Media Matters update, August August 10, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Media Matters Projects, Media News, Media Reform.add a comment
Media Matters update, August 2008
In this email:
- Next meeting, upcoming plans
- National Conference on Media Reform coverage
- Digital channels giveaway
- Dying newspaper industry
- Ontario police posing as journalists
- Reporters Without Borders: Olympic focus
- Ottawa Cinema Politica
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Our next meeting is Thurs August 14, 6pm
OPIRG-Ottawa, 631 King Edward Ave, 3rd floor
We will be discussing the plans we are working on with Indymedia Ottawa to put on public events for September, October, and November featuring special out-of-town speakers as well as exciting media projects and empowering workshops. Stay tuned for details, or come out to the meeting!
Remember to visit our website at http://mediamattersottawa.org
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The National Conference for Media Reform was held in early June in Minneapolis, bringing together thousands of people involved in media activism. The online coverage featured on the official website has over 20 video and 60 audio files to view or listen to:
http://www.freepress.net/conference
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The digital channel giveway (aka theft)!
See the article:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/30/10708/
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The dying newspaper industry
Another article to check out:
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/92284
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Ontario police posing as journalists!
During testimony at Shawn Brant’s trial, it came out that a provincial police officer had posed as a journalist in order to get close to Mohawk activists during the Aboriginal Day of Action in 2007. And it’s not the first time, either:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/95817/
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Reporters Without Borders and the Olympics
If you attended the human rights protest in front of the Chinese embassy the day before the opening of the Olympics, you would’ve seen a sizeable delegation of Reporters Without Borders people from Montreal. The global organization has a campaign to bring attention to the situation in China for the Olympics.
http://www.rsf.org
http://www.rsfcanada.org
http://www.rsfbeijing2008.org/
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Ottawa Cinema Politica is a series of film screenings that has been held the past three years at the University of Ottawa. Here is an update about the current OCP situation:
Dear OCP attendees,
Dear Friday Film and Discussion enthusiasts,
Re: BAD NEWS AND CALL TO ACTION
The purpose of this message is:
(((1))) to give you the bad news that the University of Ottawa, under its new president Allan Rock, HAS KILLED THE WEEKLY FILM AND DISCUSSION EVENT that I have hosted since September 2005, currently known as OCP (Ottawa Cinema Politica); and
(((2))) to ask you to act in order to turn the University’s misguided decision around.
I ASK FOR YOUR HELP.
I addressed a letter to Allan Rock that he received electronically on July 19, 2008. The letter is attached below and summarizes the situation. In the letter, I asked Mr. Rock to answer by July 26, 2008, so that I could inform you accordingly of his decision. I called Mr. Rock’s office four times, leaving voice messages and messages with his assistant, and sent another email (attached below) on July 30th before I received an answer to my July 19th email on August 7th. The answer is attached below and is from the Secretary of the University Pamela Harrod.
The “answer” means that Mr. Rock agrees with the former administration and that the University’s absurd decision of July 14, 2008, holds: See Indy Media report at http://ottawa.indymedia.ca/en/2008/07/8037.shtml .
It’s time for the community (you) to take this in your own hands.
PLEASE CONSIDER DOING ALL THREE (or one?) OF THE FOLLOWING:
(1) Sign the petition to reinstate the Friday film and discussion series at the University of Ottawa by sending your FULL NAME, your POSITION (community member, student in Education, professional engineer, etc.), and a petition COMMENT to me, by replying to this message.
(2) Write a letter to Mr. Allan Rock, President, University of Ottawa, at allan.rock@uottawa.ca, and make your letter public by putting me in cc at dgr@uottawa.ca. Make your position known to Mr. Rock. I will remove your personal information other than your name and post all of these letters.
Alternatively, you can contact Mr. Rock more directly: Tel. 613-562-5809, Fax. 613-562-5103. Make an appointment, etc. In any case, I ask that you make your efforts and any results public.
(3) Join in an active group to lobby to reinstate the Friday film and discussion series at the University of Ottawa by contacting me to express your interest in being part of this group. Members should expect to meet regularly and to participate in various lobbying activities.
The University’s position on this point is absurd. We should win this. If we do not, I will not be able to continue the series, because of my many other and growing time commitments. Other community members are welcome to self-organize an alternative but I will not be able to help as much as I would like.
Let’s beat this thing!
Denis Rancourt
dgr@uottawa.ca
http://www.science.uottawa.ca/~dgr/
PS: Some interesting and entertaining recent posts about University of Ottawa anti-democratic actions are at: http://uofowatch.blogspot.com/
May Day update – new Media Matters website, and more! May 1, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects, Media News.add a comment
Happy May Day!
