[Imc-radio] Be the Media! Companion Conference at the Media Reform Conference.

[Sascha Meinrath]

Hi all,

A bunch of folks have set up a companion conference at the Media Reform
Conference that focuses on DIY and radical media production. Below is the
public invite.  Note that we will be hosting an Indymedia Caucus at Noon
on Saturday!

--Sascha

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BE THE MEDIA!

Madison Indymedia, The Madison Infoshop, and WORT 89.9 FM Madison's
community radio station invite you to BE THE MEDIA at the National
Conference on Media Reform in Madison, WI, November 7-9.

Moving beyond critique to action, the National Conference on Media Reform
is a groundbreaking forum to democratize the debate over media
policymaking. A broad range of media reform activists will join members of
Congress, the FCC, and leaders of major groups working for civil rights,
women's rights, rural renewal, the environment, labor, community
development and other issues to:
· Mobilize new constituencies;
· Strengthen coalitions working in Washington and at the grassroots;
· Develop unified action plans for immediate and long-term reforms; and
· Generate policies and strategies that will structurally improve the
media system.

Join speakers including Naomi Klein, author of No Logo, Amy Goodman of
Democracy NOW!, Juan Gonzalez of the National Association of Hispanic
Journalists and musicians including Tom Morello and Billy Bragg. For a
list of the many more speakers and musicians as well as a schedule of
workshops and events go to www.mediareform.net. Access to this part of the
conference requires registration and a fee by November 3.

As part of the weekend, however, there will be a number of workshops and
events, free and open to the public, with the theme "BE THE MEDIA." These
do-it-yourself (DIY) workshops are designed for people who want to learn
more about how we take the media into our own hands to start spreading
truth to affect social change. So, whether you want reform or replacement
or both, come to Madison, Wisconsin, for the weekend of November 7-9 and
BE THE MEDIA!

( If you are coming from out of town and would like a place to crash,
contact us at the Madison Infoshop and we will try to find you a place.
Call 608-262-9036 or email chimarenga at ziplip.com.)

BE THE MEDIA events will kick-off on Friday, November 7 at noon on Library
Mall on the UW-Madison campus with music from madisonhiphop.com. Later
Friday evening at 6PM on Library Mall there will be free food, music and a
festival march up to the Orpheum Theatre in celebration of alternative
media.Workshops will be held through out the day on Saturday, November 8.

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WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

On Saturday, Nov. 8th skill-share workshops to promote do-it-yourself
media will be held at the Catacombs Coffeehouse, 731 State St. (at Library
Mall). Some will move next door to the Humanities Building. The schedule
will be as follows:

8:00 AM Breakfast: coffee and bagels

9:00 Be the Media--welcome and introduction

9:15 --10:30 Workshop Block 1

A) Starting and sustaining Community Media Centers (Urbana-Champaign IMC,
and Madison Infoshop)
B) Making bilingual media (¿Hasta Cuando? from Chicago)

10:45--12:00 Workshop Block II

A) Introduction to Indymedia.org--How to start an IMC in your community.
(Michigan IMC)
B) Political Theatre (Madtown Liberty Players, Jill Hopke, and others)

12:00-2:00 PM Lunch
(Catacombs will offer cheap organic lunch, get it while it lasts! Proceeds
will go to help sustain the Madison Infoshop)

During Lunch: Indymedia Discussion
(A time for all Indymedia activists at the conference to come together and
discuss the future of Indymedia as a movement)

2:15 PM -3:30 PM Workshop Block III

A) Independent Newspapers and Magazines (Clamor Magazine, Madison
Insurgent)
B) Microradio--DIY broadcasting (system P & Prometheus Radio Project)

3:45-5:00PM Workshop Block IV

A) Hip Hop as a Movement (madisonhiphop.com)
B) Labor cartoons, street stenciling, grafitti, and silk skreening (Mike
Konopecki and other activists)

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LIVE COVERAGE

Also, throughout the day on Saturday, Indymedia activists, Guerrilla News
Network (GNN), and WORT 89.9 FM will be covering much of The National
Conference on Media Reform, some of which will be broadcast live on
Internet Radio and community radio stations. Conference speakers and
participants will be encouraged to call The Madison Infoshop to share
their thoughts on media reform at 608-262-9036. Please contact your local
community radio station and see if they would like to broadcast coverage
of the conference as well.