[IMC-US] mission statement, press release changes

[daniel scott]

PRESS RELEASE BODY  (I made a few changes and additions. I like that 
the first sentence is more specific then the previous version, but it 
is still an awkward beginning. hopefully someone with more skillz can 
clean it up.)

Just in time for the US presidential election and in the shadow of the 
recent FBI seizures of Indymedia servers, U.S. Indymedia announces the 
launch of its website, http://us.indymedia.org. The U.S. Indymedia site 
is a network of solidarity and communication between communities 
engaged in struggles for social, environmental and economic justice 
nationally and internationally. Linking autonomous US-based IMCs, U.S. 
Indymedia features a syndicated wire of all feature articles published 
by participating US-IMCs. The site features original content from local 
Independent Media Centers as well as content exclusive to the U.S. 
site. Because of its scope, U.S. Indymedia draws connections between 
local issues and makes them relevant to a larger audience. While 
participating Indymedia Centers are US based, US Indymedia remains 
firmly committed to the ideas of international solidarity and mutual 
aid integral to the Indymedia network.

As with all IMC sites, the U.S. Indymedia newswire offers people the 
option to become the media by posting their articles, analysis, videos, 
audio clips and artwork directly to the web site, but the U.S. IMC 
encourages readers to visit their local sites first (listed in the 
left-hand column) and participate in their community. The U.S. IMC's 
main goal is to present local features from Independent Media Centers 
across the United States and to feature stories that are of immediate 
critical importance nationally.

Indymedia is a grassroots network committed to using media production 
and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic justice. We 
are dedicated to addressing issues that the mainstream media neglects. 
We hope to empower people to "become the media" by providing democratic 
access to available technologies and information. There are currently 
more than 164 autonomous Independent Media Centers around the world.


Visit the site at: http://us.indymedia.org/en

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MISSION STATEMENT (ana: my 2 cents to the mix. the important addition 
is the focus on nationalism and international solidarity.)

Linking autonomous and participatory US-based IMCs, Indymedia.us is a 
network of solidarity between communities engaged in struggles for 
social, environmental and economic justice. Indymedia.us seeks to 
identify and create positive models for a sustainable and equitable 
society while generating independent news, free of the biases inherent 
in the profit driven corporate media. While participating Indymedia 
Centers are US based, US Indymedia remains firmly committed to the 
ideas of international solidarity and mutual aid integral to the 
Indymedia network.

The site features original content from local Independent Media Centers 
as well as content exclusive to the U.S. site. Features in the center 
column are taken either directly from local US-based IMCs  or the open 
publishing newswire. Features may also be 'compilations' which 
typically cover an event or issue that occurs simulataneously in 
different locations and are covered by several local IMCs. Articles in 
the right hand column are taken directly from local IMCs.

As a whole, Indymedia is a grassroots network committed to using media 
production and distribution as tools for promoting social and economic 
justice. We are dedicated to addressing issues that the mainstream 
media neglects. We hope to empower people to "become the media" by 
providing democratic access to available technologies and information. 
The first IMC was created in Nov 1999 to cover the WTO protests in 
Seattle. Currently there are more than 164 autonomous Independent Media 
Centers around the world.