PRO-FORMA
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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
and more!
@ 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 youre 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!
CHILDREN: Some of us will be bringing children - we
don't have a place
for a creche yet, but we will find something as close
as possible. Help
with child care will be greatly appreciated. If you
want to take part
and have children, please bring them! The more
children there are the
easier it will be to share child care, and the more
fun it will be for
the kids. Please bring some toys, your juggling
equipment, anything big
and small people can use to have fun with!
Since this will be self-organised by parents, please
contact as asap if
you think this would be useful for you and if you are
able to help.
Mail: imc-esf at lists.indymedia.org
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)
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.
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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