Media Reclamation Project

in this email:
1) report back from Imagine Ottawa Social Forum
2) Oct 30 Indymedia event
3) Nov 20 event preparation
4) new anarchist paper (and anarchist assembly nov17)
5) Ottawa Cinema Politica – media film?
6) Media Democracy Day article
7) next meeting

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1) REPORT BACK FROM SOCIAL FORUM

The social forum was a good time and great event. Sarah and Greg staffed the table from about 8:30 until 1:30, as well as taking in a couple workshops. People stopped by to take pamphlets, posters, articles, papers (PEN and Dominion), and buttons (CKCU). Special mention goes to a former Indymedia and OPIRG volunteer, former and current community radio hosts (check CKCU 93.1fm on Monday’s from 8-9 for a show on sustainability), a rep of http://cbc.ca, the person running the sites http://greenottawa.ca and http://planetfriendly.net, and a Carleton prof who was giving a workshop on citizen journalism. We had 8 new people sign up to Media Matters (welcome all!).

This was the 2nd annual social forum and we are looking forward to next years.

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2) INDYMEDIA EVENT – TUES OCT 30 @ 7PM

Ottawa Indymedia is hosting an event, “Independent Media in a Time of War, pt2″ this coming Tuesday in Fauteux Hall (room 147) on the University of Ottawa campus. There will be film as well as speaker Joanne St. Lewis of the University of Ottawa.

Media Matters will give a brief intro at the event, as well as having a table (set-up at 6:30).

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3) NOV 20 EVENT PREPARATION

For our event “Becoming a Citizen-Journalist” happening Tues Nov 20 at the Ottawa Public Library, we have two speakers confirmed so far (editor of The Spectrum newspaper, station manager for CKCU) and Sarah is looking into leads we have for a third.

For promotion, an article has submitted it to a number of community newspapers. We will submit a press release to our new contact at cbc.ca, the campus newspapers, and other channels, as well as submitting a short event announcement to other channels such as CKCU and CHUO. We have a poster (30 given out at the social forum) which we should make more copies of and plan on how to distribute them to good locations. We can also look at making it into an event on Facebook and inviting people in that way (anyone want to take this on?). Any other ideas for getting the word out about this event?

We will also need to think about providing refreshements at the event, as an after-time for socializing is promised in the article.

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4) NEW ANARCHIST PAPER (AND NOV 17 ASSEMBLY)

There is a new Ontario-wide anarchist coalition and with it, a new Ontario-wide anarchist publication. We have been in contact and are told that the first issue will be out mid-November and they would like help with distribution. Not sure if they will have a physical product or an electronic .pdf file for printing. For more info on the initiative, see http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2007/10/5965.shtml

In Ottawa, there is a periodical Anarchist Assembly meeting. The next one is Sat Nov 17, a perfect time to organize around distribution of the paper? For more see http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2007/10/6055.shtml

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5) CINEMA POLITICA – MEDIA FILM?

We have submitted an idea for a film to Denis Rancourt for showing as part of next term’s OCP lineup. The film is http://www.corrugate.org/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad, which was shown as part of Media Democracy Day in both Vancouver and Montreal.

He needs to see a copy before he approves it – this means we need to secure a copy somehow …

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6) MEDIA DEMOCRACY DAY ARTICLE

See the following Rabble.ca article by Steve Anderson on this year’s MDD: http://rabble.ca/news_full_story.shtml?x=63420

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7) NEXT MEETING

The best time for our next meeting would be the week of Nov 5-9, once Sarah is back from Toronto. If you’re interested in coming to a meeting (at OPIRG-Ottawa, 631 King Edward) please email back with times that work for you that week, and we’ll schedule something that people can make.

Of course, we can have an informal meeting at the Oct 30 Indymedia event for everyone who makes it out.  See you there!?