WG/Media/Minutes/11022012
Edited Notes from Emergency GA – Media Response/Outreach Breakout Group
11/15/2011
Contact: OB-Media@occupyboston.org
Edited by: Eli (efeghali@gmail.com)
Unedited notes: Link
If you haven’t already, text “occupyboston” to 443322 to join the emergency text network
NEXT MEETING: Sunday 11/20, 1:00PM, meet at Gandhi Statue
“Runners”
o Group of people on outside in direct communication with one another and the outside world, counting cops, monitoring locations, developments, ect.
Does media need walkies?
o Would enable clear communication in the event of a raid or urgent action
o Harder to cut off by police? (in case 3g/wifi down)
o Would need to bring a proposal to GA for $$
Verified Twitter list managed by official account
o So people can follow that list to get centralized place with high quality OB tweeters
The need to sort out access to official account
o In case current people with access get arrested, can’t be there, ect.
o Need to have a small group of people inside and outside camp with access to account since that will be the most trusted source of information
Code words?
o Cops listening in on everything, will slow them down
o Objection: we are about transparency, and the cops will have codes anyway
Turning people out when sh*t goes down!
o “We need to surround the cops, as much as they surround us”
Phone tree!!
o Setting up a network where people are connected so when something goes down, one person gets a call then calls three other people, and each of those people call three other people, ect.
o Internal vs. External phone tree (for media team, and for outside supporters to turn them out)
Really pushing the emergency text system
o Reminders everyday on website, social media
o If we can get thousands on it, then it will be a really effective way of turning people out and getting good information out
o Need to make sure enough people know how to use system in case of arrests (redundancy!)
o Will give us access to people’s phone numbers to, in case we need to make calls?
Emergency flyer ready to go so people on outside can distribute the night and day after raid
o Info on where to go / what to do / donations / ect.
o Plaster around city
2 elements of the plan needed: night of raid and the day after
o “Also, besides night-of plan, need a next-day plan—people are going to immediately be in jail—to cut through: here are the next steps for people outside to do.”
More cameras!
o Photos are really effective. During OWS raid, one comedian was live tweeting with pictures.
o The need to get high quality, low cost equipment in as many hands as possible
o Someone suggested flip cams, but someone else responded that they had bad experiences with them (low battery life, low storage space)
o Another suggestion for ipod touches / old iphones (lots of support)
o Potential proposal to buy cameras for media to distribute among campers (and noncampers?)
Livestreaming
o UStream on phone is free, need to train many people, multiple accounts, ect.
o Multiple live streams are important (so that when one goes down, others are available)
o Important to film slowly – don’t jolt around much
o A call for people to be aware that the world is watching, so don’t say obscene jokes, swear at cops, ect.
o If someone knows someone in a tall building nearby…
o Coordinate with livestream working group (live@lists.occupyboston.org)
Protecting equipment
o Ed note: in OWS raid cops destroyed laptops
o “People who have cameras that aren’t uploading immediately—try not to get arrested b/c camera will get confiscated”
o Ed note: Not always possible in heat of moment if getting good footage
o Need a plan to move essential equipment into hands of people inside and outside camp during raid, and move some out of camp so it won’t be confiscated and destroyed
Contact with other Occupies in area, Universities, Student working group
o Can help get a huge turnout
o Ed note: Coordinate with interoccupy?
Battery Issues
o “Livestreams –on cellphones—batteries are dying—the guy in ny last nigh had a 10 hr battery that costs 30$ -- techies in Cambridge will have those they could donate—put out call”
o High recommendations for “Enercell” portable charger for apple products (w/ micro usb for Android phones) – link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Enercell-Portable-Power-iPod-and-iPhone-1800mAh-/200674191070?pt=US_Batteries&hash=item2eb91d26de#ht_500wt_1361
o Potential proposal to buy a bunch of these portable chargers?
Emergency command center at E5
o Idea: during a raid, 2-3 designated people head to E5 to monitor social media, write press releases, have unfettered access to computers and internet
o Doesn’t it close at 10? Could we get it opened for emergencies?
o If not, maybe we could find an alternative location? Someone’s apartment?
Media command center within camp during raid
o w/ backup electricity ; barricaded so when they swarmed the camp we could keep tweeting and get tweets until they got to us
Accuracy
o “when it’s happening—have to be careful the info is accurate—ex., regrouping—need to be sure it’s right spot; be careful”
o Strategy for accuracy? Redundancy
Other notes
o Problems with DA not having charged phones
o Internet is on the camp, but slow and overloaded—so if anyone can put out a call for donations for wifi spots (Cops may be able to just block it on the night)
o Need for coordination with Legal and Jail Solidarity
o Concern about uploading multimedia immediately as it might affect legal cases
o Pushback: think about uploading pictures immediately and whether they have legal ramifications or are used as evidence. If we are peacefully demonstrating it will be in our favor
o People on Facebook not necessarily on Twitter, etc.; very siloed in, on one platform—important to move the info from one to another
o “Look at other communities: always ask—what’s your name as someone is being arrested” “Also asking for badge numbers” (Ed note: Make this announcement at GAs?)
o ‘Getting the story out to mainstream media, getting them—need a press release, ready to go out, a comprehensive, emergency media plan”
Ed note: Emergency checklist!
o Airplane pilots have comprehensive checklists for everything from mundane takeoff/landing to every signal emergency you can imagine. No matter how serious the situation, they follow the checklist because that gives them the best chance of success.
o Maybe we need an emergency checklist to make sure that in the heat of the moment we don’t forget anything.
Ed note: Didn’t talk much about external media
o Something that we should flesh out more in subsequent meetings
We realized that we needed to meet again to finalize things and start sorting out holes that needed to be met, proposals that need to be crafted, ect.. There was a feeling that we should bring in more folks from the ob-media team as many weren’t present. There was also a feeling that maybe this should be a temporary bubble within the media working group so we can stay focused on emergency issues.