Camp for Climate Action 2008

Be The Media

Last year, the media team was part of the networking working group and the alt media provision was not a climate camp working group at all but simply a bunch of people pitching in under the indymedia brand and quite disconnected from camp process. This year, there is a media working group consisting of the camp media (circus) team and alt media provision all operating under the banner 'be the media'. The budget is already approved.

(Speaking of working under the banner 'be the media', the huge banner used at the big green gathering last year is available. [photo] It needs collecting from the chiswick area of west london or it will go up to manchester and can come back down with the manchester neighborhood)

What's Planned

Basically it's all the stuff expected from an Independent Media Centre, along with the facilities required by the media team to liaise with the main stream media. Bringing it together should aid communication and flow of information. Provision includes an open access internet suite, space and facilities for audio and video editing, photo desk, reporting lines, camp radio, collection of daily newspapers.

Reception

In an attempt to address concern about previous years, there will be a reception area with somebody there on rota to greet people, find out what they want and advise them who to see, where to go or when to come back. This reception applies equally to the mainstream journalists on site needing help arranging interviews, people involved in alt media projects or individuals looking to check something online or upload photos.

Photo Desk

Located near reception, a dedicated computer will be set up and staffed at specific times to ensure quick and efficient processing of people photos (although in theory it is possible for people to use the thin clients terminals to do this). The photo desk will be equipped with a card reader, bluetooth and other usb adapters to connect to mobile phones etc. Photos will be stored centrally (see network attached storage) and metadata/details taken from the contributor to ensure things credit and licensing conditions are retained with the images. Throughout the day, somebody will check contributions and select some suitable for uploading.

Camp Radio Studio

There will be a radio studio producing daily live and recorded content, streamed on the internet and broadcast throughout the camp so that people in neighborhoods can stay informed. The camp radio will operate from a separate tent adjacent to the main media tent. It will be used for live shows, editing and as a space for people to record audio interviews at other times.

Video Studio

The video studio will also be a separate tent close to the main media tent. It will be used for interviews to camera and perhaps also by people doing video editing at other times. Due to power constraints, people editing video on their own laptops may be restricted in terms of time to ensure sufficient power for other users.

Open Access Suite

Something like eight computers will be set up for general web access use. Although this is a thin client system designed to consume relatively low power, it will still be necessary to restrict opening times to specific time slots depending on the power situation. Times will be advertised on a notice by the entrance. The space is intended for people writing reports and other uses will be discouraged if necessary.

Workshops & Training

Workshops will be run daily in the media space on the days of the 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and/or 9th August.

These include the media training workshops run by the media team.

Please put your availability in dates when you are putting down details of workshops. Also please only put down workshops that are confirmed when you know for sure that you or the person leading the workshop can definitely do them.

DEADLINE IS WED 16TH JULY

Workshop Times

(some are run simultaneously hence a,b,c )

• 4th Monday

11:00 
a) Security, privacy and encryption.
12:00 
a) Reassessing our approach to media 

• 5th Tuesday

11.00 
a) 112 volt and renewables workshop/walkabout
b) Meet up for Video activists
c) Meet up for Photographers
12.00 
a) Phones as tools for change
15:00
b) Meet up for radio media activists

• 6th Wednesday

11.00  
a) Content of media - what we want
 

• 7th Thursday

11.00
a) Taking, editing & publishing better direct action photographs

• 8th Friday

11.00 
a) Pre action day video activist meet up
b) Putting your Media online 
12.00 
a) Alternative Media Distribution Channels

Workshop Descriptions

Security, privacy and encryption

Facilitator: Mike Harris

Length: 60 mins

Description: a workshop to cover concepts such as computer security, logins, passwords, mailing lists, wikis and forums, what is and isn't private, how to encrypt your data using GNU Privacy Guard (GPG), secure connections using ssh and SSL. Will focus on Linux, but also consider Windows and Mac.