We feel it’s important to keep our collective history of struggle and activism alive, so we’d like to share with you an article from the upcoming Linchpin paper, entitled “History of May Day”: http://ottawa.indymedia.ca/en/2008/04/7479.shtml
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In this update:
- Media Matters website/blog
- next meeting: May 6
- media news
- media analysis
- message on gov’t monitoring communications
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We’d also like to alert you to Media Matters’ not-yet-fully-launched website & blog:
http://mediamattersottawa.wordpress.com
So far, we have pages on:
- “About Us”: who Media Matters is, what we do, and what we’ve done
- “Media Activism”: links to groups working for better media, plus other resources and background
- “Independent Media”: links to local, Canadian, and international news media
- “Events”: upcoming media events, other local events listings, and past local media events
We will also have pages on ‘Guidelines for Creators’ on making media, and ‘En Francais’ with some french links and information. The blog aspect will soon have all our past sendouts uploaded, and we will be posting future sendouts there as well.
Please send us any feedback you have on the site!
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Next meeting – Tues May 6
We are having our next Media Matters meeting on Tuesday, May 6, at 6:30 pm at the OPIRG-Ottawa offices at 631 King Edward Ave (3rd floor). Please feel free to come if you’d like to get involved, or email us if you can’t make it – mediamatters@canada.com
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MEDIA NEWS
Two community radio reporters murdered in Oaxaco
http://boston.indymedia.org/feature/display/204239/index.php
Major survey on media leading up to International Press Freedom Day (May 3rd)
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42199
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MEDIA ANALYSIS
‘Crisis in journalism’:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/22/8463/
‘Major US media disseminating propaganda’:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/21/8438/
‘The BBC: imperial tool’
http://mostlywater.org/bbc_imperial_tool
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FORWARDED MESSAGE – GOV’T MONITORING OF COMMUNICATIONS
1. If your social movement has nothing to hide…
http://help.riseup.net/security/measures/#use_secure_email_providers
In the waning days of Babylon and empire, what will the US government think up next? According to numerous leaks from the intelligence bureaucracy to the New York Times, the New Yorker, and the Wall Street Journal, the government’s new fun toy is the ability to monitor our social networks by tracking, in real time, the patterns of email, phone calls, text messages, and financial transactions. This program is top secret, so you can’t take legal action because you can’t prove the program exists (according to the catch-22 logic of a February 19th US Supreme Court decision).
The Clinton and Bush administrations have said the program is entirely constitutional because it does not involve eavesdropping on the content of our communication. Instead, it focuses on the pattern of our relationships. In this way, individuals are not under surveillance, all of society is. If your social movement has nothing to hide, then what are you worried about? Plenty. This kind of map of our social networks creates a ready made blueprint for disrupting any social movement deemed to be a threat. In many ways, the government knows more about how we organize than we do. This issue is important to all organizers, because much of the world’s email is routed through the US.
So, what can we do about it? For starters, get everyone you know to start using an email provider that uses StartTLS. For email, this is the only thing that can protect against the surveillance of our social networks. For a list of StartTLS providers besides riseup see: http://help.riseup.net/security/measures/#use_secure_email_providers
What about phone calls, internet chat, and social networking sites? Riseup birds don’t have all the answers, but we are working on it. One thing we know, privacy and security are not solved by personal solutions. If we want security, it will take a collective response and a collective commitment to building alternative communication infrastructure.
For more information, see:
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB120511973377523845.html
“NSA’s Domestic Spying Grows As Agency Sweeps Up Data” by Siobhan Gorman.
The Wall Street Journal, March 10, 2008.
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/05/29/060529ta_talk_hersh
“Listening In” by Seymour Hersh.
The New Yorker, May 29, 2006.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-05-10-nsa_x.htm
“NSA has massive database of Americans’ phone calls” by Leslie Cauley.
USA Today, May 10, 2006.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jyusZ2V1ACKGV2iJuGVmuPUERi_QD8UTICG00
“Court Rejects ACLU Challenge to Wiretaps.”
Associated Press, February 19, 2008.
Meetings April 15th & 17th, CHUO funding drive, Adbusters media articles, CBC Radio 2 changes and resistance April 10, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Events, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects, Media News.add a comment
Greetings everyone!
Today’s email includes:
- next Media Matters & postering meetings
- CHUO funding drive (& chance to support Media Matters)
- Adbusters new issue featuring articles on media issues!
- Raise a Ruckus for CBC Radio Two (Friday the 11th at noon at Queen & Sparks Streets)
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Next meetings: Tues April 15, Thurs April 17
The next full Media Matters meeting will be at 6:30 on Tuesday the 15th, at the OPIRG-Ottawa office (631 King Edward Ave. 3rd floor)
The postering group (maybe to soon become it’s own action group!?) will be meeting Thursday the 17th, also at 6:30, also at the OPIRG-Ottawa office.
