[Upd-discuss] European Forum on Communication Rights :: Four Days of Tactical Media
Production :: Indymedia at the ESF
ekes
ekes@aktivix.org
Sun, 03 Oct 2004 23:54:51 +0100
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I post this with info about the European Forum on Communication Rights
(London, Thursday 14th) which I believe will be of interest to folk on
this list; and Friday 15th's agenda including Electric Commons, IP and
Bio Privacy. Details of venue and related European Social Forum
alt-fringe and main stuff underneath.
|>>>
Thursday 14th October 9.15am-6.30pm
The European Forum of Communication Rights (EFCR) takes place the day
before the start of the European Social Forum, and tackles one of the
most important questions: how to bring together those working at
different levels on communication rights - from grass roots activists
working on practical projects and street level campaigns, to those
engaged in lobbying and advocacy, to researchers and academics. Starting
the day a series of keynote speakers, presentations and open-floor
discussions will establish what is at stake in the information
revolution: who owns what, who has the power, and what it means for us all.
"As the movement around Communications Rights gathers momentum, a
multitude of campaigns are confronting the same issues from a variety of
directions."
Focusing on the global issues of Security and the Surveillance State,
Migration and Borders, and the Corporatisation of our Communication
spaces and knowledge, the event aims to find common ground that links
these varied strands together to produce vibrant, relevant and powerful
campaigns.
- ---
Friday explores the emergence of the resistance to technologies of
control, looking at tactics, tools and techniques, focusing on Infowar
and Signal Jamming, Electronic Commons, IP and Bio Piracy, Biometric ID
Cards, Gender and Technology, and Tactical and Alternative Media. Friday
night will see an evening of entertainment with comedy, music, films and
a special set of presentations and performance from migrant networks,
sans papiers, and people from the global south.
- ---
Saturday will include the 10th anniversary celebration of the respected
alternative media project www.SchNEWS.org.uk with a full afternoon
conference.. Later that evening they kick off their birthday fundraiser
party in a venue south of the river.
|>>> FULL DETAILS
Indymedia @ the ESF: Four Days of Tactical Media Production
Come and join us from October 14th ? 17th in London.
We need your reporting, radio, photography, cables, ideas, enthusiasm
andmore!
@ The Camden Centre,
Judd St
Near Kings Cross,
London WC1
(and other locations!)
At the heart of one of the worlds most techno-surveyed capital cities,
thousands of people from a huge array of social movements will gather in
London for this years European Social Forum. Indymedia is hosting a
four-day Indymedia centre (IMC) to facilitate reporting and DIY media
production around the ESF and other autonomous spaces and actions in London.
This call goes out to all the Indymedia and alt. media networks to
participate in organising, developing and experimenting with skill
sharing, creating networks of alternative communication projects and
campaigns, and producing grassroots media relevant to thousands of
participants, a global audience and our social movements.
Volunteers are needed to work on covering events, interventions, actions
and protests, to help co-ordinate, produce and publish video, audio and
photos, to help run spaces and self organise and create the media we
want to see.
The IMC will be at the Camden Centre - located next to Kings Cross, in
the Bloomsbury area (one of the two major ESF locations), and is one of
a number of autonomous spaces around the ESF. There will also be a bar
and cheap food available, as well as social events and film screenings.
Further IMC / alt. media production nodes will be located in other
autonomous venues, and additional spaces will be provided for some
workshops and training (more info on this soon).
The Camden centre also has an alternative programme of events in
collaboration with activists from the Indymedia uk network , developed
to counteract the lack of content addressing communication rights within
the European Social Forum programme, and address the rapid development
of technologically determined mechanisms such as mass-surveillance and
information control that increasingly shape and delimit our landscape of
civil liberties and participatory democracy.
============================
The Camden Centre:
The Camden Centre has been hired via collaboration with a variety of
alt. Media networks and Communication Rights advocacy and campaigning
groups. The broad network is under the umbrella of the Media, Culture
and Communication Rights Network (MCCRN). As well as activists from the
Indymedia uk network, other groups involved include Privacy
International, Association of Progressive Communications (APC), Article
19, Association of community radios (AMARC), WACC and the Electrohippes.
