Minutes of meeting on media support group / media centre

national | summit mobilisations | news report Saturday March 20, 2004 13:43 by Indymedia Ireland Editorial Group - Indymedia Ireland

Indymedia public meeting
Teachers’ Club, Dublin
13^th March, 2004

Called to discuss the formation of a media support group and the provision of a Mayday media centre

Present:

Chekov
Ciaran
Daithi
Anthony
Fergus
JD
Terry
Evan
Liz
Duncan
St. John
Neil
Wolfe
Aidan
Amanda
Kevin

1. Introduction of IMSGI

Chekov introduced structure of IMSGI (Independent Media Support Group Ireland). Original idea was to set up company; too expensive so setting up a group – with a bank account. Useful for collecting money / setting up MayDay centre. Draft constitution presented. AGM will be held to change/modify but this is a starting point.

IMSGI kept independent of "Indymedia". Working groups etc can set up without IMSGI control.

Membership fee – from user base (which is now high). 7,500 distinct users per week. Try and get frequent users to join – even if they don’t want to take part.

It's a single account – but PayPal allows to be designated. Web form allows choice, and if sending cheque, can write on the cheque. We should allow general or specific donations

Problem: how do we divide the general money? Need a procedure for this. What are our priorities? Web hosting for now – we actually went over 15G limit last month (so costs more). Likely to exceed again this month. $18 present but up to over $30 for next pricing plan. But there are other things, e.g. physical space.

Impetus came from U-C visit – they got extra groups, participation after setting up their space.

As a vehicle for anyone – like a video group, they can raise money through the IMSGI rather than have to do separate structures, have a new bank account, etc.

No longer an issue as the processing is in Dublin and registered in the UK. They (PP) will even post out a cheque.

We can sell membership – donations of fixed amount – and sustaining/regular donation.

Coding for the donations is nearly ready

Should be easy to make it a multilingual donation form.

Is unincorporated association so individual responsibility

IMSGI would not deal with website issues and have no involvement or control over it.

Editorial group still outside Irish law.

Not a significant risk to individuals, but should transform into limited liability as soon as possible when expanded – has cost involved but is worth it – not yet.

Remember to transfer from PayPal to bank account asap as they have a habit of taking money for arbritary reasons. Should not be used as a bank. Can be done at any frequency. Should be at least once a week.

Ciaran proposed calling an AGM soon.

The meeting disagreed with allowing organisations to join, but anyone (including groups) could donate, with no maximum amount.

Fergal asked how are we going to divide the money, i.e. among different types of media (video, print etc)

Different groups come to IMSGI for different types of media

Internet group is Indymedia editorial people. Envisages photo, video, etc. Would be best if working groups come to the IMSGI and sets out their case for what they need.

Two ways of deciding. General meeting can set out principles – also committee (open to any member) deals with actual requests and meets at least every two months. One of the first tasks will be to see if this structure is adequate, or do we need more. What should the categories be?

Would the physical space (that the IMSGI would seek) be same as MayDay space?

No – is going to be demolished

But is a good testing ground of running a centre. Real opportunity to see how we do.

A number of people expressed concerns bandwidth as well as database issues may arise for MayDay!

Daithi asked if this can be tested in advance?

We can get onto Pair and find out what they are likely to do, if we need to upgrade temporarily.

When will we work on it? (i.e. details, redrafting etc)

Ciaran/Chekov suggested putting out invitation on IMC-Ireland list on changes, discussing it there rather than editorial, and then hold an AGM

Query when this should be done, in relation to MayDay centre.

Need to make sure that there are no holes, possibility of group being hijacked.

Terry queried if minutes and accounts should be publicly available - yes.

Anthony expressed hope that the website will not be the focus of all activities and that other media is also taken into account.

Indymedia editorial group should formally note any donation from IMSGI, and use the money for its purposes

Ciaran pointed out that fees details will be circulated at the AGM and open to change if necessary.

When summit announced, IMC-UK etc expressed interest and are going to come over. We looked for space, initially in Temple Bar, with three purposes.

1. Film screenings 2. Reporting centre (PCs, etc – content to Irish website and to allow other IMCers to send media back to their own sites) 3. Meeting room (workshops, planning etc).

Indymedia part of the Convergence festival – Sustainable Ireland building (East Essex St), allocated two small rooms. The festival is running from end April through May weekend. Fri 29^th afternoon we can hold a public meeting as part of it .

We contacted a few groups, and were offered premises in Mountjoy Sq, to open a media centre and do what we want with it. CMN (Community Media Network) has and have had it for some time – it's a warehouse-type space. They use offices but 10,000 sq ft is the size and these offices take up very little of it. Going to be demolished middle of May. Insurance issue (discussed later) but they are supportive of the idea of it being an independent centre for the week.

