Building independent media for Johannesburg
The Johannesburg Summit/WSSD/Rio+10 is the big UN environment and development conference, 26 aug - 4 sep.)
Hi,
- Read on if you think the upcoming 'Rio +10' Johannesburg Summit
needs more media coverage.
- Answer the questions at the end if you are already working on media
coverage or are able to contribute anything (reports, interviews,
comments; text, audio or images; bandwidth or facilities)
- Forward this message to relevant mailing lists, colleagues, etc.
and send a Cc to xxx
Building independent media for Johannesburg
The Rio conference in 1992 still was 'sort of' covered by mass media, and
public opinion had a positive influence on the results.
10 years on, the 2002 Biodiversity conference in april (182 countries
attending) generated near to zero media attention. Both governments, NGO's
and activists now fear for an almost complete lack of media coverage from
the upcoming 'Rio +10' Johannesburg Summit.
One general conclusion is obvious: whatever the mechanisms at work here,
the mass media can no longer be trusted to cover matters which are
objectively of great and world-wide importance. Public opinion,
politicians and NGOs at home may be completely bypassed, not even knowing
what's going on.
So we have to act... Of course, too late, too little. But why not join
efforts in building a few news channels of our own, bypassing the mass
media via cheap E-media? One thing is clear: the more outreach, the
better. So trying to cooperate and be efficient can only help.
We're thinking of combining somehow:
- A media pool to exchange text/pictures/audio/video files,
via a web site, FTP site and mailing lists. Easy submission via web
form and E-mail
- A portal for summit related news sources and facilities
- Connecting and producing radio, using both webcast (live streaming)
telephone (live reports/interviews), radio stations and archived
material (audio files for download)
- People in Johannesburg, contributing text, pictures, audio-reports and
video-reports
- People staying at home, analysing, translating and spreading 'the news'
to/via local papers, local broadcasters, websites, mailing lists, news
groups and fax
Can you help? Please answer the questions below.
This is an initiative from people in the Netherlands around A SEED,
Indymedia, Diversity Radio, Antenna, ANPED, Hivos, Socia Media and dDH.
At this moment we're only checking the support and possibilities for an
independent media effort. Please do not send news, bulletins, etc. to us
yet, we will contact you.
----------- 8< --------------------------------------- cut here ----
Building independent media for Johannesburg
-- QUESTIONS --
Please only reply if you can really contribute to this media effort and
keep your answers as short as possible. We are simply making an inventory
of resources first and this is a voluntary effort (until now).
To reply:
- cut everything above the line
- quote this part of the message ('>' before each line)
- put your answer directly under the question (you do not need to answer
all questions)
- send it to xxx
Name:
Organization:
Web site:
E-mail:
Phone:
Fax:
1. Do you or your organization already plan to make 'media' about
the summit?
If so, what media?
2. Are you or your organization in Johannesburg during the summit
and can you provide news/analyses/comments (free of charge and
free of copyrights)?
If so, in what form (text, pictures, audio, video)?
3. Are you 'at home' during the summit and able to spread
information in your area (national or local, to papers, radio,
web sites, mailing lists, news groups or fax lists)?
If so, what material can you handle and spread (text, pictures,
audio or video files)?
4. Can you or your organization provide facilities/contacts IN
JOHANNESBURG to produce, edit or transport information (office
space, studio, computers, internet connection, phone or fax)?
If so, what exactly can you provide? Free or at what price?
5. Can you or your organization provide channels/contacts, to
spread information (web sites, E-mail mailing lists, news
groups, audio streaming, radio, TV)?
If so, what exactly can you provide? Free or at what price?
Send your reply to xxx
Thanks!
_____
menu |
dDH