As well as the IMC, the Camden Centre will be used by a the MCCRN too
host a programme of events on Communication Rights and alternative media
(see http://www.efcr2004.net)
============================
LOCATIONS AND PRACTICALITIES:
The Camden centre is a large hall / conference space with a main hall
capacity of approximately 600 people, including capacity for info stalls
and some exhibition material. There are also two sets of two rooms
which have a total capacity of 50 people and are the Indymedia spaces.
There is also a bar cafe area.
NB Corporate Journalists will be allowed into the main hall and public
access Internet café.
Bar / Public Access Internet C@fe:
There is a licensed bar area which will hold about 15 public access
computers with internet, an info-point, and seating. There is also a
kitchen providing cheap food by the veggies collective.
Indymedia Facilities:
If you?re coming to participate in the Indymedia centre, the Camden
centre will be able to cater for a variety of needs, but you are
expected to help create the media centre by participating in the
co-ordination of the reporting.
The IMC will have morning meetings each day to plan and co-ordinate DIY
reporting and media production.
The four rooms for media production are designated as:
IMC Office
Dedicated reporting space (15-20 computers)
Priority Audio + Video production space (Please bring equipment YOU need)
Training room (at some times, reporting space when no trainings)
NB The main hall will be no smoking during daytime programme. Smoking is
permitted in the Bar.
There will be no smoking in the four media production rooms.
NB there have been some requests for a creche for children. While space
is limited, some people are working on the idea - if you would like to
participate in a self organised creche please let us know!
Disabled Access:
The venue has disabled access via stair lift to the upper floors. If you
have specific needs please contact us as soon as possible.
Mail: imc-esf(atN0spam)lists.indymedia.org (nb this is a public archive
email list)
NB: There is no accommodation at the Camden Centre and the IMC will
close at different times each evening (these will be clearly advertised).
==============================
Indymedia as an autonomous space
The Indymedia uk Network is working with a wide range of groups and
other networks who are building alternative autonomous spaces around the
European Social Forum. The aim is to create open spaces for networking,
exchanges, celebration, thinking, and action with ways of organising and
acting that reflect our political visions, and that are united in
standing for grassroots self-organisation, for diversity and inclusion,
for direct democracy and collective decision making based upon
consensus. In line with these principles, the IMC will have morning
meetings to plan and co-ordinate DIY reporting and media production.
The various autonomous spaces and initiatives do not have, nor
represent, one single unified position on the ESF but are however all
united in the knowledge of the ESF UK organising process as
un-transparent, non-participatory, and exclusionary. However we wish to
state clearly that Indymedia is dedicated to respecting the value and
supporting the energy, diversity, and experiences of those attending the
ESF.
Bring Your Own!
Indymedia London has very few financial resources, choosing to blag,
borrow and share most spaces, equipment and materials. The media centre
and the Camden centre stalls, as well as the other autonomous spaces all
need to have a wide range of media to share, give away and distribute.
We would encourage all those coming to participate in the four days to
bring local alt. media, leaflets, stickers, posters, CD's, films and all
other interesting and relevant material to distribute and share.
============================
Other Media Production Locations
Beyond ESF - Another Autonomous Space
This will be in North London - so it becomes the nearest autonomous
space to Alexandra Palace. There is a room with internet connectivity
that can be used as an IMC / alt. media space for reporting and
co-ordination. Some computers should be supplied by imc london, other
space will be for laptops. London Hacklab is interested in helping
co-ordinate and install.
The Beyond ESF space itself will have food for donations, daily
programming and events, evening assemblies, entertainments and films.
- - see http://www.altspaces.net
AMARC and the Community Media Association are trying to gain a space
inside Alexandra Palace to webstream radio from.
RampArt Social Centre in East London is another indymedia access point,
and willing to accomodate volunteers who come early to help set up.
Rampart Street, London E1 2LA
http://rampart.omxtra.net/
============================
Registration for the Official ESF Media Centre
Accreditiation to the Official ESF Media Centre at Alexandra Palace is
supposed to be available to all alt. Media and community media activists
and reporters (after a big lobbying effort by media activists). It now
seems that there will only be 20-25 computers in the official media
centre, but with around 50 internet connections provided for laptops.
NB Accreditiation will allow you to access the media centre and use the
facilities, as well as attending the official press conferences. It will
not provide you with the free travel card which is available for the
first 20,000 people buying tickets.
