Media Reclamation Project

Some chilling news/analysis on the Canadian media situation:

Job cuts hurt quality of journalism
http://www.straightgoods.ca/2009/ViewBrief.cfm?Ref=3
from the Canadian Association of Journalists

Turn off the Canadian media, please [about Isreal-Gaza]
http://www.rabble.ca/news/turn-canadian-media-please
Justin Podur is a Toronto-based writer. His blog is www.killingtrain.com, where this piece originally appeared.

*******

Some more commentary and analysis on the media situation with regards to the Israeli military operation in Gaza:

Israel is losing this war
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/12-4
by Uri Avnery, who is a peace activist, journalist, writer, and a founding member of the independent peace movement Gush Shalom http://zope.gush-shalom.org

What You’d Know About Israel If You Watched Al Jazeera TV
http://www.alternet.org/audits/118080/what_you%27d_know_about_israel_if_you_watched_al_jazeera_tv_/
by Shane Bauer, New America Media http://www.newamericamedia.org/

*******

and another piece from Jesse Freeston, this time about local content (an interview with University of Ottawa professor Denis Rancourt, tenured but soon to be fired?)
http://rabble.ca/news/dismissing-critical-pedagogy-denis-rancourt-vs-university-ottawa

Welcome to the New Year

Things have really erupted in Gaza, where Israel has launched an attack on the densely-packed, sealed-in population of 1.5 million.

Here is a commentary piece by Robert Fisk about the Israeli policy of keeping reporters out of Gaza:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/05-6

You may recall that in January of 2008, Speaker George Rishmawi, founder of the International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC), visited Ottawa and spoke at Carleton University. IMEMC is a media center developed in collaboration between Palestinian and International journalists to provide independent media coverage of Israel-Palestine. You can follow detailed coverage of the Israeli assault on Gaza at the IMEMC website:
http://imemc.org

As you will find upon visiting the site, the IMEMC is one of many worthy media projects requiring funding from individual donations to stay in operation. Another such project is The Real News Network (TRNN), at:
http://therealnews.com

The Real News Network also has coverage of what is happening in Israel-Gaza, as well as of other situations.

One such TRNN video is of the situation in Greece, a report produced by a media activist with Ottawa Indymedia ties, Jesse Freeston:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cknzlqQvDzs

Another TRNN video reports on the situation in Barriere Lake, 3 hours North of Ottawa. This report was put together by Lia Tarachansky, another activist with Ottawa Indymedia ties:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jD13jXHUPI&feature=channel_page

** Note: On Wed Jan 7, there is a demo in support of the Barriere Lake community and specifically to demand the freedom of traditionally selected chief Benjamin Nottoway, who you can see being arrested in Lia’s video. The demonstration takes place at 12 noon at the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada in Hull/Gatineau, and then march to the Hull detention centre where Nottaway is being held prisoner; the demo will feature speakers from the Barriere Lake community, as well as Elizabeth May, NDP parliamentarians, union leaders, and representatives of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation. More info at: http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2008/12/8677.shtml

And last but not least, the latest edition of the Linchpin paper is now out. You can find the paper online at www.linchpin.ca, or:
http://linchpin.ca/collections+/+Anarchist-movement+/+Linchpin-Issue-7

It features an article by Media Reclamation Project activist Greg Macdougall, on the topic of Environmental Justice, based on content from the Organizing For Justice conference held in November:
http://linchpin.ca/collections+/+Environment+/+Environmental-Justice-working-together-transformative-change

Best wishes for 2009!