re: media tools

Hey,

Below is a message I got this morning, posted to the IMC-MC (MC = media
criticism) list.  Mentioned is the idea of setting up a
"mediawatch.indymedia.org" site.  Might be good to coordinate.

----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: <imc-media-criticism-IAPFreCvJWNT5zshQc7waEB+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org>
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2001 12:54 AM
Subject: Re: [IMC-MC] Media crticism->direct action


> Hello everybody and Chris, begining to fell a lot less lonesome ;-) but
> can't seem to get away from this to Holiday!
>
> A parting shot,
>
> at risk of diverting our attention away from being the media we do need to
> act on the corporate media in different ways
>
> some simplist analysis for how to action.
>
> Divide our attention and energy like this
>
> An intellectualish group discussing strategy, overall analysis
>
> Preparation of presentation materials and crib sheets for anybody going
out
> to speak about corporate media control and anaylsis
>
> A group working on a weekly and then daily newsblast something like the
> World Bank produce, (but with our own angle ;-)
> This summary is prepared by the External Affairs Department of the World
Bank.
> All material is taken directly from published and copyright wire service
> stories and newspaper articles.
> For more news go to http://www.worldbank.org/developmentnews
> To subscribe go to http://www.worldbank.org/subscriptions/
> Headlines for Thursday, August 2, 2001:
> - BONDS IN ARGENTINA FALL AS CONFIDENCE DWINDLES, WORKERS STRIKE.
> - WORLD BANK, AUSTRALIA LAUNCH INTERNET AID PLAN.
> - WOLFENSOHN SEES PEACE THROUGH POVERTY REDUCTION.
> - TIME TO FOCUS ON TURK S.M.E. RECOVERY, SOCIAL ISSUES:  WORLD BANK.
> - A CRUCIBLE FOR GENERIC AIDS MEDICINES.
> - Also in this edition:  EAST TIMOR GAS DEAL IN PERIL.  U.N. TELLS U.S. TO
PAY
> UP.
>
> International Cells working in 2s or 3s on each important corporate media
> source, criticism, ,action, direct contacts with journalists, letters to
> the editor etc
>
> a new indymedia site, mediawatch.indymedia.org or theirmedia.indymedia.org
> better ideas welcome open source publishing of all this work and other
> contributions to bring others into the project and to show corporate media
> what we are doing and why they shold be worried
>
> Groups working on direct action against corporate media conversations
> probably less public.
>
> having fun sometime with some creative documentaries etc
>
> hope this is useful and I haven't as we say in Yorkshire, "taught my
> grandmother to suck eggs"
>
> Have you all seen this article?
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=85948
> A very different view of Genoa
> A radical new breed of journalist covered the G8 protests. Hillary Rosner
> talks to volunteers from the Independent Media Centre, which offers an
> alternative source of news online
>
>
> respect and off on Holiday now.....
> At 22:28 02/08/01 -0500, you wrote:
> >Hi Alain,
> >This is in response to your indymedia criticim email about The Guardian
and
> >Phillip Willan in particular. I have only heard good things about the
> >Guardian from the left-leaning British and Irish people I've met. That
> >notwithstanding, I've found it to be as full of the same misinformation
> >commonly passed off as "news" in the American mainstream press. It's
funny
> >that you quoted the Phillip Willan's "The unacceptable face of protest"
> >column. (link to article on uk imc:
> >http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=7954) When I read that
piece
> >online I emailed Mr. Willan the following:
> >
> >==========================
> >> From: "Chris Z." <[email protected]>
> >> Subject: The unacceptable face of media
> >> Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2001 19:10:36 +0000
> >> ==========================
> >>
> >> Mr. Willan,
> >> I've noticed this often in mainstream media stories: you touch
> >> on the heart of the story but bury it deep within the text. If police
> >infiltrators
> >> really did undermine what should have been a largely peaceful
> >demonstration
> >> (footage from RAI confirms they did), why don't you write your column
> >about
> >> that? Your column should have begun with the 11th paragraph, the one
> >> beginning, "The failure to control and filter the demonstrators..."
> >> Why would you casually mention this angle, then move on to the
> >> subject of what the demonstrations "appeared as." Don't you think it's
> >time
> >> to get back to the journalism of facts, instead of the journalism of
> >appearances?
> >>
> >> Please reply to me on this matter.
> >>
> >> Sincerely,
> >>
> >> Chris Z.
> >
> >Here is how he replied:
> >
> >Mr Z.,
> >My story was about how the Genoa events have appeared through the Italian
> >media. I wasn't there myself, other people from the Guardian were. So far
> >there has been no evidence that police infiltrators were actually
involved
> >in violence. That they were present seems to me unsurprising. There is no
> >doubt that many of the demonstrators were involved in extreme forms of
> >violence: a television camerawoman had her knee smashed with a baseball
bat
> >by one of them. There is also no doubt that the police themselves reacted
> >with unacceptable violence, as I point out.
> >Sincerely,
> >Philip Willan.
> >
> >Then I replied:
> >
> >Mr. Willan,
> >I saw footage (on RAI's website) of men dressed in civilian clothes
beating
> >protestors with clubs, then leading them away...and I'm in Texas for
God's
> >sake! So I find it unconscionable that you, based in Rome, couldn't go to
> >the trouble of researching the matter any deeper. I ask myself if it's
> >laziness on the part of the mainstream press, or willful denial. After
all,
> >wouldn't it be a riveting story if you found evidence of a concerted
effort