You can register via the offical media centre if you have a press card here:
http://www.fse-esf.org/en/esf.shtml?x=1744
If you dont have a press card, sending a covering letter explaining your
publication / group should suffice.
NOTE: If you have any problems gaining accreditation for the official
media centre please contact Indymedia London as quickly as possible and
we will try and help: Mail: imc-esf(atN0spam)lists.indymedia.org (nb
this is a public archive email list)
To read the history and background of the official esf media centre and
other media and tech lobbying by activists see:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2004/09/297814.html
============================
Accommodation
London, as the one of the most expensive, gentrified cites in the world,
suffers from a severe lack of living space. Most of the accommodation
options around the time of the ESF lie either within the official forum
itself (via a registration and payment process) where you may be able to
source discounted bed & breakfasts, hostels, a campsite (very far away),
or some free communal spaces (church halls etc) for groups, or via the
autonomous spaces.
The free accomodation for people buying tickets is on a first come first
served basis - so if you are buying a ticket, hurry up and apply!
For details see: http://www.fse-esf.org/en/esf.shtml?x=1690
Indymedia is trying to find some home stay accommodation with priority
for Indymedia Europeans, however this home stay is extremely limited and
spread across London. Other accomodation should be available in social
centres and squats, but there is no guarentee!
All coming are highly encouraged to source your own accomodation. Please
let us know if you are coming, and if you need accomodation by adding
you details to the wiki at:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/Esf2004Visitors
============================
Travel
Location + Maps of Camden Centre, Alexandra Palace and other Spaces:
http://www.altspaces.net/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=Main.SpacesTravel
As the ESF this year is in two main locations, Alexandra Palace in North
London and Bloomsbury in central London, autonomous spaces are also in a
variety of locations close to these main areas. Travel costs may well be
a large expense for participants.
Much of the ESF will be concentrated at Alexandra Palace in North London.
This will house most of the Plennaries and Seminars (which get
simultaneous translation), as well as many of the exhibition stalls and
cultural events. All of the ESF Workshops will be held in the
'Bloomsbury' area. This is the area in central london from Kings Cross
down to Holborn, where many of the london universities are located.
There are some key venues (like Trade Union Congress (TUC) House) where
larger events will take place. It is expected that some stalls will also
be located here as well as several cultural events.
The first 20,000 people to buy tickets for the official ESF in London
before 1st October will receive a travel card allowing free travel
anywhere in London on the Underground, buses and railways on 15, 16 and
17 October - worth about as much as buying the cheap concession ESF
ticket at £20 - see: http://www.fse-esf.org/en/register/
An Offpeak rate (ie after 9.30am) daily travelcard which covers the main
areas and central london costs £4.50. However the ESF will start each
morning before this time, and so a Peak rate daily travelcard will cost
£6.40. There is also a weekend card and other schemes available - ask at
any tube station.
Bus Travel:
Tickets can be bought in advance at many newsagents in London, most
buses will allow you to buy tickets on board, but others require you to
purchase tickets in advance, there are machines by the bus stops where
this is necessary.
Single bus ticket costs £1 (this is one journey on one bus). A book of
6 single bus tickets ("bus saver") costs £4.20 A one day bus pass costs
£2.50. A one week bus pass costs £9.50
It can be difficult to travel for free in London, all buses either have
conductors on board or you need to pay when boarding, and almost all
train and tube stations have staffed gates and electonic barriers. Fines
can be imposed for travelling without a ticket, from £10 upwards.
============================
Programme at Camden Centre:
See link for programme of events over the four days at the Camden Centre:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/ImcUkEsfCamdenFlyer
(more details to be confirmed soon)
============================
LINKS AND CONTACTS:
IMC Media Centre organising wiki website:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/UkImcEsf
Indymedia mailing list:
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-esf
EFCR website:
http://www.efcr2004.net
EFCR contact:
info@(nospamplease)efcr2004.net
Indymedia UK Network:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk
Autonomous Spaces and Initiatives:
http://www.altspaces.net
Official ESF website:
http://www.fse-esf.org
Unofficial ESF website:
http://www.esf2004.net
Location + Maps of Camden Centre, Alexandra Palace and other Spaces:
http://www.altspaces.net/pmwiki/pmwiki.php?pagename=Main.SpacesTravel
Previous Media Labs:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/DiyMediaLabs
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