Reassessing our approach to media

Facilitator: Ben

Length: 60 mins

Reassessing alternative media and activist relations with the mainstream - our goals and how well we've achieved them.

12 volt and renewables workshop/walkabout

Facilitator: Ray-Mundo

Length: 1 hour approx

Description: Ray will talk about solar panels, wind generators, different types of batteries, accessories, strategies for getting the charge-storage-usage equation right (e.g. how many panels, how many batteries, how much supply for how long). This workshop may well involve a short introduction at the Be The Media tent followed by a walkaround site to look at the various installations from a practical viewpoint.

Phones as tools for change

Facilitator: Ben

Length: 60 mins

Mobile phones as a reporting, organising and communication tool, including SMS, and asterisk automated voice systems.

Content of media - what we want

Facilitator: Ben

Length: 60 - 90 mins

Content issues - spectacle, conflict and binary reporting in alt media vs depth, document ion, issues and solutions

Taking, editing & publishing better direct action photographs.

Facilitator: Gary

Length 2 hours

Description: Improving the quality of DA pics for Indymedia & other DIY sites & publications. How pics of even tame actions can, with more thought to composition, viewpoint, framing & technical camera knowledge can be turned into interesting & dynamic pics, avoiding common faults. Many examples of good & bad pics.

Putting your media online

Faciliator: mickfuzz

Length: 60 mins

Description: A short guide to capturing and getting your audio video online. Using Audacity Avidemux and other appropriate capturing tools.

Alternative Media Distribution Channels

Facilitator: mickfuzz

Length: 60 mins

Description: A short guide to distributing your video work with a Video podcast. Looking at the Miro player and Channel guide, RSS2 (with enclosures), Wordpress.com, Blip.tv, and Archive.org. We'll look at these free online resources and talk about strategy for getting video work more audience.

Infrastructure

Marquee Spaces

It looks like camp structures group have agreed to supply the following: 1x 20ft x 40ft (for our main space) 2x smaller gazebo type structures (for an offsite media space, and a video studio space)

Additionally we have access to two 6m x 4m tents

We were hoping to have a single public space, sufficient the house all or most of the following inside:

• public internet space
• photo/video/news desk for grass roots media groups
• contact point for camp media
• meeting space / daily news papers

One or more of the 6m x 4m party tents could be put up behind the main tent to use as the 'back stage', private areas for studio space, meetings, interviews, and escaping. The dedicated spaces required include the following:

• radio studio (quiet'ish, off to the back space)

• video studio (quiet'ish, off to the back space)

• media liason (a kind of reception space I guess. to meet journalists and reduce the chance of them wandering around working space)

• off site covered space for mainstream media interviews outside of the two hour media access slot.

Onsite Server

The on site server is a relatively hi spec laptop running applications for the thin clients. We will also utilise it for other services to avoid the need for having additional hardware turned on...

Web Portal

A web portal will be served out on site from a web server running on the BW LTSP server laptop. It should contain the following information skinned to match the C4CA website itself:

• Indymedia UK newswire C4CA 2008 feed (http://indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2008/climatecamp/)
• Climate IMC newswire (http://climateimc.org/en/frontpage/feed)
• Feed of recent photos from the camp (via a Flickr account that will be editorially controlled)
• Feed of recent videos from the camp (via blibtv)
• Usual set of useful links: C4CA website, Indymedia UK, BW, other IMC sites and portals relating to climate change etc.
• Google search box
• Important camp information feed
• Camp press releases
• Mainstream media coverage feeds (possibly a feed of links using something like Asaph to generate them)
• Lastest share price ticker of E.ON (http://ir1.euroinvestor.com/irstaticcharts/eon_xetra.png)

Caching Proxy

The server should also provide a caching web proxy (squid) so that bandwidth demands are reduced and apparent speed increased. This might need fine tuning to ensure greatest efficiency with the indymedia site etc.

