IMC/Confluence writer's meeting
We need writers!
Thursday, Dec. 4 7:30 PM CAMP 3026 Cherokee @ Minnesota in south St. LouisSTLIMC monthly mtg minutes 8-12-07
** IMC-StL_Monthly Meeting Kickoff **
Sunday, 12 Aug. '07, 7:00 Pm @ CAMP
Meeting Minutes
-- from Ben's draft + whiteboard + notes
-- Scribe: sca
Agenda:
o Website "Premiere"
o Crew Reports
o Media Training - status
o Set-up: Association & Membership
o Being an IndyJournalist
o Stories to Get
Sign-in List & Intros:
(Appended below)
__Website "Premiere"__
'Virtual Barnraising' held yesterday (8/11), experiment in site-building... moderate success -- vols got familiar with the interface, set up a workspace called "Crew Studio" to collect notes and draft pages. Some good inputs got it started, but it's not built yet.
New site is the latest incarnation of indymedia website (now 3rd generation... 2001, 2005, 2007), online at http://reboot.stlimc.org
- take advantage of modern, collaborative, web technologies (using Drupal software)
- the website will be able to support many different types of user spaces, e.g. open-posting Newswire, discussion forum, blogs/commentary, columns, audio/video content
Still need to resolve these components:
- put together "publish" page and other customized forms for submitting content (work out how to support non-text media)
- set up areas of the site visible to members
- online form to let folks sign up to be members
- mentioned topical classification of content, e.g. subject matter, locale, etc.
- lingering concern about problems with submitting formatted text, attaching RFT, PDF, etc. files
__Crew Reports__
3 Operating Crews, volunteers to date (whiteboard):
Editorial Tech Co-Ops
Digger Ben W Scottie A.
Ben W Peter J AmyCate S
Brian M Dave A Linda R
Proposed: Core crewmembers serve committed 4-month stint, responsible for tasks, other volunteers can work in support & take stints later.
Tech Report: (supplementing points above)
- the website will soon have interfaces/pages built in to support each crew's task, similar (or identical) to wikis - e.g., space for editorial draft, supporting materials
- Crew workspace will have admin/member access to collected notes, contact lists, etc.
- general desire to make website as transaparent as possible
- potential task for co-ops: outreach to journalism schools & university around town, etc. in time for Fall semester
Co-Ops Report:
- Scope of Work... they do Coordination of IMC-StL Operations ~ correspondence outreach, fundraising, R & D, special projects, and more
Sunday, 12 Aug. '07, 7:00 Pm @ CAMP
Meeting Minutes
-- from Ben's draft + whiteboard + notes
-- Scribe: sca
Agenda:
o Website "Premiere"
o Crew Reports
o Media Training - status
o Set-up: Association & Membership
o Being an IndyJournalist
o Stories to Get
Sign-in List & Intros:
(Appended below)
__Website "Premiere"__
'Virtual Barnraising' held yesterday (8/11), experiment in site-building... moderate success -- vols got familiar with the interface, set up a workspace called "Crew Studio" to collect notes and draft pages. Some good inputs got it started, but it's not built yet.
New site is the latest incarnation of indymedia website (now 3rd generation... 2001, 2005, 2007), online at http://reboot.stlimc.org
- take advantage of modern, collaborative, web technologies (using Drupal software)
- the website will be able to support many different types of user spaces, e.g. open-posting Newswire, discussion forum, blogs/commentary, columns, audio/video content
Still need to resolve these components:
- put together "publish" page and other customized forms for submitting content (work out how to support non-text media)
- set up areas of the site visible to members
- online form to let folks sign up to be members
- mentioned topical classification of content, e.g. subject matter, locale, etc.
- lingering concern about problems with submitting formatted text, attaching RFT, PDF, etc. files
__Crew Reports__
3 Operating Crews, volunteers to date (whiteboard):
Editorial Tech Co-Ops
Digger Ben W Scottie A.
Ben W Peter J AmyCate S
Brian M Dave A Linda R
Proposed: Core crewmembers serve committed 4-month stint, responsible for tasks, other volunteers can work in support & take stints later.
Tech Report: (supplementing points above)
- the website will soon have interfaces/pages built in to support each crew's task, similar (or identical) to wikis - e.g., space for editorial draft, supporting materials
- Crew workspace will have admin/member access to collected notes, contact lists, etc.
- general desire to make website as transaparent as possible
- potential task for co-ops: outreach to journalism schools & university around town, etc. in time for Fall semester
Co-Ops Report:
- Scope of Work... they do Coordination of IMC-StL Operations ~ correspondence outreach, fundraising, R & D, special projects, and more
- 1st Outreach Project (sca proposed):
Liaisons to universities, journalism schools, timely at start of
school year, set up contacts & collaborations. Aaron: we
should engage with more than just journalism programs, e.g.
communication schools. Volunteers:
Aaron: teacher, Webster U.
Adam: offer to assist
Lisa: correspondent in carbondale, IL
Don: membership in St. Louis Metro Press Club
(sca: go to one of their meeting, feel it out)
Editorial Report:
- Do we start writing now? (yes!!!)
