Meeting Context: The mainstream media working group was an opt-in group held along with parallel sessions which included:
- Borders support - people who are not allowed in the UK
- Street Medics
- Legal / Anti-Repression
- Discussion Topics Brainstormed:
- Monitoring mainstream media/Media watch
- Existing media networks
- Press statements re the Tubingen meeting
- Developing a strategy to deal with media in emergency / worst case scenarios
- Media training/skills sharing workshops
- Rural action/possibility of media blackout and how to counter it
- There is currently a proposal to have a phone number/phone that is passed around with a log to track who/what media has called and what has been said. There is also the potential of having a one-way list to send information to journalists about events.
- Press strategies may be useful to gain logistical concessions from police/government
- A strategy in the past has been for everyone to use to use the same name when dealing with the media. This was done in Evian
- It was noted that all Dissent meetings and action reports are on the web and are thus available to journalists
- PROPOSAL: Work on the Tubingen press releases
DISCUSSION OVER PRESS RELEASE CONTENT
- The initial press statement had the suggestion of placing a focus on the 'violence' of the G8 and how we are organising against that; against the violence of Bush and Blair. However it was felt that the anti-war movement focuses a lot on Bush and Blair. There is a need to focus in general on global capitalism and the G8 as an architects or prefects of the system.
- It was suggested that the press statement does not use he word violence
- While the question was raised as to "Why is it necessary or important to issue a press statement?" this question was not debated at great length. It was noted that while Dissent should not spend a lot of time on media issues, there was optimism, that the media would probably carry the press statement from the Tubingen meeting. Thus the press statement was seen as a nice opportunity to tell people what the more radical parts of the [anti-G8] mobilisation are about.
- Suggestions as to the content of the press release included the points:
- Meetings are public
- The G8 is a problem
- The Problems caused by global capitalism far outweigh Dissent
- The number of countries represented at the Tubingen meeting.
- It was noted that there is a need for translations of various press statements.
- It was suggested that it may be useful to put an 'Editor's note' on the press release mentioning sensitivity shown towards Dunblane because of past events however this suggestion was not acted upon.
- It was suggested that the press release may want to include the fact that the people who are organising demonstrations for 2006, 2007 were at Tubingen but it was decide that this was too much information.
- A point was made that when writing a press statement Dissent should try and minimize what is out in a press statement. If you give too much information the media may be selective with what they print.
- It was noted that while email lists up until now have not been used to take decisions, there is a need to use email for decisions
- A decision was made for a small group of 3 people to take the spirit of the points raised in the media discussion and work on the press statement. This group would then feedback the press statement to the group.
Mainstream Media Feedback Session to Group:
Sunday, February 27, 2005 - 3:45pm
Group of about 60 people (20% were women)
- The proposed press statement was read out
- The list of countries was amended and expanded
- Suggestions were made to amend additional actions to the list of activities. The list of additional actions included "No Border" campaigns, as well as information tours by Trapese. It was noted that the press release was envisioned not as the minutes of the entire weekend.
- A debate emerged over various words such as "co-ordination" and "eco-village." The debate around the words in the press release was evidence of a constant consideration of how the media would interpret various words and phrases. This discussion was consistent but jovial.
- The Press Release was agreed upon and individuals were tasked with translating and distributing it.
**Press Release**Press Release**Press Release**Press Release**Press Release**
International Anti-G8 Meeting in Tuebingen, Germany