Located on Nth. Great Charles’ St (nr. Mountjoy Sq). Two entrances into large warehouse space,split in 2. Toilets, four offices. Water, fridges etc. Upstairs, series of offices inc. meeting rooms. Radio broadcast, video editing, cabled Ethernet (multiple points in some rooms). Extremely secure. CMN Had steering committee meeting yesterday – we can have it, subject to public liability insurance. We’re proposing as an exhibition space – stands, photo exhibitions etc in one part of ground floor, screenings in the other (capacity 250) – meetings up stairs. They have lots of old computers etc.

1. Do we have the capacity to take it over? Cleaning, stewarding etc. 2. Can we comply with insurance requirements? But we should be able to offer it for other media-related activities.

We still have the Convergence space which has office and Net connection, can be a back-up.

We have been offered a film about trade union march Mayday 2003 called 200 Kilometers. Decided it was an opportunity to link up with an irish union and approached ATGWU - who agreed in principle to do this with us subject to District Committee meeting.

If we think large building is too much, we still could do distributed stuff in smaller venues. But having a big presence in the city centre would also be good. Would draw people into Indymedia.

However, we need to look at logistics, if we’re going to take this.

Approaching Undercurrents etc (to get films for showing)

Putting on photography exhibition

OUTREACH

Cleanup / preparation of space

Dublin WAN (wireless access network / wide area network) will help put aerial on roof and wireless within the premises to get hi-speed Net access. But they want to show us how to, rather than do it on our behalf).

For the MayDay events: we need dispatch team, etc. We need a large group of 30 people (e.g.) before we commit to it.

We shouldn’t have people staying there. But recognise that it will be a convergence centre of sorts, people will just arrive. We should allow groups to have press conferences etc in one of the spaces. Indymedia will organise these and retain control at all times. But in terms of accommodation can be a referral point. Strictly no sleeping over.

JD queried the availability of internal security - yes, you can lock away equipment etc.

Wolfe suggested getting a group to go down and take a look.

What needs to be done?

Ciaran reported that some cleaning/painting but is structurally sound. Power, water, network, locks is all OK. Black-out of windows for screenings needed.

From when will we have the building?

From the week before, we have requested – go in the Friday 23^rd, until the Monday 3^rd (the bank holiday itself).

Evan asked can we keep on after the weekend for a few days (i.e. to allow video editing etc)

As the space is to be demolished probably not - but the Convergence space (e. essex st) should be OK for this.

What about before MayDay? Exhibitions during the week – but will have opportunity to go beforehand. Is effectively unused at the moment.

Queried whether any scope for having the building open a couple of weeks in advance?

Screening evenings could be part of the build-up. Scope for other venues though. Probably too much work to get early screenings on in the actual building.

Kev spoke about Grassroots Gathering plans – fundraisers etc for film screenings. Good to do stuff in this CMN venue if it’s available though – in advance, good way to build up. People aren’t going to come along for a discussion but they will for a film or something organised. Photos could be put up on walls and so on.

Get everything in there (showings etc) the first week – at the final weekend there will be too much other activities going on. No point running workshops while major events in the city are taking place.

Aidan queried what is the plan on opening hours, how will we staff it?

Put different events on in the evenings, depending on how many people we have.

Ciaran added that if we don’t have enough to staff whole space, we can just use offices in day and open it further for evening screenings. We will need to present a stewarding plan to CMN.

Information tables would be in front area, groups doing these could help out with stewarding etc.

We should work with other groups and encourage that it is going to be a general space.. Not just an Indymedia event/centre but open for all, subject to the purpose being a media centre first and foremost.

It was generally felt that opening the centre early (i.e. before the 23^rd) was not feasible.

Ciaran reported that the acoustics in the building are OK.

We aren't running three spaces, but there will be events in other places. The primary space is the CMN building. Generally no union events are taking place, so help out and work with them if possible (i.e. the ATGWU film)..

There are many public events taking place (including open air concert) so we can distribute print materials at them.

Duncan emphasised the importance of outreach. Try and get to more people, esp. with films in CMN space. Street theatre, guerrilla screenings etc.

The Social Forum that was to be held has been cancelled - possibility of them organising event in the space during the week.

Daithi expressed concern about overreaching – media centre is key and this is a good opportunity to see how we manage it.

Liz was supportive of the potential for the space being used for networking groups and preparing for MayDay as a focal point. Could people use it for performance etc (i.e. Spacecraft)? Yes.

Workplan

Anthony & Chekov said they'd look at tech end of media centre
JD looking at photo exhibition
Aidan & Wolfe at video. Also (with Duncan) dealing with screenings.
Daithi to start working on dispatch.Getting advice from UK on this.
Ciaran will do international / outreach / building prep with St.John