GLOBAL INDYMEDIA OVERVIEW (updated June 7, 2002)

This document is a general introduction to the inner workings, or lack thereof, of the global Indymedia network. This document is especially intended for people in local IMCs who are curious as to how they can become more a part of international indymedia organizing, though individuals can also use the information within to know how to get involved.

WHAT IS GLOBAL INDYMEDIA? That's a good question. In one sense, global Indymedia is a thriving organization composed of hundreds of activists from around the world who communicate regularly via e-mail to coordinate the forward development of an international network of independent media projects and community-based media centers. In other ways, the whole idea of "global Indymedia" is a myth. People who are helping organize "global indymedia" do so primarily via the internet, in virtual space, communicating via e-mail lists and meeting sporadically on the "irc.indymedia.org" IRC chat server (type http://irc.indymedia.org in your browser or find an IRC program at http://www.mirc.com), often in the #indymedia channel. Sometimes they get together in the real world to help coordinate event-based IMCs, primarily around anti-globalization events such as those in Seattle for the WTO protests in '99, Washington and Prague for the World Bank/IMF protests in 2000. Indymediacs also gather sometimes at independent media conventions and sometimes gasp! they even visit each other just for fun. In a very real sense, global Indymedia is a loose organizing network of individual activists who support each other and each other's independent media activities. In that way, global Indymedia is a virtual entity, a network, a big ball of energy that no one can quantify.

Over the last two years, individuals who are interested in harnessing the power of Indymedia to produce inspiring, informative media, have come together to work on a number of international Indymedia projects, such as the features in the center column of the http://www.indymedia.org web site as well as international print, audio and video productions. You will find information about how to get involved in these projects below.

WHY SHOULD YOUR LOCAL IMC GET INVOLVED? Indymedia is nothing if the real-life, local IMCs are not strong. However, the idea that each local IMC is part of a thriving international network helps inspire local IMCs to do good work. In turn, when people in local IMCs become involved with global Indymedia projects they build strong bonds between the local, real-life, community-based Indymedia organizing and the global independent media "movement."

HOW CAN YOUR LOCAL IMC GET INVOLVED? Recently global Indymedia has begun to have bimonthly meetings on the "irc.indymedia.org" IRC server. Each local IMC is strongly encouraged to have a liaison attend the global meetings. These meetings will be a place for liaisons from local IMCs to discuss their local IMC's reaction to issues that effect the global Indymedia network. For information about how to be involved in the meetings, contact imc-communication@indymedia.org.

On an ongoing basis, other than making an effort to visit people at local IMCs when you travel, and/or trying to get to any regional independent media gatherings or events an IMC is covering, the best way to get involved with global Indymedia organizing is to participate in the global Indy e-mail lists. Some local IMCs are making an effort to have at least one member on each list. Below is a description of the global Indymedia lists. All of the lists would LOVE to have representation and involvement from all local IMCs.

INDYMEDIA E-MAIL LISTS: You may sign up for all lists and view all list archives through http://lists.indymedia.org. Having someone from your IMC active on the lists marked with an * are strongly, strongly suggested to keep in tune with what's happening throughout the network.

* Imc-communication@indymedia.org The purpose of this list is to develop better communication between the local IMCs and to initiate a global Indymedia communication structure. Every IMC is asked to have someone on this list. The person from your IMC on this list will bring issues being discussed throughout the network back into your local meetings so you can discuss them there (and of course pass a summary of your discussion back to the list).

* Imc-process@indymedia.org People have used imc-process as a place to discuss the organizational structure of Indymedia. It has also been a list for people to raise any and every issue they feel is important to the network. Lately it has also been the list that formally accepts new imcs into the network. Your IMC should have at least one person following conversations here. People are also posting process documents and having process discussions on the web at http://global.indymedia.org.au and http://internal.indymedia.org.

* Imc-finance@indymedia.org An imc-finance list exists for people working on the financial aspects of the global Indymedia project, including accepting, encouraging and organizing donations, and figuring out how to spend what we raise. So far almost all of the donations to Indymedia have gone to local IMCs, but some people and foundations have expressed interest in supporting the global Indymedia entity, which in turn would support the local IMCs, especially formation of local IMCs in the Global South. We are asking each IMC to have a member participating on this list.

