[IMC-US] IMC's changing, going and re-evolving

Fri Jan 27 19:24:26 CST 2006

I'm only sending this to the lists that I am on.
Pete, thanks for sharing your own experiences with the list.  I am sorry to
hear about the conflict in Boston. I just wanted to let folks know that we
haven't really been experiencing those kinds of problems in Michigan.  While
it is certainly sad/disappointing that MichiganIMC is no more, there is
still an active group of people working on independent media projects around
here.  Many of us view it as an evolution rather than as a fracture.  Lots
of the energy that was originally being put into the IMC as a website had
been gradually shifting to projects in the print and radio mediums. So in a
sense the MichiganIMC was already shut down, since many of the editors were
doing other things.  We would be supportive of a group who was interested in
forming a new collective to edit the IMC.  Indymedia certainly has its
problems, but MichiganIMC was a useful tool for many folks in the area.  I
am going to stop there because I hope to be able to write up something
longer for folks who are interested in this decision more.

I guess I'm going to need a new email address,

Max

On 1/27/06, Pete Stidman <pstidman at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I am also sorry for the crossposting, and I'll try to
> keep this short.
>
> I am dismayed to see so much strife in the indymedia
> network. I was a devoted and hardworking member of
> Boston IMC for just over a year including during the
> DNC in July 2004 when I met many in the greater
> network.
>
> After that time Boston IMC wnt through some
> signinficant growth due to the excitement carried over
> from that event and renewed energy from new and old
> volunteers that wanted to engage the community in new
> ways.  We were writing grants and contacting local
> non-profits, tabling at community events, and covering
> local events. Our website content and traffic were up
> considerably.  It was also a good time.  I met and
> worked with tons of really great amazing people.
>
> As all good things do, this came to an end.
> Fortunately, Boston IMC is still operating, although
> as many as half of the volunteers from that time
> either left or severely curtailed their involvement.
>
> The reasons easily devolve into a he said she said,
> and this is one of the reasons that the strife that
> developed in the group was so difficult to contain.
> The group was unwilling to face and deal with the
> conflict. Instead it became an ugly smear campaign
> waged by one against the other.
>
> I ultimately grew really tired of the infighting,
> which directly involved me (although I made every
> effort to resolve things and act civilly) and left the
> group for good.
>
> Now, after experience in other forms of media, I
> realize that the governance of indymedia is severely
> flawed.  Either it works based on affinity and
> exclusiveness, it somehow develops new rules for
> itself, or its own openness prevents it from having
> the tools to deal with unstable individuals.  Much of
> it depends upon the individuals involved and the
> timing of the trials they face.
>
> I'm still working in media and hope to continue my
> relationships with folks in the greater network of
> indymedia. Our ideals are in the right place, but I
> fel that Indymedia taken as a whole must evolve or
> die. I can't help but compare our situation in Boston
> to what happened in Florida, and also Michigan.
>
> Boston IMC now has an active video group, the main
> interest of one side of the argument we had.
>
> The website, which was in my and other's interest, has
> in my opinion slowed down a bit, the editing is still
> doing ok.  But the point isn't whether the website
> survived the storm, it's that a person who was
> dedicated to making it thrive was attacked while the
> rest of the collective watched.
>
> No matter how many told me privately they thought the
> attacks were wrong, they had no tool as a collective
> to deal with them.  I was called every name in the
> right wing pantheon, from capitalist to fascist to
> white supremacist.
>
> For someone like me, that really hurt. It also made it
> impossible to stay involved.
>
> -Pete
>
>
>
> --- bradley <bradley at riseup.net> wrote:
>
> > hey there,
> >
> > Sorry for the cross-posting... I know that people
> > are on various
> > lists....
> >
> > I just wanted to call some attention to a few
> > updates from local IMCs
> > in the US.
> >
> > Seeking input --- What should the future of
> > OKIMC.org be?
> > http://okimc.org/newswire.php?story_id=1406
> >
> > Shutting Down the Michigan Independent Media Center
> > http://michiganimc.org/
> >
> > Unfortunately, it is time we said goodbye
> > http://miami.indymedia.org/news/2006/01/3523.php
> >
> > Santa Cruz Indymedia's Regional Integration with
> > Indybay.org
> > http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/01/1797769.php
> >
> > Arkansas IMC is celebrating a 3rd B-day and has a
> > new look
> > http://arkansas.indymedia.org
> >
> > Philly IMC also has a new look
> > http://www.phillyimc.org
> >
> > Ok, y'all can check out the other IMCs on your own
> > to see what you
> > can learn from the websites... but maybe sending out
> > this email with
> > updates from a few IMCs is helpful. Hopefully IMC in
> > the US and
> > globally will have a great year in 2006.
> >
> > Best of luck to everyone and all the IMCs!
> >
> > If anyone has questions or advice, this might be a
> > good time and
> > place to speak up.
> >
> > In one way or another, we are a network. Let's do
> > our best to support
> > each other.
> >
> > sincerely,
> > Bradley
> >
> > (( ( i ) )))
> >
> > --
> >
> > Santa Cruz Indymedia: http://Indybay.org/SantaCruz
> > //
> > Free Radio Santa Cruz: http://www.FreakRadio.org
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > IMC-US mailing list
> > IMC-US at lists.ucimc.org
> > http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-us
> >
>
>
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