Reporting issues at the G8 2005

At the ImcUkGatheringSpring2005, a number of people thought it would be useful to plan how we would report the issues behind the protests in much the same way we plan for reporting of the actions. Some of the content of this is being collated at ImcUkG8MediaActivistResourcePage We identified three areas to work on:

Outreach

Contacting individuals and groups who know about and/or are acting on particular issues to a) let them know Indymedia exists and wants their analysis of the issues and b) get them to provide features/newswire items ahead of time that can be referenced when actions on these issues happen during the mobilisation.

A list of issues and contacts is being compiled at GoE2005IssuesAndContacts. It might be useful to prepare a call for artcles that could be sent to various different groups.

Page design

Reorganising/redisigning pages carrying coverage of the G8 so that background information about the particular issues can be highlighted alongside reports of related actions. Suggestions include an 'issue of the day' feature and splitting pages/features into columns/sections for actions and issues.

Mainstream media watch

Keeping track of mainstream media articles on the G8 and the protests to allow people to a) remind people about the crap policies behind the G8's rhetoric, b) respond to smears against protestors (including talking about the issues in response to mainstream presentation of protests in a vacuum), c) keep a list of journalists who have a history of misrepresenting protestors, so that we know who to be especially careful about talking to.

There is a working group of the Dissent! network that is doing work in this area already. See this list of mainstream media articles.

Webcam Watch

How many will stay working once protests start?

BBC Scottish Webcams from NAtional Driver Information and Control System: http://www.nadics.org.uk
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/whereilive/travelscotland/home/webcams/index.shtml

The Scotsman Webcams includes Princes Street, Edinburgh - Central Edinburgh - Scottish Parliament - and er, Gleneagles
http://webcams.scotsman.com/

Camvista Webcams 10 views from camvistas own camera - Various views from around Princes Street - Scottish Parliament.
http://www.camvista.com/scotland/edinburgh/index.php3

-- VoluntarySlave - 07 Mar 2005
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