come and get involved !

Following an earlier Indymedia appeal for storage, a location for Nottingham's Community Print Resource has been found at the Asbo Community Centre at 33-35 Burns Street, 1 Wildman Street, Arboretum. There is now an urgent call out for help in setting up the facilities, starting (during the ASBO open day) on Saturday 19th November.

Please call by from 2pm (til possibly 7pm) to check it out.

Links: Print resources - A call out | CPR to the Rescue: Nottm Alternative News article.