[Imc-communication] «digital struggles» focus within European PGA conference, summer 2006, France

[ionnek]

Hello darkveggy, and communication list

this focus sounds really interesting - and timely!
Hm. I wonder if we could use this pga conference focus as something of 
an informal indymedia gathering? Try to get lots of imcistas to come 
along with questions and provocations? Report on it widely beforehand, 
really get into the questions?

I feel more and more that having strong alternative servers is crucial - 
and to see them as part of movement infrastructure, just like squats, 
social centers, etc.

I was wondering what you refer to when you say: "a new mediactivist 
"trend" is popping up around indymedia"? The blogs? A changed attitude 
of media activists? Different relationship between "indymedia" and the 
"rest of the movement"?

In the UK, we started thinking about how to link indymedia more with 
blogs, some references are here: 
http://knowledgelab.org.uk/wiki/FeedbackLab2. Are others thinking in 
that direction too?

And you ask "how can hacklabs/open-access space bring together geek & 
activist cultures"? - yes, sometimes I wonder if the mixing and merging 
of arts/activism/geekism/ of some years ago has given way to more 
separate, specialised movements and cultures? "Professional" activists 
doing the action, "professional" alternative journalists taking care of 
the reporting, "professional" geeks running the server infrastructure 
for the alternative media?

In the UK, some from the indymedia collectives are under the impression 
that indymedia is seen as a service by many activists who are not 
involved in the day-to-day running of the project - and not as the 
hands-on diy-venture of some years ago. Professionalisation? A good 
thing, a bad thing?

Dunno if this list is the place for a conversation about such questions...

best
ionnek