Network attached storage / file server

The photo and video pool (and probably other things) will make use of network attached storage kept in a safe place. We have a budget for drives and were thinking of mirroring the drive for additional security. We might also want to consider using an encrypted filesystem if possible.

Internet Connectivity

Satellite from psand, supplemented if possible by 3g routers (three or t-mobile pay-as-you-go)

If 3G works on site, we can load balance between the two connections during the day. During the night and periods of low use, we can shut off the satellite in order to save power (~70 watts) as the 3G router uses much less.

Power Requirements

Previous years have proved that this space is by far the single biggest user of power on site. This year we are estimating that the space will consume between 200 and 800 watts of power during the whole time.

The peak would be on the day of action with lots of public access and uploading and editing on their own laptops. The minimum would be running the satellite conx, some wifi, voip phones, and a couple of laptops for newswire or for the media team in a kind of back office set-up. We could cut this down further if 3G works on site. The sat kits uses about 70 watts compared to 15 watts for the 3G wireless router. Add two thin clients at say 20 watts and the server at say 40 watts, we should be talking as low as 100 watts minimum including voip phones and wifi.

Bristol Wireless say that a dozen thin clients working hard, plus the ltsp server, a switch and the psu's, would all draw under 240 watts in total. That's a third or perhaps even a quarter of the power per client compared to a modern hi spec laptop. People should be encouraged to use thin clients rather than powerful laptops when possible and practical. Just four people using their own laptops could equal the entire demand of the thin client suite and server.

We should try to arrange our peak load to match our peak delivery of power, ie. assuming it's sunny, peak should happen around 1pm to 4pm. We should also try to stagger and prioritize different uses. For example, not have the open access suite in use when the live radio show is being broadcast as this not only means less noise and disturbance for them but also means they are a lot less likely to find the power going too low and disrupting the show.

We should be very carefully about agreeing to charge peoples devices unless there really is power to burn.

The power working group should be included in the loop on this.

Provider	Type/set-up	Max hours @ 200w	Max hours @ 800w
Sat Van built-in	12volts x 220Ah, 2 x 85w panels
Ben	6 x 100Ah 12v batteries, 2 x 80w pv, 2 x 30w pv, 4 x 10w pv, 20amp pv regulator, 600w cont invertor, 300w cont invertor, wind turbine 200w@6m/s plus dump regulator,
Sam	UNTESTED - Brand new rig, Batteries in a slightly unknown state. 24v/ 240v x 2000ah. 340w panels. 1kw wind turbine. Inverter rated 3kw.

Whos Bringing What

Ben

 * Draytek dual WAN/3G router (with unlocked 3G modem, three & t-mobile PAYG sims) with wifi and higain omnis plus 11dBi directional 3g antenna = 15 watts
 * wifi client/ethernet bridge (so we can connect LAN to another nearby tent without wires)
 * x3 Thinkpad X20 (PI/II, 800mhz), PSU, no drives but boots over PXE = ~25 watts each
 * x1 sub notebook PII 333mhz celeron runs on 15v, firewire, pccard ethernet, needs hd, no os currently = ~20 watts
 * 2ghz dual core laptop with firewire = ~80 watts
 * Peavey RQ200 mixer for radio (can run on x2 9v PP3 batteries) = ~5 watts
 * power stuff listed elsewhere

Bristol Wireless

 * x8 newer thin clients for open access suite = ~140 w total
 * x4~ older thin clients for media team, news desk, reception = ~60w total
 * ltps server, switch, psu, cables etc = ~40w

Comms Provision

(in addition to the provision of two ways radios etc by the comms group.)

public phone lines

Info line number

Mostly used in early days with recorded info such as directions to camp, shuttle bus locations and times, tide info etc. It is unlikely that this would be updated much as the sms systems are better for dynamic up-to-date info. Additionally there would also be the option to be forwarded from this number to the others mentioned below.

This should be a local rate number and the caller would pay their standard call rate for making these calls. There would be no cost incurred by the camp.