- We've copied over editorial and newswire policies from old site, building on these principles, open for revision: problem with editorial process being very informal
- Ben/tech crew will set up editorial voting process for proposed features, similar to old site
- Monitoring open channels on-site... discern between flame war and what follows editorial policy
Who's on the Crews?
- co-ops: scottie, amycate, linda
- tech: ben, peter j., dave arnold, brian d.
- editorial: digger, ben, brian d. (maybe?), Dave (3rd-string, back-up), Linda (back-up), amycate
General meetings once/month, crews may meet on their own.
Scottie suggests field trip to Urbana-Champaign IMC (ucimc.org) to see how their organization runs, sometime in September
__Media Training - status__
2 projects, brief summary, details & issues deferred:
- KDHX Community Media & Production classes for IMC journalists... got set up in May, recruitment delayed, but a few recruits getting started, including SCA.
- Press/Writing workshops, skill-share emphasis... 2 pilot classes held June 28 & early July, plans to re-start this project in September, per Digger.
__Set-up: Association & Membership__
- IMC's historically operated as collectives, but often tend to peter out/ burn out...
Scottie suggests "unincorporated association," since that allows us to retain a fiscal agent (like CAMP), but would still operate as a democratic collective
(See blurb on 'Collective vs. Association', from 3-15-07 stlimc reboot brainstorm)
- Aaron: Why have legal status in the 1st place? Scottie: this would allow us to receive grants, manage expenses, set up an office later, etc... basis for IMC to act as an entity, operating on agreements of members - can draw up a simple charter to guide cooperation.
- The situation now: The small Collectives who 'were' StL-IMC are gone, Ben & Scottie do not represent IMC, but have to re-form membership to restart it... affirmed Members comprise and embody StL-IMC as a voluntary association.
- "members" & "subscribers"... defining their participation, acting/observing:
Signups for IMC email, 2 basic choices:
Subscribers receive periodic email notices (public info, announcements, some 'process' docs)... and choose to keep their email addresses & personal info fully private. They may observe anonymously or plug in personally without obligations.
Members are active volunteers, get to play, e.g. vote to create consensus, participate in IMC process, have special access privileges on the website... and names and contact info are available to other members on condition of proper use & respect for privacy.
- The 3 Crews are comprised of Members serving in these responsible roles... those who are not in the crews may still assist their work, volunteer on projects, post content to columns/blogs, vote on IMC policies, and retain other rights to be defined. We expect more task crews or natural affinity groups to form, e.g. video production crew
- In general, "members" must do something to vote... old stlimc standards: e.g., members had to attend 2 meetings, editorial crew had to contribute a certain number of times a month. Standards can be redefined to serve the mission.
__Being an IndyJournalist__
Discussion deferred... think about creating a pool of IMC reporters, the working relationships, editorial roles, how to set it up. Perhaps IMC finances could be used to support folks chasing stories?
__Stories to Get__
Potential Features/ Recap from 7/31 'Launch' mtg, + new ideas**:
Aaron: teacher, Webster U.
Adam: offer to assist
Lisa: correspondent in carbondale, IL
Don: membership in St. Louis Metro Press Club
(sca: go to one of their meeting, feel it out)
Editorial Report:
- Do we start writing now? (yes!!!)
- We've copied over editorial and newswire policies from old site, building on these principles, open for revision: problem with editorial process being very informal
- Ben/tech crew will set up editorial voting process for proposed features, similar to old site
- Monitoring open channels on-site... discern between flame war and what follows editorial policy
Who's on the Crews?
- co-ops: scottie, amycate, linda
- tech: ben, peter j., dave arnold, brian d.
- editorial: digger, ben, brian d. (maybe?), Dave (3rd-string, back-up), Linda (back-up), amycate
General meetings once/month, crews may meet on their own.
Scottie suggests field trip to Urbana-Champaign IMC (ucimc.org) to see how their organization runs, sometime in September
__Media Training - status__
2 projects, brief summary, details & issues deferred:
- KDHX Community Media & Production classes for IMC journalists... got set up in May, recruitment delayed, but a few recruits getting started, including SCA.
- Press/Writing workshops, skill-share emphasis... 2 pilot classes held June 28 & early July, plans to re-start this project in September, per Digger.
__Set-up: Association & Membership__
- IMC's historically operated as collectives, but often tend to peter out/ burn out...
Scottie suggests "unincorporated association," since that allows us to retain a fiscal agent (like CAMP), but would still operate as a democratic collective
(See blurb on 'Collective vs. Association', from 3-15-07 stlimc reboot brainstorm)
- Aaron: Why have legal status in the 1st place? Scottie: this would allow us to receive grants, manage expenses, set up an office later, etc... basis for IMC to act as an entity, operating on agreements of members - can draw up a simple charter to guide cooperation.
- The situation now: The small Collectives who 'were' StL-IMC are gone, Ben & Scottie do not represent IMC, but have to re-form membership to restart it... affirmed Members comprise and embody StL-IMC as a voluntary association.