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CHUO 89.1 FM ‘s funding drive!
CHUO is currently holding their funding drive, and it runs this year until April 13th. Tune in, dial in, and pledge to support them, to keep the station on the air and support all the volunteering programming they broadcast out onto the airwaves. More info at http://chuo.fm
You can also support CHUO and Media Matters at the same time. To promote our soon-to-be-launched blog/website, Media Matters is thinking of purchasing some advertising on CHUO, at a rate of $15 per 30-second ad (possibly $12 per ad if we buy enough). If you would like, instead of pledging directly to CHUO, you can donate to Media Matters purchase of CHUO airtime – contact us and we’ll let you know how (and you’ll be getting a tax receipt from OPIRG for your donation). We are also considering directing our advertising dollars to other local independent media;
so any donations could also go towards other (independent and deserving) options.
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Adbusters feature media articles
The new Adbusters magazine has one of the Aspers on the cover, in boxing gloves, with a black eye. Articles inside explore the Asper’s CanWest media corporation, as well as other perspectives on media issues, including short interviews with both Noam Chomsky and Robert McChesney.
The http://Adbusters.org website doesn’t yet have these articles up, so you’ll either have to wait, or go and get a physical copy of the magazine (note: Adbusters is available in the OPIRG resource centre, 631 King Edward Ave, 3rd floor)
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On Friday, April 11th, 2008 at 12:00pm Eastern Time, the 12,500 strong members of a hastily arranged Facebook group entitled “Save Classical Music at the CBC” will be holding a NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION called “RAISE A RUCKUS FOR RADIO TWO!” in over a dozen cities across Canada.
In response to recently announced programming changes at CBC Radio Two and the planned axing of the famed CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra, classical music fans, musicians and Radio Two listeners are planning to take to the streets in front of their local CBC installations in every province simultaneously.
Demonstrations are to be held at CBC facilities in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, London, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Charlottetown and St. John’s; with possible demonstrations to be held in Regina, Kingston, ON, and Saint John, NB as well.
Disappointment with the planned changes has been swiftly building and increasingly vocal since the CBC’s announcement of March 4th, where top executives including Richard Stursberg – head of CBC English services, Jennifer McGuire – head of CBC radio, and Mark Steinmetz – director of radio programming divulged that CBC Radio Two’s 40 year tradition as a primarily classical music broadcaster would be coming to a close. Weekday classical music programming is to be cut from 12 hours daily to 5 off-peak hours leading to the cancellation of many popular shows. Though listeners realize that shows and hosts come and go, most of the quality programming is to be replaced with pop music with sprinklings of light jazz and world music. Classical music fans and musicians feel as though they have lost a trusted and beloved member of the family – they feel like they are being punished for CBC’s inability to stay true to its history and mandate.
Since coming into power, the current team of Programming Executives have been responsible for the fact that:
-They have failed to transform the innovative Radio 3 into a national broadcast network, thereby necessitating, in their eyes, the gutting of Radio Two’s classical programming in order to satisfy their self-perceived mandate to be all things to all people.
-The CBC Young Composers Competition and the CBC Young Performers Competition, have been suspended for the past four years. These two important domestic competitions had been instrumental in the development of some of Canada’s best musical talent including: Angela Hewitt, Ben Heppner, Jon Kimura Parker. The Canada Council provided the funding for the $10,000.00 grand prizes.
-The CBC has, as of February, erased the classical music budget for CBC Records, precisely on the eve of their first Grammy win by Canadian violinist James Ehnes and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under Bramwell Tovey on the CBC Records label. Many artists, such as Measha Brueggergosman, launched their careers on a CBC Records label recording.
-The commissioning budget previously devoted to commissioning new works from composers is now spread out to cover jazz, pop musicians, and some unspecified amount of contemporary music. CBC says they will spend the same amount on classical commissions – but their track record is not looking good.
-The proposed cuts for the Fall of 2008 represents further reductions in classical music content, eliminating classical music 6am to 10am and 3pm to 6pm – reducing by over half the overall classical weekday programming from 12 hours to 5 hours, and shifting all weekday classical programming to inconvenient, off-peak times of the day when no one who works or goes to school can tune in.