Press enquires number

For mainstream media press enquires which forward to the mobiles of the media team. It will allow multiple simultaneous incoming calls to the single number and ring whichever phones are not already engaged, one of which will hopefully be answered.

Ideally, the number would be a premium rate number so that the caller (the corporate media) cover the cost of forwarding the call and the camp doesn't pick up any of the cost.

Reporting line number

Used by activists in the field to report or update on actions/incidents. This incoming info is used by alt media coverage, sms alerts and keeping the media team informed etc. Callers have the option to leave a recorded message for publication on indymedia and use by the radio team etc. ie. audio reports/interviews. Callers may also hop across to the options provided by the info line. Additionally there would be the option to be forwarded to the legal support number for reporting arrests etc.

This should be a local rate number and rhe caller would pay their standard call rate for making these calls. Any calls forwarded to mobile phones would incur call charges to the camp amounting to roughly 10 pence per minute.

open SMS alerts

(using twitter.com)

camp bulletins

People sign up to this to receive bulletins relating to on site news such as changes to programme, emergency meetings, call outs for volunteers by working groups, etc.

action alerts

People sign up to this to receive bulletins about actions / incidents taking place (mostly) outside of the camp. It would be useful to anyone needing to stay informed about the big picture during actions days, be it people on the media team, legal support, journalists, or anyone else to whom up-to-date information would be useful or desirable.

working group sms systems

(probably using twitter)

legal support

An sms group for the legal observers and the legal team which would enable them to effectively contact each other with things like requests for help/replacements etc.

media team

An sms group for the media team which would enable them to effectively contact each other with things like requests for somebody to speak to a camera crew at the main gate for example.

police liaison

An sms group for the police liaison team which would enable them to effectively contact each other with things like requests for liaison at an emerging confrontation/incident.

spokescouncil sms

An sms group of all the neighbourhood dedicated phones in order to alert on call spokes to come to a spokes meeting (this might be duplicated by the camp bulletin alerts).

On site phone system

A system of hard wired phones will be installed in key spaces to compliment the onsite two way radio system. This will consist of phone extensions located in key central infrastructure spaces; comms, the gate, media space, legal support, and the site office etc Use of this system will reduce clutter and traffic on the two way radio which means less stuff for the cops to listen with and less crap the people with radios need to listen to which is irrelevant to them.

There are no costs involved in using the on site radio unless we choose to provide facilities to dial an outside line in which case calls would be the same as whatever the cheapest pay as you go mobile phone tariff available.

promo text for welcome pack

Under the banner 'Be The Media' you will find the camps media centre to help us present our own stories as a counter-measure to the often simplistic and conflict-based accounts presented in the mainstream media.

Protesters are often portrayed in the media as hysterical, or even violent. The true story of climate camp has been one of colourful and creative protest,

Climate Camp is a rich and diverse exploration of positive action on climate change, and ways to build alliances by the many different communities who are stepping up their efforts to take real action, and to take it now, before it is too late.

The space is open to everybody in the camp who wants to be involved in grassroots media productions and documentation of the camp. There will also be workshops and skill sharing, plus opportunities to met up with others to collaborate on coverage during the camp (see workshop program).

grassroots video makers, photographers and bloggers can use this space to create their own media coverage of the camp, infrastructure, workshops, discussions and actions.

Another story which often goes untold is the informative and intelligent workshops and plenary sessions on creating alternatives

Media activists and independent media creators will also find the e camp a great opportunity to network with each other and share their skills, equipment and enthusiasm for presenting an alternative view. Participants in the space can learn from each other how to publish their blogs and photos, and edit, compress and upload their videos. These skills stay with them after the camp to continue to create the kind of participatory media which has the power to bring the community into national conversations on the most important issues of our times.

Other Online Resources

• Indymedia UK Climate Camp 2008 newswire
• Camp for Climate Action 2008 News Links
• Squat Telecoms
• draft 'book' / text