About Indymedia Scotland
The Scotland Independent Media Centre (IMC-SCOTLAND) is an non-corporate, anti-authoritarian network of independent media makers, media activists, and media outlets, and is the local organizing unit of the global Indymedia network. Indymedia was founded in direct action reporting and the Global Days of Action, and it in this path we walk in.
IMC-SCOTLAND is an area IMC network as opposed to a topical, available to the many groupings of independent media activists in Scotland.
This is a network that maximizes autonomy by having all decisions being made from the bottom up.
Other IMC-SCOTLAND groups may and hopefully do form in other parts of Scotland. These groups should abide by the IMC- SCOTLAND editorial\newswire policy and Principles of Unity\Mission Statement. When they do, they are an officialIMC-SCOTLAND group.
They are subscribed to the imc-scotland-discussion at lists.indymedia.org listserv to which all meeting minutes and proposals are sent and we meet with all other groups, when they form, at least face-to-face biannually to discuss IMC- SCOTLAND.
Decisions are made by active consensus.
This means that consensus is reached by IMC-SCOTLAND about issues effecting the IMC, and that this consensus implies both active participation in the consensus process and in getting the work done.
Region groups in Scotland all have the ability to autonomously communicate using face-to-face meetings and listservs, to help create front-page IMC features and regulate IMC-SCOTLAND with respect to our newswire and editorial policy.
If there is any conflict between members of IMC-SCOTLAND, it will be solved through meetings, discussion, and possibly mediation.
Currently IMC-SCOTLAND groups in Glasgow and Edinburgh meet together at least monthly and locally more often.
We believe our own IMC would strengthen IMC-SCOTLAND's active participation globally, in the UK network, and locally.
The Scotland Indymedia Center:
a) Agrees in spirit to the IMC Mission Statement and Principles of Unity
b) has a committed membership substantial enough to sustain a functional IMC
c) has open and public meetings (no one group can have exclusionary "ownership" of IMC-SCOTLAND).
d) has a local Mission Statement and a Statement of Purpose.
e) has established and published an editorial policy which is developed and functions through democratic process, and with full transparency.
f) agrees to the use of open publishing as described in the IMC Editorial Policy, with the understanding that clarification of the terms and practice of open publishing is constantly evolving and is subject locally to the approval of IMC-SCOTLAND. If there is a conflict between IMC-SCOTLAND and any global decision-making process, IMC-SCOTLAND will exercise full autonomy.
g) has adopted a decision-making policy that is in alignment with consensus principles which include open, transparent and egalitarian processes and active participation in the work of running the IMC.
h) has a participant(s) willing and capable of participating in the global decision-making process and meetings as a rotating liaison/ representative, with a clear understanding of the responsibilities that come with this role.
i) will participate in the key IMC Network Communication Methods that pertain to the health and vitality of the Network and that contribute to the work of the IMC. At least one person from the Scotland IMC will participate at any given time on the IMC-Communications list.
j) has no affiliation with any political party, state or candidate for office, although individuals have freedom to do whatever they like and local IMCs may "feature" stories influenced by various political parties and initiatives.
k) does in no way engage in commercial for-profit enterprises and is committed to the decommercialization and decolonization of information and so will disassociate from any other IMC that decides to become a for-profit media corporation.
l) will display a _local version_ of the IMC logo on our website and literature.
m) will include the IMC Network current Cities List on our site, preferably on the front page.
The above is based on part of the documents sent to the new-imc process in March 2003. Indymedia Scotland is evolving with it's own indypendent website, which also this About Us page.
Indymedia Scotland