-The axing of the 70 year old CBC Radio Orchestra: North America’s last remaining radio orchestra and platform for countless premieres of new Canadian compositions. And then, one day after citing lack of resources as the reason for cutting the orchestra, buying an expensive full-page ad in a national newspaper to convince Canadians about how wonderful the evisceration of their national radio music network is – signed and supported by wealthy pop music recording industry executives and artists, the people who stand to gain monetarily from the demise of CBC’s classical programming
All existing and long-standing weekday classical shows on Radio Two are to be cut, including:
-Music & Company – Tom Allen’s morning wake up show
-Here’s to You – Catherine Belyea’s all-request show
-Studio Sparks – due to the venerable Eric Friesen’s “retirement”
-Disc Drive – Jurgen Gothe’s popular, 30 year old drive-home show
-Sound Advice – Rick Philips’ extraordinarily informative and unique classical recording showcase and review
These changes come on the heels of last years round of cuts to vital programs such as:
-Danielle Charbonneau’s much-loved Music for a While;
-Larry Lake’s new composer showcase Two New Hours;
-Symphony Hall – Canada’s live orchestra recording showcase;
-The Singer and the Song – Catherine Belyea’s excellent Classical vocal program;
-Northern Lights – the overnight Classical program beloved by Night Owls everywhere;
-The reformatting of In Performance- a primarily classical live performance show into the unfocused Canada Live – a uniformly non-classical and completely confusing mix of World music, soft pop, and lounge Jazz;
The CBC claims financial constraints drive these cuts, yet spending in other areas, and support from the commercial recording industry suggest otherwise.
Canadian classical music fans and musicians and Radio Two listeners have had enough of this “concerted” and unprecedented campaign against classical and art music programming and infrastructure. Though their numbers may be relatively small compared to commercial radio, Radio Two listeners are among the most engaged and loyal in the world. They feel the have been betrayed and belittled by the current management team entrenched at the nation’s public broadcaster.
We are expecting a large and vocal turnout at CBC installations across Canada, in every province where Radio Two is heard and loved. These demonstrations will occur simultaneously at 1200hrs Eastern Time (9am in Vancouver, 1:30pm in St. John’s, etc.). We are inviting all lovers of classical music and public support for the non-commercial arts scene in this country to join with us in calling for the restoration of Radio Two’s vital classical music programming and the reversal of the decision to axe the CBC Radio Orchestra. Let our voices ring out and be heard! We welcome and encourage all members of the print, radio, electronic and television media to cover this important story and join us on this important day for Canada’s classical music community.
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The following is a list of local CBC installation addresses across Canada where demonstrations are being planned, including local times and local contact information:
[Note: Media Matters has taken the contact info off of this page due to spam considerations]
9amPacific: Victoria: 1025 Pandora Avenue
9am Pacific: Vancouver: 775 Cambie Street
10am Mountain: Calgary: 1724 Westmount Blvd. NW
10am Mountain: Edmonton: 23 Edmonton City Centre, 10062-102nd Avenue
10am Sask: Saskatoon: CBC 144 2nd Ave South
10am Sask: Regina: 2440 Broad Street
11am Central: Winnipeg: 541 Portage Avenue
12pm Eastern: Toronto: 250 Front Street West
12pm Eastern: London, ON: 208 Piccadilly Street
12pm Eastern: Ottawa: 181 Queen Street, Ottawa – Meeting at Sparks Street entrance
12pm Eastern: Montreal: 1400 Rene Levesque East
1pm Atlantic: Saint John: 560 Main Street
1pm Atlantic: Halifax: 1601 South Park
1pm Atlantic: Charlottetown: 430 University Avenue
1:30pm Newfoundland: St John’s: 25 Henry Street
Links and Web Resources:
Save Classical Music at the CBC
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9009203294
Save the CBC Radio Orchestra
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10103441879
Vancouver composer, John Oliver’s Ad Campaign Site
http://standonguardforcbcradio.earsay.com/
La Scena Musicale’s list of web articles:
http://www.scena.org/columns/spotlight.asp?lan=2&flag=1&id=79
Save the CBC Orchestra
http://savecbcorchestra.com/
Save the CBC
http://www.savethecbc.ca/
For more general information, please contact Peter McGillivray – radio2@petermcgillivray.com
Meeting Mar 25, Current Projects, OPIRG AGM, Adbusters & Rabble March 21, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Events, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects, Media Reform.add a comment
Happy Spring!
In this email:
- next meeting: March 25
- current projects
- OPIRG AGM: March 25
- call for April events
- Adbusters update
- Rabble.ca: RabbleTV, plus two articles
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Next Media Matters meeting:
Tuesday March 25 at 6:30pm at the OPIRG office, 631 King Edward, 3rd floor
Please email us if you’d like to attend but can’t and/or you have some input for any of the projects described below! mediamatters@canada.com
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Current projects
Postering campaign – we’d like to make some posters to raise attention about indy media as well as critical thinking issues regarding main stream media. This means coming up with some creative marketing messages that will capture peoples’ imagination. If you have any ideas, please let us know! We’ll be working on this at our next meeting on Tuesday
Also:
- Setting up a blog to archive these updates, more
- Local independent media directory
- Long-term planning and consulation process
And:
The Dominion is looking to set up an Ottawa edition, which will basically be The Dominion plus four pages of local content. Envisioned distribution between 5000 and 20000. Visit http://www.dominionpaper.ca to find out more about the Dominion, or contact janescharf@rogers.com for info about this Ottawa project
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OPIRG-Ottawa update
On Tuesday March 25, OPIRG’s Annual General Meeting will be taking place. It will be held from 1:30 to 3:00pm at room 205 of the University Centre, University of Ottawa. You are all invited to come on out!
