G8 Media Convergence, London, M14/15
On 14-15 May, in preparation for the 2005 Group of 8 (G8) industrial nations summit, Indymedia UK together with the Institute For Autonomy will host an independent and alternative media convergence in London. The convergence will provide a space for media activists and independent journalists to meet each other and plan coverage of the summit and the demonstrations which will accompany it.
 | From 1-9 July 2005, the leaders of the Group of 8 (G8) industrialized nations (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States), will hold a summit meeting in a remote location in Scotland to make decisions about major political and economic issues. The decisions of these eight men and their corporate advisors will literally decide the fates of nations. The corporate media will explain to us that these men stand for peace, democracy, and human rights. |
 | At the same time, the multitudes of the global movements will converge in Scottish towns and hills to build networks of resistance for humanity and against neoliberalism. They will confront the world leaders with positive concepts on political and economic issues. They will be connected through encounters in real space and the internet, reports from the streets will evoke once more the vision that “another world is possible”. |
 | You are invited! A registration form for the media convergence is here. |
 | A video invitation is available from http://video.indymedia.org. |
Update 16 April 2005
Although this event has been initiated by Indymedia UK, we are hoping that it will end up being a place where many different people can meet and begin to work together. We invite participation from all groups and individuals who consider themselves part of the independent, non-partisan, non-corporate media.
A special invite goes out to people who want to participate in independent media but have not yet known how to do so - we don't have the resources to train anyone, but we do believe that most people can "be the media", and if you can work cooperatively with other people we are confident that you will find a way to contribute. We need your help if the summit coverage is to be successful.
We firmly believe that the independent media coverage for this event needs to be self-organized. Indymedia UK does not have the resources or desire to have any sort of corporate-style management structures, assigment of tasks, etc. So, if you think something needs to be done, you need to get involved to make it happen. If you don't know where to start, just ask someone for help on the email list.
If you want to help organize the convergence or the summit coverage, the easiest way to get involved is to join the imc-g8-2005 email list. If you're interested in participating but can't make the convergence event then we want to hear from you - get in touch.
There is also a more private non-publicaly archived email contact:
imc-g8-2005-contact atnospam lists.indymedia.org
As well as a newly set up low traffic one way information announce list, where you can be kept up to date with the most important developments.
Here are a few of the areas that people are working on - all need participation if they are to fulfill their potential - get in touch if you want to participate:
Independent Media Centres
There will be a main IMC located in Central Edinburgh to facilitate reporting and support media activists. Open several days before the G8 protests there will be time allocated for training and co-ordination meetings. Indymedia is committed to trying to make the IMC a welcoming place where peope with little experience of media activism can plug in, join street media teams, and get started in the empowering process of making our own media. People are needed to help run the centre and to provide training, kit needs to be sourced, set up, and run over a full week of protests. Space should also be available for video and audio projects.
Various groups are also collaborating to set up a smaller Independent Media Centre in Glasgow. There are also plans for other media access points closer to Gleneagles where the G8 Summit will be held, but help is needed - come to the convergence or contact the imc-g8-2005 list.
Film plans and Video Team coordination
Film makers and groups are already working on G8 2005 Films such as the Camcorder Guerillas and SchNEWS, doing pre-interviews, following the preparations, and working out how to share content. During the G8 there is a need for teams of video volunteers with cameras to cover the various events and protests - are you planning on bringing a video camera to the G8? There will be some co-ordination of coverage, training for getting footage online quickly, film screenings and more. Interested? Can you help? Come to the convergence or contact the imc-uk-video list or the imc-g8-2005 list.
Photo Team + Picture Desk
In the same way that video teams can be co-ordinated, some co-ordination of photo teams is also planned. While today almost everyone seems to have a camera, most often those pictures don't see the light of day and remain unpublished. The photo teams can co-ordinate coverage to ensure that pictures get online quickly and are archived in a meaningful way. That also means having facilities specially set up to deal with photos at the Media centres and at forward media access points as close as possible to where events are occuring. Anyone with a camera can participate, but people with more experience are also needed. People with cameras often also need some legal and paractical advice for shooting on the streets - Indymedia aims to distribute a short set of advice guidelines and run a training session before the protests. Interested? Contact the imc-g8-2005 list.
Audio Teams + Radio - broadcast and internet streaming
Volunteer audio reporters are needed to provide audio coverage of the protests, actions and counter conferences - Recording, interviewing, editing and uploading audio reports. Several groups are also interested in producing streaming radio coverage as well as producing audio programmes for broadcast on communty stations around the world. Can you help? Come to the convergence or contact the imc-g8-2005 list.
Mobile Media Centres
Because of the distances between Glasgow, Edinburgh and Gleneagles (where the Summit will be held), it's clear that having Mobile Media Centres would be of significant benefit. There is already a Satellite truck earmarked for this purpose but more vehicels are needed. Do you have a vehicle such as a suitable van that could be donated? or are you already planning on bringing some sort of media vehicle? Are you interested in participating to create a mobile internet cafe? Come to the convergence or contact the imc-g8-2005 list.
Tech
There's an urgent need for wide variety of tech kit to enable the multiple media centres and mobile vehicles. Do You have access to batches of similar spec computers or contacts that could be useful in sourcing tech kit? Do you have access to anything else that could be useful? Can you donate kit or money? Please let us know. Contact the imcuk-tech list at imc-uk-tech atnospam lists.indymedia.org or the imc-g8-2005 list.
Legal
Beyond the obvious need to provide legal briefings for volunteer reporters, it's clear that over the last few years Indymedia has itself been a target for repression by the police and authorities. Indymedia in the Uk has strong backing from a wide range of groups and networks, from civil liberties groups and privacy campaigners to journalist groups - while an attack on Indymedia is therefore not anticiapted, there exist serious issues of wider repression at events such as G8 Summits. Often public order policing becomes indistinguishable from military style operations, and when mixed with sensationalist mainstream media coverage can create a climate of fear that has in the past been used for justifying serious repression. Indymedia, alternative media and citizen reporters therefore have an important role to play in monitoring and recording any abuses, beyond simply reporting the truth - Join us as we prepare to cover the G8 Summit in Scotland.
Reclaim our media!
...a Zapatista Vision
“We will make a network of communication among all our struggles and resistances. An intercontinental network of alternative communications against neoliberalism…(and) for humanity.
This intercontinental network of alternative communication will search to weave the channels so that words may travel all the roads that resist…(it) will be the medium by which distinct resistances communicate with one another.
This intercontinental network of alternative communication is not an organizing structure, nor has a central head or decision maker, nor does it have a central command or hierarchies. We are the network, all of us who speak and listen.
[Second Declaration of La Realidad for Humanity Against Neoliberalism, 1997]
imc-uk, 16.04.2005 13:48