I like social media and its various incarnations, but usually find it too distracting to deal with in real time and concurrently Get Things Done. I go through phases though, where I keep everything on, plugged-in, and flowing, immersing myself in the ‘now’ of minutia. Thankfully, this week has been one of those phases so I didn’t miss the tweet announcing the kick-off meeting for an Independent Media Center Centre in Vancouver, with a focus on the 2010 Olympics^[1].

I’ve been out of touch with the IMC since moving to Japan, though admittedly we’ve always had a rocky relationship – I know a number of women who feel the same – mostly because of the egos and alpha tech male posturing that goes on^[2]. Before leaving Japan I did a quick check-in on the Vancouver IMC and found the site had been taken offline after the Canadian Human Rights Commission took it to task. I have an interest and passion for independent and alternative media coverage, in hearing the stories that aren’t covered by the interests of the mainstream media, and while the IMC has its issues, it’s also a great way to meet like minds. So I was all kinds of chuffed to get in on the inaugural meeting.

Down at Rain City Studios^[3] the meeting got underway amid the soft chirps of Tweetdeck and glow of projectors. I won’t recap the entire evening since Raul liveblogged it and SocialSquared filmed it, but as the meeting progressed I experienced a bit of cognitive dissonance because this IMC wanted to play nice. Within the rules, adopting the lexicon, not fucking shit up. The word ‘apolitical’ was used a lot. At first I thought this was because I was in Canada, the land of maple syrup and salmon, where everyone is generally nicer and has less need for agitation, tactical media, direct action and generally sticking it to the overloads of control. But really, it’s because this isn’t an IMC at all, but an alternative media outlet for journalists, artists, and other media makers outside the mainstream.

I don’t have a problem with this at all. In fact, I think it’s great. But as progress moves forward on the project, I think it’s important for whatever-this-will-be-called to move completely away from the Independent Media Centre tag. The name should reflect the mission and purpose, but be distinct enough that there is no room for confusion, that this is not an IMC. The mission, purpose, and values that are associated with the IMC have been well established since 1999. To call this and independent media centre but not like that Independent Media Center is confusing and requires too much explanation (and may incur rubber bullets).

As I mentioned before, the focus of the meeting and the organization is currently coverage of the 2010 Olympics. We didn’t discuss the organization’s goals beyond 2010, but I assume that general idea is to become an established social/alt media center for anyone looking to make media here – DIY, art, journalism, education, et cetera. Keep an eye on Vancouver, and if you are interested be sure to get involved.

{ fin }

1. When my brother was a kid, he struggled with the pronunciation of Olympics, and it always came out sounding like, “Mmmmm-linkits” and I cannot type the word without mentally saying it with my brother’s phonetics. [↩]
2. There. I said it. Make of it what you will. [↩]
3. They have a Lego room! I didn’t see any Mindstorms though. [↩]