Excerpt from the Indymedia Center Handbook (USA, September 2000)

HANDS ON!!!
CREATING AN INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER IN YOUR COMMUNITY

"The Independent Media Center is a network of collectively run media outlets for the creation of radical, objective, and passionate telling of the truth. We work out of a love and inspiration for people who continue to work for a better world, despite corporate media's distortions and unwillingness to cover the efforts to free humanity."- Manifesto of the Boston IMC, March 2000

Foreward

Teamsters and Turtles, Hackers and Tigers: Together at Last

DeeDee Halleck and Joel Kovel, with additions by Shane Korytko

In Seattle and Davos, DC and Prague, in Calgary and Windsor, media activists and environmentalists, labor rank and file and tree huggers coalesced into a formidable force that has had an impact not only on the international money lenders, but has caused major disruptions for agri-giant Monsanto and fashion outlets at the Mall like Gap and Nike. On the lam, Monsanto is changing its name and trying to spin off agriculture.

One of the notable aspects of the recent activism has been the powerful integration of the movement with the alternative media. Media activists have constructed their own public information spaces by integrating various media formats and technologies: camcorders, web radio, streaming video, micro radio, digital photography, community cable access, DBS transponders and laptop journalism. This revolution is not only televised, but digitized and streamed. This is not an attempt to "get on TV" but a commitment to create new forms of information sharing by using new spaces and technologies, and new ways of collaboration. This media movement has coalesced with the creation of "Independent Media Centers."

Behind the strategic blockades by the radical environmentalists and the lively and passionate video tapes and web sites, produced by the camcorder commandos and data dancers, the IMCs represent an authentic revolution: a revolution in the forms of public action and its documentation. The most radical aspect of this new movement is its non-hierarchical nature. The decision making is by consensus. All participants are themselves empowered.

The global movement for justice and accountability that has blossomed in the struggle against not only the WTO and other institutions that are pushing forward the agenda of corporate globalization but also the passive consumer culture that has empowered these corporations and institutions of oppression. But this struggle desperately needs to get beyond critique to propose alternative structures for life and work. The Independent Media Center emerged as a model not for new ways of media making but as a practical example of collective production, a necessary step in creating a democratic, just and equitable society.

The movement for an alternative media, with its flexible and open structure, its democratic rendering of the use-values of new technologies, and its continual involvement in interconnecting people in a transnational movement, provides an example of the evolution of a radical opposition, from the spontaneous appearance of individual creative practice, to the collective gathering of small co-operatives, to the continual enhancement of practical and technical skill, and to the growth of national and international collectives whose identities increasingly cluster around the negation of capital. This "web," both unbounded and differentiated, is unified by an increasingly clear anti-capitalist vision. Thus the same force that binds together the movement for democratic media also keeps it democratically communitarian—and increasingly refuse to compromise with the powers that be. One hears the word, "revolution," more frequently these days among those whose engagement in such struggles enhances their own power and radically separates them from the power of capital. At first this is a vague slogan to express radical discontent; however, the logic of things demands also that revolution be given a goal, a content, and an agent. In this way, spontaneously developing collective evolves into a community of resistance.

The IMC Movement: Reclaiming Public Knowledge
By Robin Andersen

The creators of Independent Media Centers are redesigning new technologies and reclaiming public knowledge in the service of democratic media, shaping a participatory model that promotes freedom on all fronts. News has never looked this way before. We are currently in the midst of a presidential election. As corporations pour money into the coffers of two dominant political parties, a democratic debate about economic justice, corporate subsidies, sweat shops, and environmental degradation is shunted to the margins. The 30-second spots created by Bush and Gore won't touch these issues. Mainstream media will not take up the slack. Indeed, there is now a wealth of documentation demonstrating that corporate media is unable and unwilling to criticize corporate malfeasance. So steeped have the media become in their business perspectives, they are incapable of speaking, or even reporting, a language critical of the corporate giants now in control of their news organizations. Journalists appear curiously unaware that those corporations do not always act in the interests of their viewers. They have forgotten what democracy looks like.