- "members" & "subscribers"... defining their participation, acting/observing:
Signups for IMC email, 2 basic choices:
Subscribers receive periodic email notices (public info, announcements, some 'process' docs)... and choose to keep their email addresses & personal info fully private. They may observe anonymously or plug in personally without obligations.
Members are active volunteers, get to play, e.g. vote to create consensus, participate in IMC process, have special access privileges on the website... and names and contact info are available to other members on condition of proper use & respect for privacy.
- The 3 Crews are comprised of Members serving in these responsible roles... those who are not in the crews may still assist their work, volunteer on projects, post content to columns/blogs, vote on IMC policies, and retain other rights to be defined. We expect more task crews or natural affinity groups to form, e.g. video production crew
- In general, "members" must do something to vote... old stlimc standards: e.g., members had to attend 2 meetings, editorial crew had to contribute a certain number of times a month. Standards can be redefined to serve the mission.
__Being an IndyJournalist__
Discussion deferred... think about creating a pool of IMC reporters, the working relationships, editorial roles, how to set it up. Perhaps IMC finances could be used to support folks chasing stories?
__Stories to Get__
Potential Features/ Recap from 7/31 'Launch' mtg, + new ideas**:
AmyCate:
Urban farming
Aaron:
" "
Alternative energy - residential solar power
Time Bank (Grace HIll has a program)
co-housing, different ways of doing it
consensus decision-making**
Scottie:
re: Reggie Clemons, has interview with private
investigator
(--> Confluence story in the
works)
metro east land use
Linda: loss of civil
liberties, how this locally manifests
(e.g. surveillance cams on stop
lights)
Adam: VFP
"March to the Arch" anti-war action, Sunday
8/19**
VFP Speak-Out on Friday 8/17**
(for info:
www.insteadofwar.org)
Nick: CODE PINK
bannering on Wednesdays**
Katrina Tribunal in New Orleans**
(probably won't get much MSM coverage, he's going
down there)
Jobs with Justice ballot initiative on health care
reform**
(suggest a feature ahead of time
Start on a big story Now: Aaron will do video-coverage on VFP, IOW peace actions next weekend, seeking assistance, can set up a crew... several folks volunteer, will talk this week.
__Discussions__
Digger mentions importance of getting 1st-hand sources, relying as little as possible on MSM (mainstream media)... "things I'd like not to see on IMC":
--> emphasis on politics, elections, sponsoring a candidate ~ corporate media
--> Instead: people taking the power themselves, more radically-inspired perspective
Don: MSM tends to lose attention of issues that are considered "old news"
- Scottie: media watch- rapid kick-back media criticism, especially local media criticism
- Nick: should we devote so much effort to media criticism?
- Keith: MSM often not covering so many topics. Does it make sense really to do media-watch when that energy could spent elsewhere?
- Ben: old stlimc feature that started as media watch (local radio station advocating vehicular assault on cyclists) which morphed into direct action.
Keith: there is a website tracking the days since 9-11, and what hasn't been done (or not done) in that time.
- Scottie: delicate balance => highlight alternative information that is available (e.g. single-issue groups like stl911.org), vs. advocating that issue/point-of-view. IMC can provide a "soapbox" for such advocacy groups, but should not be used by them as a platform. The boundaries must be defined by decisions of editorial crew.
Nick: activist of the week feature?
- there is a general desire to have human interest stories
- Digger: focus instead on the people the activists are trying to help, e.g. Jennifer of International Solidarity Movement in old Confluence feature
- Aaron: "Monkey in the Mirror " syndrome, basic human nature to see yourself represented in what you do.
Keith: have a bunch of folks call up different legislators' offices, see who doesn't want to speak on certain issues?
- Ben: it is no surprise that legislators (and their staff) are intentionally detached. Does it make sense to spend your energies further proving this?
STLIMC Decision-Making Process, Consensus
Need guidelines for assisting decision-making process
- need to 1st decide on consensus-making process at next meeting
- have someone volunteer to be facilitator for next meeting: lisa, digger
- how to form agenda, keep meetings under 2 hours?
Agenda Items for next meeting...
Sunday 9/8, 7pm @ CAMP
- Consensus decisionmaking, esp. who is consenting?
- New features?
- Crew reports
- Review of what was done over the past month, what worked? what didn't work? Build on what works?
- Training!! Train folks how to write journalism (e.g. Digger's workshop)
- Refine and/or train folks how content is posted to the website at reboot.stlimc.org.
---------------------------------------
Folks present, Aug. 12 Meeting:
Adam Shriver
- CODE PINK, etc
Nikhil Kothegal
- interested in activist organizing in city, CODE PINK, etc
Don Stahl.
- stl911.org
Keith Baugh
- stl911.org
Digger Daniel Romano
- Confluence, CAMP
Lisa Brooten
- research of indymedia & stlimc, helped write book
"Cybermedia go to War" (includes chapter on stlimc)
Ben West
- former/current IMC member, CAMP member
Aaron AuBuchon
- KDHX community media training, teaching at Webster U.
AmyCate Schroeder
- contribute what she can
Scottie Addison
- longtime media wonk, urban planner, collaborator in reboot.stlimc.org