At this time, voting will be held for next year’s board of directors. Voting will also be taking place beforehand, from 9am to 1pm, at the OPIRG-Ottawa office, at 631 King Edward, 3rd floor.
For more info, contact OPIRG at 613-230-3076.
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Call for April events
Common Cause Ottawa has started a monthly PDF events calendar for Ottawa’s activist community. You can see the March edition at http://ottawa.indymedia.ca/media/2008/03//7059.pdf
They are asking for any April events to be submitted to a_ottawa@mutualaid.org by noon on Wednesday, March 26. Include date, time, location, brief description and contact info.
We will send you the finished PDF of April events as part of our next email sendout.
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Update from Adbusters:
On Monday, February 18, Adbusters lost its court battle against two of Canada’s television networks that refused to sell airtime for its commercials. Adbusters claimed the CBC and Canwest Global had violated its right to free speech under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by refusing to sell air time, but the court decided that the Charter does not apply to private corporations.
“It’s outrageous that the fast food, oil and automobile industries can buy as much TV time as they want in order to promote their agendas, but citizens are not allowed to talk back,” said Adbusters Editor-in-Chief Kalle Lasn in response to the ruling. “Canadian democracy will not work properly until we the people have the same right to buy airtime as corporations do.”
The rejected Adbusters ads pointed out that over 50 percent of the calories in a Big Mac come from fat; called for an end to the age of the automobile; and promoted Buy Nothing Day. While Court Justice William Ehrcke ruled that private broadcasters have the right to run whatever ads they like, Adbusters feels the case raises some troubling questions.
…
see the full release at http://adbusters.org/blogs/Adbusters_Demands_Access_to_Airwaves.html
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Update from Rabble.ca
On March 15, in conjuction with the anti-war protests, Rabble.ca launched RabbleTV, which included live interviews from Ottawa. For more see http://rabble.ca http://tv.rabble.anarres.ca/ and http://rabble.ca/news_full_story.shtml?x=68742
Also from Rabble
- commentary on the recent CRTC policy: http://rabble.ca/arts_media.shtml?x=69049
- a review of the movie, A Little Bit of So Much Truth: http://rabble.ca/arts_media.shtml?x=68682 ** remember this movie is available in OPIRG’s resource centre **
New projects: postering, a media directory, and speaker/planning event March 1, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Challenging Mainstream Media, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects.add a comment
In this update:
1) next meeting
2) current projects
3) media resources
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Please pass this email on to anyone who might be interested in media activism!
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1) Next Meeeting …
… is Thursday, March 13 at 6:30pm
OPIRG-Ottawa office, 631 King Edward, 3rd floor
email us if you’re interested but can’t make it
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2) Current Projects
At our last meeting we decided we’d get started on a couple new things: postering, a local media directory, and a speaker event combined with community consulation towards long-term planning.
Postering:
Here are links to a couple posters that you can print off, (copy) and post up – DIY!
Dominion Paper event March 6 – http://ottawa.indymedia.org/media/2008/02//7014.pdf
March event listings – http://ottawa.indymedia.org/media/2008/03//7030.pdf
Common Cause / Linchpin – http://ottawa.indymedia.org/media/2008/03//7028.pdf
We are also thinking of putting together a Media Matters poster, possibly to promote the mentioned speaker / long-term planning event. And maybe we could get a ‘postering squad’ together, maybe link forces with other local activists. If you’re interested in that kind of thing, contact us and we’ll see if we can organize something.
Local Media Directory
The starting point for this directory is a list from the Ottawa Public Library (compiled by the city?) of local print media. But it is maybe 5 years old, so we have some work to do. If you have any thoughts on this project, please contact us.
Speaker event / Long-term planning
The idea for this is to have an event, similar to our Nov20 Becoming a Citizen-Journalist, on a weeknight, and then on a following weekend afternoon have a strategy session where we do the work necessary to build a long-term strategic vision and plan. The speaker event might be about ‘Getting Media Coverage for your Cause’, and the planning session would involve outreach to local community groups and initiatives, also to other media activist groups in other cities, and could also include creating a survey or questionaire. Again, if you have any input or would like to help out, contact us!
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3) More media resources
After mentioning two magazines featuring media-focused editions (BriarPatch and Canadian Dimension) available in OPIRG-Ottawa’s resource centre, we received some feedback on additional resources also available here.
