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http://process.indymedia.org/want_imc.php3
Archived: 11/11/2001 at 04:11:31
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Indymedia is currently working on a mission/values statement that will be broad enough to allow all local IMCs to sign on to it while still retaining substantial, if not complete, local autonomy. Until this statement is ready we will ask that you fulfill the below requirements before approaching the Indymedia team for an IMC web site.
We assume you have already familiarized yourselves thoroughly with Indymedia by paging extensively through all the Indymedia sites and by reading the IMC blueprint documents and other information listed at process.indymedia.org. We also assume by now you have asked yourself the all-important question, "Does my city/region need an IMC?" and answered affirmatively. Next you must ask yourself a more difficult, yet also essential question: "Does my city have enough people interested in working together on a consistent enough basis to make an IMC happen?" Setting up an IMC web site is reasonably easy; setting up an acutal, real-life, community-based IMC group that works together on a consistent, ongoing basic to create relevant and up-to-date independent news coverage in your area is completely different. Forming a real-life independent media center is not a fleeting commitment. Creating a positive and effective independent media entity requires time, energy, vision, passion and determination. You will get frustrated. You will get sick of going to meetings. You will curse the day anyone invented the concept of "consensus." Are you, and enough of a core group to maintain the project, ready to clear all those obstacles and create a fantastic IMC?
Now that you think you'll have enough people to form an IMC, we suggest you meet as a group several times to discuss your reasons for forming an IMC and your vision of what you'd like that IMC to be. You should also discuss decision-making process (most IMCs operate as consensus-based, non-hierarchical organizations, and in fact many of us believe that kind of horizontal organizing structure is essential to being a relevant, effective independent media center). Perhaps before you take the next step you should have members of your group pay a visit to another nearby IMC, and/or communicate with other IMCs over their mailing lists (lists.indymedia.org) to familiarize yourselves with some of their experiences. When you're positive you're ready to start working as a group that agrees to respect, know and commit to upholding Indymedia's mission/value statement, the time has come to start taking practical steps toward getting an IMC web site.
As stated above, being an IMC brings with it responsibility to act - both locally to represent yourselves well to the community and internationally to work with the other IMCs and the general Indymedia.org organization. When your IMC joins Indymedia you will have access to many things which we will list below. Before you do, though, we would like you to offer the following:
-- an organizational contact person who will act as a liason to your local group to communicate with the other local groups. This entails the following:
-- there is also the possibility that we will ask your IMC to provide a representative to a global Indymedia editorial collective that will organize the massive flow of content that comes through the www.Indymedia.org site and support local IMCs in developing their own editorial policies.
Signing up on the New Imc Request form will allow you to fill out some of the needed fields (such as who your organizational contacts are). By signing up you agree to this relationship and you are indicating that everyone who is involved in creating this IMC, all the excited individuals in your locale, also know and agree to these terms. Please make sure you let everyone who is working with you on creating this new IMC know about the various mailing lists that are out there for the different groups so that they can know how to subscribe and work together with other Indymedia activists on a global scale. Please see http://lists.indymedia.org for more information on Indymedia mailing lists.
Once you're ready to embark on the unbelievable adventure that being involved with an IMC will be and are ready to fulfill the above obligations, the IMC tech team will help you set up your IMC site. In exchange for your enthusiasm and the ability you offer, Indymedia will be able to help you with:
We're really happy you have decided to form an Independent Media Center! As we've indicated, it's not easy, but it is fun. Being part of Indymedia so far has been a will ride. Welcome aboard.
Cities/regions that have already started to form are:
Taiwan, Asia
Hong Kong, China
Poland, Europe
Dallas, Texas, USA
Guelph
Animal Liberation IMC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
Springfield, Illinois, US
Sep, 09 2000 - micah@riseup.net
Oct, 23 2000 - jay@tao.ca
3 Nov 2000 - stefani@indymedia.org
