[Imc-dnc-discuss] draft funding request

[joe]

Thanks for the point about other projects, Svea. I've added radio &
video to the description, and will start sending it out later today. 

Pete, I'll put this on the websites & blogs your note referenced, but I
thought I'd let you send it to Claudia, since you've already been
talking to her. OK?

cheers,
Joe

-------------------------------

The Boston Independent Media Center is seeking financial help
in order to provide alternative coverage of the upcoming Boston Social
Forum and Democratic National Convention.

Our main need for funds is the production of an 8-12 page
newspaper with the working title 'Boston Independent.' We are planning a
print run of 25,000 to 50,000 color copies, but will only be able to
achieve this with additional financial support.  In addition, we will be
printing informational brochures that describe how to use our website,
participate in our working groups, and do your own reporting.  The paper
and brochures will be distributed widely to Boston residents before and
during the events, through partnerships with local community groups.

Funds raised will also assist our other projects.  Reporting on the
convention and social forum will include radio coverage through local
community stations and streaming over the internet. Extensive video
footage will be shot throughout the events and assembled into a
documentary. Both these projects have associated storage media and
bandwidth expenses.

Our reporting around these events will seek to give wide voice to the
people and perspectives who are ignored by corporate news services.
Our successes will also help us to raise funds for future issues of the
newspaper. The production and distribution of our reports will further
our continuing campaign to involve a wider diversity of local groups in
our media projects, with a focus on communities of color.

Boston's Independent Media Center began during the Biodevastation
conference in February of 2000.  Since then it has provided news,
opinion and a place for ongoing dialog among Boston's activists.  It has
expanded from a simple website to include radio programming, a cable
television show, and the occasional newspaper project (the most recent
being 'Dirt' with an issue published last summer.)

We incorporate key institutional differences into our structure,
including a consensus-based decision making process, an open invitation
to potential members, and an open publishing policy on our website
(anyone can publish!).  We believe that this gives us the potential to
become an increasingly important hub connecting a wide spectrum of
activists and organizations.

Donations can be made through Pay-pal from the 'Make a Donation' link at
http://boston.indymedia.org. Checks can be sent to Boston IndyMedia,
P.O. Box 441414, Somerville, MA 02144. Please make them
payable to 'Urbana-Champaign IMC', our fiscal sponsor, with 'for Boston
IMC' in the memo field.