[Imc-web] Web Meeting Minutes 6 August 2008

[Mike Lehman]

Present: Mike, David, Brian, Nicole, and Steve, along with a couple of 
visitors

Mike gave a perhaps too lengthy history of UC IMC Web editing and will 
attach his notes on that below.

Emphasis on the need to provide a website that more fully reflects the 
full breadth and depth of UC IMC activities, while retaining and 
evolving the journalistic paradigm it has developed through experience 
over near a decade of input and discussion.

A continuing need to comply with the requirements of UC IMC's 501c3 
status will be addressing in more formal ways now that this issue has 
sorted itself out in favor of UC IMC's existing policy.

One part of UC IMC's documentation needs is a brochure that encourages, 
describes, and educates community members on how to make best advantage 
of the UC IMC website.

David needs admin access to make vital site updates. Steve will 
follow-up on this.

Brian, Nicole, and Steve will be added at Web editors. Mike will provide 
basic training on use of website features. Eventual goal is to expand 
Web editor group to carry on legacy requirements, as well as provide a 
forum for elaborations and revisions of existing Web editing policy.

Web will meet again Wednesday, August 13 at 8pm.

Mike's notes on Web editing history at UC IMC (may need further 
elaboration, just ask)

Web Editing Background

Indymedia global principles
About Indymedia
The Independent Media Center is a network of collectively run media 
outlets for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings 
of the truth. We work out of a love and inspiration for people who 
continue to work for a better world, despite corporate media's 
distortions and unwillingness to cover the efforts to free humanity.

Right of reply and critique
Virtues of anonymity, obligations of web editors
Range of views: is it to reflect what’s found in the dominant media or 
to create a new paradigm?
The need for a community of discourse that encourages, rather then 
discourages, “comforting the afflicted, afflicting the comfortable”

*UC IMC Mission Statement*
/Drafted 7/25/01/
The Independent Media Center is a global network of collectively run 
media outlets for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate 
tellings of truth. We are motivated by a love and inspiration for people 
who work for a better world despite corporate media's distortions and 
unwillingness to cover efforts to develop an egalitarian and sustainable 
society.

The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center is a grassroots 
organization committed to using media production and distribution as 
tools for promoting social and economic justice in the Urbana area. We 
are dedicated to addressing issues that the mainstream media neglects 
and we do not conceal our politics behind a false objectivity. We will 
empower people to "become the media" by providing democratic access to 
available technologies and information.

Written policy – Steering group created, but new policy could be revised 
by Web
Steering Group >> Web Group >> ML>> ML and a few others>>an active web 
group

Movement of editorial discussions to the Web list: either willing to do 
that or it’s gone
Footnote: The sandtrap of the pseudo-global critique of UC IMC

Anything goes >> Bobby Meade
It’s a big, big internet
The Obvious Locals
“Jack Ryan” >> Anonymous Trolling
Prioritizing news over comments in terms of editorial judgment
“pattern of anonymous trolling”

What is Local? local vs global
3-post limit
Flooding of newswire
The Network Spam Problem
Link-pimping
Racism, sexism, and other forms of literary abuse
Personal attacks on members of the collective
Hidden vs deleted, and the technical limits of our system
Present site vs legacy sites (“to the old site”)
Requests to delete from authors – OK!


Web list vs Web-Editor list, why we’re not IP
Long history/tradition of our own policy developed under extensive 
discussion by an involved and creative group with extensive critical 
media credentials
Different goals
Insider vs outsider perspective, blog/echo chamber vs news with a 
critical approach
“Jack Ryan” fits there, doesn’t fit here

IRS stuff
A precedent setting decision on the virtues of the Indymedia model and 
our 501c3 status
Web group vs “director members”
The value of anonymity