New media
New video for activism workshop, Summer Gathering 2009!
Image © Lucy Horton
With the advent of the information superhighway there are absolutely loads of opportunities for you to create your own media coverage and promote yourself through networks and websites. Here are just a few options for you to explore:
Some may see it as a demon of our age but it’s difficult to deny the power of “the book”. You can establish a group and promote the events you’re organising to everyone in the group. It can be a great way to share photos of events and build a camaraderie amongst members. Finally, you can use it to promote e-actions and as a way for members to communicate with each other. Be warned though, people may not check their facebook accounts for ages and may say they will attend an event on facebook but not do so in reality.
One of the world’s biggest social networking sites - if blogging is giving a speech, then Twitter is a conversation. Twitter is a great way to get a message out to loads of people, fast. You can sign up at twitter.com, and follow People & Planet at @peopleandplanet.
Group Websites
If you’ve got a computer whizz kid in your group then you might want to ask them to manage your public profile via the medium of a website. You can promote upcoming events, provide details of where and when the group meets, provide information the campaigns you work on, and celebrate your past successes. In short, they can act as a big interactive promotional tool. Also, in terms of media stories, you have complete editorial control and can include exciting features such as video (see YouTube below). It’s worth considering if you will really get round to keeping it up to date, or if you are better off just having a Facebook page. But if so, a website can be really helpful. A good examples of a group website is: Edinburgh University People & Planet.
YouTube
Someone in your group is likely to have a camera good enough to record short films on and YouTube allows you to post them up on the interweb for all the world (with access to an internet connection) to see. Here are some particularly inspiring ideas:
- Leeds University People & Planet take an oil pipeline to their local NatWest
- Royal Holloway People & Planet promote recycling on campus
- York University Vikings at Faslane
Indymedia
The content of the Indymedia UK website is created through a system of open publishing: anyone can upload a written, audio and video report or a picture directly to the site through an openly accessible web interface. Through this system of ‘Direct Media’, Indymedia erodes the dividing line between reporters and reported, between active producers and passive audience: people are enabled to speak for themselves. At bigger actions, Indymedia UK volunteers extend this participatory model by establishing ‘Public Access Terminals’ on the streets, and facilitating direct access to the technical equipment that enables participants to upload to the website.
The People & Planet Website
Don’t forget to tell us what you do so that we can write about it on this very website (photos are a bonus too)!