Rising from the ashes of cynical corporate culture, Independent Media Centers are creating new models for information. IMCs stand to witness and document evidence, testimony, and even fun, in the face of the excesses of global capital. If this doesn't sound like 'old journalism,' it isn't. But it is in the best traditions of freedom of expression, public participation, and the free flow of information in a democratic society. IMCs have blossomed in over twenty five cities around the world. Independent videographers, photographers and radio producers have provided images and sound that would never have aired on mainstream media. Discrepancies between official news and the reports of independent media makers are exposed in those cities. In Philadelphia, for example, local news stations were repeating law enforcement perspectives that "demonstrators were taunting police" and that the police were "taking it", even as their own footage showed non-aggressive, peaceful demonstrators sitting in the street chanting. In fact, police themselves had been caught by IMC videographers taunting, clubbing and shocking demonstrators. In live programming uplinked by the IMC, local news allegations of "protester violence" was juxtaposed with the confrontation and the effect was stunning. The IMC footage included images of police beating demonstrators with batons, and a violent attack on one protestor from behind, as it happened on the streets of Philadelphia.

Corporate media portrayals were determined to deny and ignore the political content of the demonstrations. Protesters appeared out of nowhere with the sole intent of inconveniencing motorists and annoying law enforcement. Their passionate analysis, information and documentation of the structures of global injustice and exploitation were not available on the network affiliates news reports.

But the IMCs have not allowed that to happen. In Philadelphia, the IMC program Crashing the Party, broadcast live over satellite gave voice to a movement determined not to let corporate exploitation bulldoze the globe. Organizers spoke of a "beautiful and broad coalition of groups." One event presented an award to Citigroup. From redlining in poor communities to the destruction of the California Redwoods, from investing in the prison industry, to polluting industries around the world, Citigroup was deemed the world's most destructive bank. Balloons and a gospel choir provided the backdrop for expressing opposition to the excesses of global finance. The economy was labeled a "doomsday machine."

IMCs are shining a bright light on information the corporate media would like to keep buried. They give voice to the communities they serve by taking hold of the means of media production. Information is passionate and meaningful, not detached and cynical. It can't be part of the marketplace, because it has to enlighten, inspire and unite us. Can someone wearing a tee shirt proclaiming "Mean Corporations Suck "be a journalist? Given the present state of the media, and the mega-corporate mergers of the last 15 years, it should be a requirement. The famous journalist, I.F. Stone said, never have lunch with the powerful. Nobody at the IMC is in danger of being invited to dine at Citibank for a corporate power lunch. Indeed, strong organizational ties between independent media and community groups redress what has become a total blackout of a radicalized public demanding structural change. The IMCs have changed the media landscape. They have marked out a new territory on the frontier of freedom.

HANDS ON!!!
CREATING AN INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER IN YOUR COMMUNITY

By Joshua C. Robinson with additions and editing by Vik Bahl, Janet Berkow, DeeDee Halleck, Sheri Herndon, Shane Korytko, Dan Merkle, Devin Theriot-Orr, Bruce Welti, and thanks to all the IMC producers and list servers.

The following text is intended to serve as a "blueprint" for the formation of new Independent Media Center (IMC) sites. It is based on the accumulated wisdom of a number of IMC staff, including those who helped to create the first IMC in Seattle,in the fall of 1999, and those who initiated subsequent sites nationally, including the D.C. World Bank protests, Philadelphia and Los Angeles supporting coverage of the Republican and Democratic National Conventions actions in the summer of 2000. Although most of the IMCs have been organized around specific events, it is the hope that we can develop a network of permanent, community-based centers to provide on-going information and activism.