Magazines: Adbusters magazine also has features on media quite regularly, but they don’t have a full issue on the subject.
Books: Culture Jam, by Adbusters founder Kalle Lasn, as well as Manufacturing Consent, by Noam Chomsky, are both on the shelves. Also, there is the Project Censored series, an annual complition of important stories that didn’t get much attention in the mass media. And recently acquired is Gaining a Voice: Media Relations for Canadian Ethnic Minorities.
Movies: Manufacturing Consent is a resource centre holding, but is often out on loan. OutFoxed is also available. And so is Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad (A Little Bit of So Much Truth), the movie we hosted at Ottawa Cinema Politica about the role of media in the popular uprising in Oaxaco Mexico in 2006.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY – if you have any ideas on magazines, books or movies that OPIRG should acquire for it’s resource centre, we urge you to contact Sarah, the resource centre coordinator, at opirgrc@gmail.com or 613-230-3076. She is always looking for good ideas!
Meeting Feb7th, new Linchpin, and more… January 29, 2008
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects, Media News.add a comment
In this email:
1) next Media Matters meeting
2) Linchpin issue 2 out now
3) upcoming Media Matters events
4) guide to citizen journalism
5) recent CRTC decision
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1) Next Media Matters meeting …
… will be on Thursday, February 7 at 7pm, at the OPIRG-Ottawa office (631 King Edward Ave, 3rd floor).
This is our first meeting of the new year, so feel free to drop in with your ideas and enthusiasm.
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2) The new Linchpin newspaper is now out
Visit http://linchpin.ca to browse the articles, or download the full 8-pg pdf file: http://linchpin.ca/files/linchpintwonewsletter.pdf
Media Matters worked on a special 2-pg Ottawa insert, which can be downloaded at http://ottawa.indymedia.org/media/2008/01//6707.pdf
Also note the article on media activism by Media Matters volunteer Greg Macdougall, at http://linchpin.ca/node/554
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3) Upcoming Media Matters events:
Saturday, February 9: Workshop as part of the Community Movements: Building Solidarity for Social Change conference at Trent University in Peterborough: http://buildingsolidarityconference2008.20fr.com/
Friday February 15, 7pm: Film screening of “Un Poquitao de Tanta Veridad (A Little Bit of So Much Truth)” @ MacDonald Hall Auditorium (MCD 146), 150 Louis Pasteur Street, University of Ottawa: http://www.cinemapolitica.org/ottawa
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4) Guide to Citizen Journalism
The Rising Voices Web site has released the first in a series of guides on interactive media. An Introduction to Citizen Media offers case studies on how people are using tools such as blogs, podcasts, online video and digital photography to engage in global conversations.
Rising Voices, an initiative that promotes citizen media, said that the goal of the guide is to show that anyone with Internet access can take part in the “emerging global conversation.” The guide’s first edition is available in English, Spanish and Bengali. Future editions will be available in Swahili, Malagasy and Aymara, the organizers said in a news release.
The guide in English (PDF format):
http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/library/Introduction-to-Citizen-Media-EN.pdf
For more information: http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/news/
http://rising.globalvoicesonline.org/blog/2008/01/16/a-introductory-guide-to-global-citizen-media/
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5) Recent CRTC decision
Comments first from the Council of Canadians, then excerpt from NCRA list
(this from the Council of Canadians, Jan 15)
As reported by CTV today, “Canada’s broadcast regulator has put in place new rules on media ownership in Canada that will restrict how big the country’s broadcasters can get, following a year of unprecedented deals in the sector. After hearings were held last fall to probe media ownership rules, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission introduced three significant rule changes Tuesday: 1) No person or company will be allowed to control more than two of types of media in one local market, including local TV, local radio and a local newspaper. 2) No company will be allowed to control more than 45 per cent of the total television audience in Canada, which could restrict the acquisition of specialty cable channels by major broadcasters. 3) Deals between television distributors, such as cable and satellite TV companies, will not be allowed if they result in one company or person controlling the delivery of programming in a market.”
CBC.ca reports that, “The ownership restrictions followed hearings last year into the issue of media concentration and the diversity of voices following two high-profile media deals – CanWest Global’s purchase of Alliance Atlantis Communications, and CTV’s acquisition of Chum Ltd. The new rules are not retroactive and will not require any change to the current media ownership picture in Canada.” The Council’s media release on that issue, ‘CRTC foreign ownership decision puts Canadian media at risk, says Council of Canadians’, can be read at http://www.canadians.org/media/other/2007/21-Dec-07.html.