* Imc-proposals@indymedia.org This list is primarily for proposals and communication that the imc-commwork working group (described below) decide should go out to every IMC contact. Each local IMC should have someone on this list, and when a proposal/issue appears s/he should raise the issue in his/her local IMC. We are moving toward developing a place for focused discussion of these proposal, and to creating a decision-making process for how to put these discussions into action.

Imc-tech@indymedia.org This is the list for people who are working on general indymedia technical issues and programming concerns. There is also a list for people working on the web code that underlies the indymedia sites at webcoders@cat.org.au.

Imc-print@indymedia.org A global print team has developed through this list to work on network-wide print projects such as the PDF project (a weekly printable page of IMC news coverage). The project has printed sporadically, and could always use a burst of energy from new participants. IMC-print team members often work on articles together through the print.indymedia.org web site.

Imc-video@indymedia.org This is a list for international communication about and coordination of IMC video projects.

Imc-audio@indymedia.org This is the place for discussions about IMC audio projects.

Imc-editorial@indymedia.org People on imc-editorial have been working on issues such as the editorial policy for the www.indymedia.org news wire, and on broader issues related to how to present the content on the www.indy site.

www-features@indymedia.org This is a list for people who are coordinating the features that appear on the center column of the www.indymedia.org page. Anyone can suggest a feature to this working group by e-mailing the suggestion to the list. If you have a feature idea to suggest, or an upcoming event to have listed in the top right corner of www.indymedia.org, post to this list.

Imc-newswire@indymedia.org This working group focuses on keeping the www.indymedia.org newswire healthy by hiding posts that don't fit into Indymedia editorial policy.

Imc-presentation@indymedia.org This group coordinates the way the www.Indymedia site looks (fonts, type colors, etc.)

Imc-commwork@indymedia.org This working group tries to improve network-wide IMC communication, most recently by organizing bi-monthly global IRC meetings.

Syndication@indymedia.org Come here for discussions about all aspects of syndicating your center column feature stories to the "features-wire" on the www.indymedia.org site, as well as other syndication issues.

Translation@indymedia.org This list is an organizing group for the Indymedia translation team. People on this list are developing the system by which translation team volunteers will translate things like Indymedia process documents and www.indy center column features.

Imc-global@indymedia.org The purpose of this list isn't exactly clear, but people have been using it as a place to discuss general issues that effect the whole network, such as what to do with donations and what kind of general ideas people have for the future of Indymedia.

Listwork@indymedia.org People on this list are working to coordinate the creation and management of the indymedia e-mail lists.

General-discussion@indymedia.org This list is for discussion of issues surrounding the variety of questions people send to the general@indymedia.org e-mail box. The people on this list are using the helpdesk.indymedia.org system to answer those varied requests.

New-imc@indymedia.org The new-imc working group helps welcome aspiring IMCs into the network by answering their questions about Indymedia and by working with them as they advance through the new-imc process (described on http://newimc.indymedia.org).

HOW DOES YOUR LOCAL IMC SHARE CONTENT WITH GLOBAL INDYMEDIA PROJECTS?

Text features: If you have a feature that you think has international relevance, send notice about it (and the proposed text, which would be helpful), to the www-features@indymedia.org list. Features for the www.indy page should have some kind of international relevance and should include links to articles on a local IMC newswire or on the www.indy newswire.

Photos: Post interesting photos from your local IMC that you think have international relevance to the www.indymedia.org newswire. In the future, when the PDF project is active, you may also suggest your best photos to the imc-print@indymedia.org list for inclusion.

Audio: Please communicate with the imc-audio@indymedia.org list about your audio ideas and adventures. You may also find information about Indymedia audio at http://radio.indymedia.org.

Video: Please communicate with the imc-video@indymedia.org list about your video visions and accomplishments. You may also find information about the Indymedia newsREAL, a monthly compilation of Indymedia video being broadcast on Free Speech TV (http://www.freespeech.org) at http://satellite.indymedia.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: There is some information about how to organize an IMC at http://process.indymedia.org. While that site is quite out of date, there are a couple "blueprints" from event-based IMCs that give good advice about how to put together local event-based coverage. You can also get to a global Indymedia "to do list' at http://todo.indymedia.org, and find some imc-tech information at http://tech.indymedia.org. If you have any general questions about Indymedia or anything related, direct them to general@indymedia.org. Remember that the volunteers who answer those requests are quite overtaxed and may take a few days to get back to you.

Of course you may send any questions related to forming a new-imc to "new-imc@indymedia.org".

-- PseudoPunk - 14 Jun 2002