The IMC movement started with coverage of the N30 WTO protests in Seattle. Since then IMCs have been set up in Boston to cover Bio Devastation 2000, the A16 IMF World Bank protests in DC, and the May Day 2000 Global Day of Action, Resistance & Carnival Against Capitalism. There have been IMCs at the political conventions in Los Angeles and Philadelphia and at the World Economic Forum in Melbourne, Australia. The movement continues to expand across the world. This handbook is a guide for those who wish to set up IMCs in their own communities.


Video Group

Video is difficult. The equipment is expensive, especially for editing. Encoding is time consuming. Many people do not have the equipment or internet connection to make video over the internet very useful. Despite all that, people connected with the IMCs seem quite drawn to this medium. To help things go better, spend some time thinking through the whole process and identifying potential bottlenecks and how you will handle them. Editing is an obvious one - you probably won't be able to afford lots of high-quality editing equipment, but lots of people will be out there shooting video and bringing it in. One suggestion is to push as much of the coordination and archiving work onto the videographers as possible - have them provide detailed information about each tape as they turn it in (e.g., videographer name, date and time, location, subject and action, approximate duration of each section, notes on points of interest).

Set people's expectations realistically about what you need from them in order for their tapes to be used and what you will do with their tapes. In the past, this group has done everything from editing video to be posted on the website, producing live daily satellite TV broadcasts, and post-production work on documentary videos such as "Showdown in Seattle" and "Breaking the Bank." Each of these products requires different resources. For this reason, early organization of this group is vital, with individuals who have experience and understanding of the work to be done.

Editing
In general, the available equipment must facilitate videographers' being able to load their footage into editing stations from which it can be edited and posted to the website, or compiled with other footage for projects in other formats. It is important that the editing computers be compatible with any format a cameraperson is likely to use, and that they have sufficient resources to run the complex software required to digitally process video images. If compiled footage will be needed in a standard format (VHS, for example) it is important that the editing stations also be capable of making the necessary transfers. Transferring large video clips, to post them on the website, for example, requires a large amount of bandwidth, and this should also be taken into account when planning the types of projects to be undertaken, and equipment needs.

Coordination
The video group will need to work closely with other parts of the IMC if it is to produce comprehensive, timely coverage. Close connections to dispatch will be needed to ensure that breaking news is not missed. It is also important to work with the existing courier system so that footage from the field quickly reaches the editors, and thereby the audience. In addition, it may be helpful to work with other organizations. In the past, media groups such as Free Speech TV and Paper Tiger TV have worked closely with IMC video to produce outstanding coverage of events from Seattle to Philadelphia.

Intake
It is important to designate an intake team. This is important both for video edits but also for legal evidence. When tapes come in from the field, producers should log their tapes and dub off selects. Firewire miniDV to miniDV makes the best copies. Ideally, get the producer on the dub-off tape, stating their name, the location, the date and the events they documented. This tape is good as legal evidence and also for permission, though it should not substitute for permission slips. Someone or a team should be designated to be responsible for the dubbed select tapes after the events. This is a big job, especially if future legal actions will need footage. Write out clearly and with correct spelling any lower thirds information that should be included. It's a good idea to ask your subjects how they would prefer to be identified.

Permits and Uplink Site
Any type of video production that impinges on sidewalks or streets can require local permits. This can include setting up a tripod, using lights or stringing cable. Be sure to check with local authorities as to what permits are required if you intend to have adjacent locations for live feeds, or plan to light a scene at night. For satellite uplands, be sure to check the line of sight to the satellite. In Philadelphia we made a big mistake and had to change satellites because of a high rise building blocking our view of the leased transponder. This was a costly mistake--$12,000!

Audio Group

In the past, audio groups have been responsible for producing audio clips for both IMC websites and radio broadcasts. Many of the same suggestions made above in relation to video groups apply here. It must first be determined what the goals of the audio group are. At a minimum, equipment and space should be available for both editing recordings made in the field and posting them to the website, and recording interviews, etc. in the IMC itself. More ambitiously, it is possible to set up a micropower FM radiostation and broadcast live reports from the IMC as well as from reporters calling in from the scenes of news events. For legal purposes, it is best to house any transmission equipment in external locations, as transmitting from the IMC puts everyone in jeopardy. However, good audio signals can be downloaded from the web, and the IMC station can stream on the web for pick-up by micro stations everywhere.

