Media Reclamation Project

Welcome to the media activism update #1, courtesy of the newly-named Media Reclamation Project (that’s us!)
First, the Nov 20-22 Organizing For Justice conference is looking for reporters and note-takers to document their conference, particularly the slew of workshops lined up for Sat Nov 22. The conference is free or by donation, and all events are open to all ages. Childcare is available, accomodations for special needs are made or at least attempted, and you are welcome even if you aren’t going to be part of the documentation efforts. For more, see http://org4justice.wordpress.com

Second, people have been amazed at the headlines and articles featured in ‘the NY Times’ these days (or should we say in 2009? :) see http://www.nytimes-se.com/

Thirdly, Rabble.ca has relaunched their website. Check it out: http://rabble.ca

Fourth, American Public Media, the largest operator of public radio stations in the States, has put out an interactive game that allows you to play president and see if you can balance the U.S. budget: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/budget_hero ** Hint: if you can’t seem to balance your budget, click on ‘taxes’ and try repealing the Bush tax cuts.

Fifthly, here’s an awesome article on the history of independent media and what it can teach us for today’s media activists: http://www.counterpunch.org/cohen11132008.html

Last, but not least, we wanted to inform you of a big story that you might not have heard of if you weren’t plugged in to the right channels. The Globe and Mail’s Margaret Wente wrote a very troubling column defending – and going beyond – Dick Pound’s comments where he called Native people ‘savages’; Dick Pound has since apologized, but Wente hasn’t, and the Globe and Mail issued a statement defending her statements. A Facebook group was started almost immediately after the publication of her column, calling for her firing, and over 3000 people are now members of that group. The group’s initiators continue to suggest ‘actions of the day’ to keep the heat on the G&M editors and management: the latest is to contact G&M editor Edward Greenspon and ask him: what the Globe’s official policy is with regard to printing hate speech. Do they tolerate it in certain instances? What kind of hate is not acceptable in their pages? Do they have any plans to change this policy? … and then to post any responses to the Facebook group page.

Here are the links:

Facebook group:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=45016000567

Activist press release on the situation, and G&M’s statement on the response to the published column: http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2008/10/8477.shtml

Response to Wente’s column, by Ben Powless
http://rabble.ca/news/what-wente-wrote-was-really-dumb-226e-and-also-racist

Original article by Wente
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081024.wcowent25/BNStory/specialComment/home