Please note below comments from the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union, the Canadian Media Guild, and the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting as reported by CBC.ca on this CRTC announcement:
CEP
The CRTC ruling “allows the big players to become bigger, and does very little if anything to limit media concentration in Canada,” said Peter Murdoch, vice-president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers union. “The new policy does nothing about media empires that currently have a stranglehold on some large markets, such as Vancouver, or about what happens on a national level,” he said.
CANADIAN MEDIA GUILD
The Canadian Media Guild agreed. “The CRTC is preserving the current unacceptable levels of concentration and is not even adopting meaningful measures to stop it from getting worse,” said Guild president Lise Lareau. “By their own admission, they are legalizing the status quo since they admit that their new rules are not being contravened anywhere in Canada.”
FRIENDS OF CANADIAN BROADCASTING
But the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting liked the CRTC’s policy changes. “The CRTC is recognizing that as a result of media concentration, there are levels of concentration that could well pose a threat to diversity and, therefore, democracy,” said the group’s spokesman, Ian Morrison. “Although I would quibble on some of the details, I think this an example of the CRTC doing its job,” he said.
The CTV/Globe and Mail article ‘CRTC puts new restrictions on media ownership’ can be found at http://ctv2.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080115.wCRTC0115/business/Business/businessBN/ctv-business.
The CBC article ‘CRTC imposes cross-media ownership restrictions’ can be read at http://www.cbc.ca/money/story/2008/01/15/crtc.html.
(and from the NCRA list)
Here’s what they had to say about the community aspect (section ‘E’):
E. The community element
E-1 How should the Commission address the community element in broadcasting?
160.
As noted earlier in this public notice, community broadcasting is one of the three basic elements that make up the Canadian broadcasting system. A healthy community element, strong public broadcasters and a plurality of voices within the private element provide the basis for a broadcasting system that offers Canadians a diversity of voices.
Canada has played a central role in the development of community media and it is considered by many to be the birthplace of community broadcasting. The community element was developed to provide local groups with access to the broadcasting system. Community broadcasting, which is local, volunteer-based and largely not-for-profit, is often able to broadcast a diverse range of voices, alternative points of view, and innovative programming ideas.
The Commission’s policies for campus and community radio were last reviewed in 2000. These reviews resulted in Public Notice 2000-12 (the Campus Radio Policy) and Public Notice 2000-13 (the Community Radio Policy). In 2002, the Commission issued Public Notice 2002-61 (the Community-based Media Policy), which focused largely on community television.
Summary of comments 163.
At the Public Hearing a number of parties spoke to concerns regarding community broadcasting.
All of those representing community broadcasting organizations stated that improved funding is required in order to ensure a healthy community sector. The National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA), l’Alliance des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Canada (ARC du Canada) and l’Association des radiodiffuseurs communautaires du Québec (ARC du Québec) all advocated a re-examination of the Commission’s benefits policy in order to divert a specific portion to the community sector.
Several parties raised concerns that spectrum was not being reserved for the community sector at a time when spectrum availability is becoming limited. TimeScape Productions also stated that national distribution undertakings should be required to reserve spectrum for the community sector.
With respect to community television, Shaw submitted that the Broadcasting Distribution Regulations (the BDU Regulations) should be modified to allow it to offer a national community channel with the 5% of revenues that it pays for local expression.
St. Andrews Community Channel Inc., licensee of CHCT-TV, requested that the BDU Regulations be amended to ensure that community services receive basic tier carriage by terrestrial BDU providers.
Radio Ottawa Inc., licensee of CHUO-FM Ottawa, submitted that the Commission needs to develop a policy for non-commercial media that would take a more assertive position on the development of community media.
The Commission recognizes the importance of the community element in the Canadian broadcasting system. While campus and community radio, in both official lanuages, is reasonably widespread, community-based television operations do not yet occupy a significant place in the system. Cable community channels remain an important component of the system but, increasingly, they have a regional rather than a local focus.
The cost of television production equipment continues to decline, and new distribution technologies offer cost-effective means of delivering community programming to audiences. However, stable funding to allow for the production of quality community programming remains a significant issue.
In this regard, the Commission notes that in June 2007 the Department of Canadian Heritage announced that it had undertaken a review of the community and campus radio broadcasting sectors. It is expected that the results of this review will be available in the Spring of 2008.
In light of the record of this proceeding and the changes taking place in the broadcasting environment, the Commission has decided to undertake a comprehensive review of its policies with respect to community-based radio and television. The objective of this review will be to ensure that the Commission’s regulatory policy supports the development of a healthy community broadcasting sector.
This review will include, but will not be limited to,: the most appropriate licensing policy for community undertakings; the role of new technologies in the creation and distribution of community services; funding sources for not-for-profit community licensees; the role, if any, of national community undertakings; and the results of the Department of Canadian Heritage’s review of community radio.