Editing
For audio editing, the equipment should include one or more dedicated computers with editing/mixing software and enough upstream bandwidth to facilitate easy uploading to the website, as well as any cables and connectors (RCA, quarter inch stereo, adapters, etc.) likely to be needed to digitize recordings in various formats. High quality microphones, headphones, and a quiet dedicated space will be needed for in-house production. Many community radio stations have down loaded audio feeds from the website, so maintain high standards for audio quality. There are specific requirements for official FM broadcasts and an engineer from a local community radio station can be consulted.

Local Resources
As with other groups, and the IMC in general, cooperation with other, like-minded groups can be invaluable to IMC journalists concentrating on audio. Some possible ideas include partnering with local public radio stations or independent professional recording facilities.

Photo Group

The photo group should receive special attention, as still photos are required to produce eye-catching results for both print publications and the website. Keep in mind that there are vastly different needs for photographers working in film and digital formats. The equipment and procedures for digital photographers will likely already exist in the specific group which will be using the photos, i.e. the web group or the print group. In these cases, the primary job of the photo group will be to facilitate the collection and exchange of the material. The case of film photography, is more difficult. In addition to the scarcity of developing equipment and space, a great deal of time will be required for setting up the space and processing film. For these reasons, it is likely that the most efficient arrangement will be to have the film processed outside the center. This requires careful planning and execution of the system of 'couriers' used to transport film from the field to a processor and prints from there to the IMC. A coordinated effort between the photo group, dispatch, and other groups (such as video) that utilize runners should produce a working system.

It's important to appoint a coordinator who can insure that photos get properly scanned. The best choice would be a local person who knows local labs and who can assist in archiving the photos when it is over.

Web/Tech Group

The IMC web site is the core mechanism for the quick distribution of news. Its most important feature is a "newswire" that allows anyone with access to the Web to post articles containing text, photos, audio, and video. Think of an IMC site as having three parts: the home page, the newswire, and the auxiliary pages. The newswire pages are automatically updated as new articles are submitted to the collection. The newswire currently displays articles in reverse chronological order (newest articles on top). The home page typically has both manually and automatically updated sections. Each IMC edits its home page to give its site a distinctive look, though many sites have copied others and the sites have many things in common. Each site also updates its home page frequently to keep the hottest, most recent news in the most visible area. A new version of Active may include a dynamic file where the current static section (middle) of the home page is now, also enabling the newswire to be more dynamic so that the highest moderated content will be on linked auxiliary pages. The auxiliary pages are currently mainly static (manually edited), though these may vary with different IMCs. Some of these need to be edited for a new IMC (e.g., contact information).

Software
The site is all built on open-source software. This means that anyone may, for free, use the software, modify it, and pass it on to others. There are no licensing issues. The site runs on the Linux operating system and uses the mySQL database and the PHP server-side scripting language. (Note that the site used to use a different database - PostgreSQL - and is just now, mid-September of 2000, in the process of migrating to mySQL.) All these tools are available for free. The set of scripts that runs the site is called the Active software (also free, of course).

To set up a new IMC, you have three choices for your web site. Regardless of which way you go, you should read "So you want to be an IMC?" (http://process.indymedia.org/want_imc.php3).
The easiest approach is just to ask IMC tech group to set up a new site for you on the existing IMC servers. The possible issues are disk space (is there room for another set of articles?) and bandwidth (can we serve another site and still have good response time?). The tech group will discuss any issues with you after you make your request. The method of making your request is in transition. The old (and still current?) method is to send an email to the IMC tech group (imc-tech@indymedia.org). The new way is to fill out a form at http://turtle.indymedia.org/sandbox/mike/newimc.html