> >to discredit this protest? You could be the next Woodward or Bernstein.
> >
> >By the way, I've searched for hours trying to recover the videoclip from
> >RAI. If I find it, I'll send it to you with the hope your interest in
what
> >really happened will merit my trouble.
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >Christian Z.
> >
> >That was a week ago. I haven't heard anything back. But I just wanted to
> >send this along so you'd know that some of us in the US have been
watching
> >the Guardian, too. It seems to me that that newspaper trades on its
spotless
> >reputation (and consequently does a great disservice to a movement it
should
> >really be supporting). Just the other night I was rereading George
Orwell's
> >(now there's a Blair for you) "Homage to Catalonia." In that book, which
> >deals with media manipulation on a grand scale (kind of like now), Orwell
> >notes what an honest newspaper the Manchester Guardian is. How much has
> >changed since 1937!
> >Still more troubling; there are loads of Guardian readers who, given the
> >straight story, would be much more receptive to the message of the
> >protestors. Instead, the Guardian's credibility is employed to slander
the
> >movement.
> >
> >After my exchange with Mr. Willan, (and from everything else I see) I
wonder
> >if mainstream journalists believe so strongly in the status quo, they
can't
> >help but discount a new, more challenging perspective. I wonder where the
> >editorial gumption putters out in the newsrooms. Do journalists see
stories
> >and have them quashed by their editors and executives? Or do they not see
> >them at all?
> >I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist, but often it seems like the news
> >outlets close ranks at critical times. (I'd love to hear anyone's
opinions
> >on this).
> >
> >Oh, well, I guess that just underscores the importance of Becoming the
> >Media.
> >
> >If there's anything I can do to help, let me know.
> >
> >Chris Z
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: <[email protected]>
> >To: <imc-media-criticism-IAPFreCvJWNT5zshQc7waEB+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org>
> >Cc: <[email protected]>
> >Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2001 1:21 AM
> >Subject: [IMC-MC] Media crticism->direct action
> >
> >
> >> Hi I'm alain, from, IMC France, but British. Will be taking greater
part
> >> inthis list as I wish to be part of a group crticising and discussing
> >> tactics, proposing "actions" against The Corporate Media and their
> >> reporting of this movement, but of course not exclusively as they seem
to
> >> do a pretty bad job on other issues as well, seems the cancer goes very
> >deep!
> >>
> >> Up to present have been waging an individual campaign against The
Guardian
> >> UK a well respected Centre Left papare but now almost totally under the
> >> control of Blair hence my nickname The Blairian.
> >>
> >> here's an example
> >> http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=8725
> >>  would appreciate comments on my approach, amm going on holiday
tomorrow
> >so
> >> won't be contributing for 1-2 weeks will be back with new energy mid
> >august
> >>
> >> and a good analysis also from today linking Media control with Fascism
in
> >> Italy. This is what we are increasingly up against
> >>
> >> http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=8722
> >> 1. Fini and the Police
> >> by BY FRANCES KENNEDY IN LECCE, PUGLIA 9:57pm Wed Aug 1 '01
> >>
> >> "There were no fascist salutes, swastikas or shaven heads in the piazza
at
> >> Lecce but key rings with the
> >> inscription "The book and the gun make a perfect fascist" were a good
> >> seller. " Independent May 10th 2001
> >>
> >>
> >> http://uk.indymedia.org/display.php3?article_id=8723
> >> 2. Fini and The Media
> >> by BBC 10:13pm Wed Aug 1 '01
> >>
> >>
> >> Opponents say that as prime minister, Mr Berlusconi will effectively
> >> control Rai as well as its main competitor Mediaset - giving him
influence
> >> over six of Italy's eight main channels.
> >>
> >> Fini described publicly owned state TV [ RAI } coverage as "scandalous"
> >>
> >> One of the key figures in Italy's victorious centre-right alliance
> >> Gianfranco has demanded large-scale sackings at the state-owned
television
> >> network, Rai.
> >>
> >> Gianfranco Fini, who is being considered for the post of deputy prime
> >> minister in Silvio Berlusconi's government, said a new leadership could
be
> >> in place at the network by mid-June.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> imc-media-criticism mailing list
> >> imc-media-criticism-IAPFreCvJWNT5zshQc7waEB+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org
> >> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-media-criticism
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >imc-media-criticism mailing list
> >imc-media-criticism-IAPFreCvJWNT5zshQc7waEB+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org
> >http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-media-criticism
> >
> Alain Zerty
> @ large + 33 (0)6 12 13 73 93
> instant message http://www.sfr.fr/texto/index.jsp
> Insert mobile no, (0612137393) compose message, hit envoyer, hey presto,
> immediate (or nearly!) contact
> Tony Blair's New Labour government was elected in June with the direct
> support of less than 25% of the population eligible to vote. (It's now
> official - 23%) His recent comments at the EU & G8 fiascos on due
> democratic process and duly elected leaders do not bear scrutiny now these
> figures are disclosed. He does not have a mandate. This is not democracy.
>
> _______________________________________________
> imc-media-criticism mailing list
> imc-media-criticism-IAPFreCvJWNT5zshQc7waEB+6BGkLq7r@public.gmane.org
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-media-criticism
>