Nov 20 review, call for feedback, and future plans November 27, 2007
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects.add a comment
in this email:
1) Nov 20 review
- recap
- call for feedback
- prize winner: report online
- audio online
- more info on speakers’ media
2) Next meeting
- want to get involved?
3) Future plans
- movie night at OCP
- workshop at Peterborough conference
- printing of anarchist newspaper
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1) NOV 20: BECOMING A CITIZEN-JOURNALIST
We would like to thank all for helping make this event a success. Based on the number of programs we handed out, we had approx 65 people at the event.
At this point, we would like to ask you for feedback: please tell us what you liked, what you thought could have been approved, and also any suggestions you have for future events or projects (read the rest of this message to see what we’ve already got planned). You can email us (just click ‘reply’) or phone at 613 230-3076 (you’ll most likely be speaking to an OPIRG staff person).
We would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Elizabeth Lapointe for being the first person to publish a report of the event on to ottawa.indymedia.org – she wins a one-year subscription to the Peace and Environment News paper. The report can be read at http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2007/11/6217.shtml – please feel free to add your own comments.
Also, the three speeches are now available online, at http://spacesplacesandfaces.ca/?page_id=65 … this is courtesy of the good folks at Spaces, Places and Faces (radio show on Thurs 7am-8am, CKCU 93.1 FM)
And if you’re interested in seeing or hearing more from our speakers, you can find Giacomo Panico’s website (which includes podcasts of his radio show) at http://www.giacomopanico.com/ … and if you’d like to find out where to pick up copies of The Spectrum, email spectrum@storm.ca
2) MEDIA MATTERS NEXT MEETING AND GETTING INVOLVED
We are having our next meeting on Tuesday Nov 27 at 10:30 am, at OPIRG’s offices, located on the 3rd floor of 631 King Edward (north of Somerset).
We will be debriefing the Nov 20 event, as well discussing future projects (keep reading…)
If you are interested in getting involved, feel free to come out to our meeting, or if you can’t make it, please contact us. We can work to set up a meeting time that will work with your personal schedule. We would love to have more people participating in the work we’re doing!
3) FUTURE PROJECTS
One thing we are organizing is a showing of the movie “Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad (A Little Bit of So Much Truth)”, a movie about the community in Oaxaco, Mexico taking over the media in 2006. More information about the movie is available at http://www.corrugate.org/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad/un_poquito_de_tanta_verdad
This movie would be part of the winter line-up of Ottawa Cinema Politica, a weekly series of film screenings that happens every Friday evening (while classes are on) at the University of Ottawa (?in MacDonald Hall?). To get on OCP’s weekly email list, contact dgr@uottawa.ca (say you were referred by Media Matters!). To see a listing of the films, visit http://www.cinemapolitica.org/ottawa
Another thing we are looking to set up is a session at the Building Solidarity conference happening in at Trent University in Peterborough, on Feb 9-10 2008. We will be submitting a proposal for a workshop about organizing independent community media and communication (deadline is Nov 30).
A third project we are looking at is the support of printing and distribution of a new Ontario-wide anarchist newspaper, Linchpin. This is a project of Common Cause, a newly-formed anarchist organization looking to join people across Ontario. The first edition of the paper has just been released, and there is a meeting on Wed Nov 28 to discuss organizing an Ottawa group of Common Cause, and what to do locally with the Linchpin paper. To start with, Linchpin will be distributed as a .pdf file, but also has a website, http://linchpin.ca
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Thanks for your interest, support and time!
Please contact us (hit ‘reply’) if you have any input at all – we’d love to hear from you.
Carmen, Greg and Sarah
the Media Matters team
Nov 20 – Becoming a Citizen Journalist! November 16, 2007
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media, Media Literacy, Media Matters Projects.add a comment
Becoming a Citizen-Journalist
Tues Nov 20, 2007
Join us for three speakers and discussion on the topic of ‘How to Prepare a Story’. This event is intended to help citizens, activists and other interested parties become more skilled and confident in presenting their story through independent and community media.
The three speakers are: Kanina Holmes, assistant professor at Carleton’s School of Journalism; Ewart Walters, editor of the community newspaper The Spectrum; and Giacomo Panico, Special Blend host from community/campus radio CKCU 93.1 FM.
This free event starts at 7pm and is being held at the Ottawa Public Library’s Main branch Auditorium (120 Metcalfe at Laurier)
Presented by Media Matters, an OPIRG-Ottawa action group supporting independent media and media reform. Contact: mediamatters@canada.com or 613-230-3076. For more: http://ottawa.indymedia.org/en/2007/11/6117.shtml
Report back from Social Forum, future planning October 27, 2007
Posted by mediamattersottawa in Events, Independent Media, Media Matters Projects.add a comment
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!?
