Re: <nettime> If Only Indymedia Learnt To Innovate

["Patrice Riemens" <patrice@xs4all.nl>]

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> On Sun, Nov 16, 2008 at 02:19:06PM +0100, Brian Holmes wrote:
>> Naeem Mohaiemen wrote:
>>
>> > People give all their data to large corporations-- you're damn right
>> > that's a concern, but IMC created that opportunity by not changing
>> > with the time.
>> >
>> > To paraphrase the Village Voice, the left stays pure and makes street
>> > theater while the right (and center) takes control of the levels of
>> > power.
>>
>> Indymedia was THE great inspiration and vector of the movement of
>> movements. On Friday I was looking for pictures of the Rome demos with
>> an Italian friend and I said, how about Indymedia? No, it's dead in
>> Italy.
>
> looking at this http://italy.indymedia.org i wouldn't say it's dead.
>
> your  friend  might  update  himself:  indy.it had  a  year  of  going
> underground, while regional networks  got stronger, looking forward to
> a  new  platform  that  would  aggregate  multiple  feeds,  respecting
> differences and a progressive verticalisation that was causing clashes
> in the larger "national" ((i)) context
>
> now is better than  ever and, as in many other places  in Europe, is a
> reference for "non-aligned" information exchange.
>
> Naeem and Theor,  sorry to say, but yours are  just rants ignoring the
> real  reasons  impeding  the  improvements  you  look  for:  licensing
> restrictions  imposed by commercial  monopolies of  multimedia formats
> on-line.  It is not to blame the inefficiency of our collectivity, but
> the prevarication of business monopolies, that now have an opportunity
> to exploit  the memories you uploaded on-line  using their proprietary
> formats.
 <...>

That is welcome news, at least for Italy (and not so surprising, given the
Italian 'climate'). But I had kind of the same impression as Brian, when I
went to check French Indymedia sites about the recent sabotages on the the
hi-speed train network (a fascinating story, with many, and serious
ramifications - most still unclear). I have not delved too profoundly into
it yet, but any suggestion about current reliable alternative sources of
news in France (and outside) are welcome. And of course the question: are
IMC dead in France?

(regarding Jaromil's more, err, 'methodological' comments: I tend to
concurr, if less stridently, but yes, please be aware of that important
aspect of things)

cheers, patriizio and Diiiinooos!


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