NEWS RELEASE publié le Mai 13, 2010 by dawn
The Vancouver Media Co-op needs your support!
Become a member today and help grow grassroots, independent media
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Why should I support the Vancouver Media Co-op? Because the Vancouver Media Co-op supports you! Click here for more information on how you can support the VMC. Click here to donate online.
The Vancouver Media Co-op (VMC) is a unique participatory and grassroots media project that is member-run.
Unlike corporate media, grassroots media means that VMC reporters talk to people directly affected by government policies first: Indigenous land defenders, neighbourhood residents, cyclists, immigrants and refugees, poor people, queer and trans communities, low-income and working families.
Unlike most other publications, including independent media projects, the VMC relies on and facilitates the active participation of hundreds of activists, journalists, readers, and ordinary concerned people to contribute stories, photography, press releases, personal accounts, and videos in an open-publishing format that receives hundreds of daily hits.
In addition to user-created media, the VMC is an open and democratic collective -which you can join - that produces high-quality news and events coverage as well as in-depth investigative reporting.
Some highlights of VMC coverage over the past year include:
• Cutting edge journalism during the Olympics with over 40 independent
journalists, 16 posts daily, 1 million hits during the first weekend, a
sophisticated on-the-ground street news aggregate, and footage which aired
internationally including on Democracy Now!
• Exclusive stories on Indigenous struggles including Cheam fishing cases and
resistance to pipelines in northern BC, investigative reporting on defense and
private security contractors in Vancouver; and daily accounts from the
Urban Women's Anti-Violence Strategy week of events.
• Video coverage of local events including march against police brutality,
environmentalists actions against Enbridge pipeline; build a better BC
rally; and protests against shelter closures.
The VMC also produces a fortnightly print broadsheet called Balaclava!;
hosts journalism, video and graphic design trainings; provides media
skills workshops upon request for communities and groups such as youth at
the Purple Thistle Centre; and organizes social events and film
screenings. These have all proven to be hugely beneficial to grassroots
groups, youth, and DTES residents seeking to empower themselves to create
their own media!
The VMC is a local of a national Media Co-op network which is formally
organized as a solidarity cooperative. The Media Co-op also has locals in
Halifax and Toronto, and produces the Dominion magazine, which has
released special issues on Canadian Foreign Policy, Canada's Mining
Industry, Tar Sands, 2010 Olympics, and a current issue on the G8/G20.
All this operates on a shoe string budget and needs you! Still not sure?
• Can you name any other independent media that provided daily coverage of the Olympics?
• Can you name any other media that prominently features your group's
event or your personal contribution regardless of whether you are trained
as a journalist or writer?
• Can you name any other media that regularly and on request will attend
your organization's event to provide coverage that will benefit your community?
Join as a sustainer today to support the Vancouver Media Co-op because the
Vancouver Media Co-op will sustain your faith in progressive and
democratic news publishing.
Contact the VMC | vmc at mediacoop dot ca | 604 630 6864
Collective meetings are Wednesdays at 6:30pm, 459 E Hastings (please email to check if it is your first time, sometimes we skip weeks).
Or, join our low traffic announce list: https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/vmc-announce
The site for the Vancouver local of The Media Co-op has been archived and will no longer be updated. Please visit the main Media Co-op website to learn more about the organization.