[ssf] Re: [imc-sheffield] Sheffield Radical Newsletter fingy

[Helen and Nick]

There is scope to do differnt things under differnt
banners. Its probably something we all do most days,
wearing different hats for different projects, with
different tactics. I personally wouldn't want to see
IMC go down an advertisers route. But that doesn't
mean there can't be a parallel publication not linked
to IMC, but through which some people might wnat/ have
time to contribute to both.
 
Given that there is probably only a handful of people
at the moment who are trying to write stuff for
indymedia (at most 6 people coming to meetings and
doing all the other stuff), and this may be the case
for a new hardcopy publication in Sheffield, it feesl
to me that there are areas where we could work
together, although the output is under different
"banners". For example sharing material, outreach to
people to encourage them to write and contribute to
both or one or the other. While people have worked
extremely hard to create and maintain the IMC
framework/resource in Sheff/UK, the continuing next
step is building the crtical mass of people writing -
which clearly Dan has spearheaded.  Working together
on this front would be good, so that both could
thrive. 

>From the experience of contributing to, and living
with and hanging out with grass roots music zine
writers/editors over the last 10 years  some of which
were pretty big publications, it is a big job, so
don't underestimate that - but don't let that put you
off - just expect lots of nights with no sleep pulling
it together before your printing deadline!!!

Hx
 --- Dan <dan at aktivix.org> wrote: 
> Hia,
> 
> Some thoughts:
> 
> "I have not seen a single piece of media [web,
> audio, video, radio or 
> print] that has accepted advertising."
> 
> Here's one that does:
> 
> http://print.maineindymedia.org/adinsert.htm
> 
> Not that 'look! Someone else does it!' makes it OK. 
> I mean, these guys 
> actually give commission to anyone who gets ads!
> 
> I personally think that if you're getting money from
> ads for local 
> businesses, organic or ethical businesses, it a)
> gets you dosh and b) 
> gives them some blessing.  I'm into this coz of my
> own notions of 
> supporting local trade (and locally circulating
> money) over larger 
> national and international trade and corporations. 
> This isn't to say 
> the all local traders are ethical, but most of 'em
> are hard-working and 
> aren't buying two houses on the coast of Spain. 
> (Although some of them 
> are...!)
> 
> I quite understand if people think this is
> *absolutely not* the route 
> that IMC should go.  So there are two other options:
> 
> 1. I'd just go ahead and do the project anyway - and
> then, if it 
> happened to make any money, it could just donate it
> to IMC anyway.
> 
> 2. The other much more obvious and fluffy way is
> that we approach 
> certain organisations, saying:
> 
> 1. Give us some money.  You've got loads, we've got
> none, and we want to 
> print a filthy radical newsletter, and we want to
> run workshops to 
> support it.  (I think WEA may well be up for this.)
> 2. But we won't promote you.  Sorry, it's in our
> guidelines.  Now giz 
> the dosh.
> 
> This leaves us in the 'backed by three
> organisations' situation that I 
> mentioned could be a problem that a wide advertising
> base solves.  But 
> it's kinda swings and roundabouts, really.  I guess
> Sheffield IMC might 
> be the laughing stock of radical folk if we started
> taking advertising.  
> One has one's reputation to think of....
> 
> ... the other option there is open affiliation: a
> wider list of people 
> who we *do* mention on the backsheet, in name only,
> who have contributed.
> 
> Anyway, worth talking about, eh???  This may well
> give enough money to 
> do a monthly print-run.  Shall we try that first? 
> Easy, really, when 
> you think of it.
> 
> I wonder if such a thing counts as art?  If so, an
> Arts Council app 
> might be appropriate.
> 
> I also wonder, following r7, if it could be a
> pennines thing - 
> Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Manchester?
> 
> Didn't Sheffield Digger get a bit of funding from a
> union at one point?
> 
> Cheers 4 feedback,
> 
> Dan
> ----
> 
> r7 wrote:
> 
> >quoting Dan:
> > 
> >  
> >
> >>At the SSF meeting on the 17th, I hope to make a
> start on this radical 
> >>newsletter thingy.  Just get something started.
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >some general thoughts and then some specifics.
> these are from an indymedia
> >perspective and has no real bearing on how the
> social forum should interact
> >with these ideas. i have, as a courtesy copied
> [ssf] in this email.
> >
> >any one who has read this list for any length of
> time will know that we
> >periodically whinge about not having enough
> material on the website and more
> >specifically folks who are willing to write
> features. dan certainly recognizes
> >this and has, to his credit, tried some things to
> try and improve this
> >situation [notably the writers workshops]. i would
> ask you to bear in mind this
> >fact while thinking about dan's ideas below.
> > 
> >  
> >
> >>Target date for first edition: either end of March
> or just after the 
> >>lantern festival so's we can have a story and
> piccie of that on the 
> >>front to begin with.  (Maybe end of March, with
> piccies from previous 
> >>lantern carnival, promoting the next...)
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >might be a bit previous my friend. we need to
> discuss more.
> > 
> >  
> >
> >>But a little bit of planning is needed!  After
> having looked at some 
> >>other ones around the globe (IMC ones mainly...),
> here's some thoughts.  
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >what similarities/differences to each other did you
> notice dan? and perhaps more
> >tellingly what similarities/differences between
> them and the project you
> >propose?
> >
> >  
> >
> >>I intend to run hardcopy / writing etc workshops
> on the 2nd and 4th
> >>Thursdays of the month.
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >writers workshops are cool [though don't need the
> experience myself]. a way of
> >encouraging writing for indymedia is ok by me.
> > 
> >  
> >
> >>1. Ideally I'd personally like this to be a joint
> IMC / SSF project.  
> >>Why? To tie in a political and cultural events
> listing, writing, 
> >>teach-ins and locally led research etc into one
> hardcopy a month.  Also 
> >>because, collectively and co-operatively, maybe
> we'll get some dosh 
> >>coming in to both through this project. There's
> probably some problems 
> >>with this - what are they?
> >>    
> >>
> >
> >erm... what is this money? this is not explicitly
> stated. the two that occur to
> >me from a print publication point of view are:
> advertising revenue and revenue
> >from sales.
> > 
> >  
> >
> >>2. All labour voluntary?  All funds raised cover
> printing costs etc. 
> >>only?  I don't think this is a hard and fast rule
> - my personal aim is 
> >>to get something of Sandman size once a month, and
> voluntary work may 
> >>not achieve this.  This is where we need to work
> out whether it could be 
> >>a separate entity, not-for-profit, which put it's
> surplus as per No.3 
> >>below - but let's wait and see how things go. 
> (E.g. it may just be 
> >>another one of my hare-brained e-mail rants that
> never 
=== message truncated === 


	
	
		
___________________________________________________________ 
ALL-NEW Yahoo! Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com