Planning Forms Completed 1Q12 Media

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Working Group Name:

Media Working Group 

Meeting Schedule and place

Every Weds at E5 7-9p and Sat 2:30-4:30 E5 (BPL starting Feb 18th)

Contact

Two (2) contact People with contact info: Gunner – gunner@occupyboston.org, Farhad farhad@occupyboston.org, Eli eli@occupyboston.org, Deb S. Butler amberpaw@gmail.com

Working Group Purpose or Mission:

OCCUPY BOSTON MEDIA WORKING GROUP MISSION STATEMENT

The Occupy Boston Media Working Group works to document and publicize the occupy movement with the intention of fostering growth therein. The Occupy Boston Media Working Group operates in several spheres: Blog, Social Media, and Website; External Press; Photo, Video and Livestream; Independent Journalism; and Calendar.

Our mission statement in each of these spheres is as follows:

   * (I) BLOG, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WEBSITE* 

(A) To maintain the OccupyBoston.org blog as well as the official Occupy Boston social media channels (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc) and facilitate, with other working groups, all sections of the website.

(B) To create content for the above channels promoting the activities of Occupy Boston, the Occupy Movement, and the larger economic justice movement.

(C) To use the above channels to collect and disseminate media coverage -- both mainstream and independent -- of Occupy Boston, the Occupy Movement, and the larger economic justice movement.

(D) To facilitate the use of the above channels by other Occupy Boston working groups, caucuses, and related affinity groups.

   * (II) EXTERNAL PRESS* 

(A) To serve as the default liaison between Occupy Boston and the external press.

(B) To issue official press releases on the behalf of Occupy Boston.

(C) To facilitate the production of official press releases by other Occupy Boston working groups, caucuses, and related affinity groups.

(D) To create major media campaigns to influence and/or impact the mainstream media's coverage of issues relevant to Occupy Boston, the Occupy Movement, and the larger economic justice movement.

(E) To provide media trainings to members of Occupy Boston to prepare them for interactions with the external press.

   * (III) PHOTO, VIDEO, AND LIVESTREAM* 

(A) To visually document events and actions within Occupy Boston.

(B) To facilitate such documentation by other members of Occupy Boston and provide related training.

(C) To provide a central clearing house for visual media relevant to Occupy Boston, the Occupy Movement, and the larger economic justice movement.

   * (IV) INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM* 

(A) To create works of journalism that raise awareness about issues relevant to Occupy Boston, the Occupy Movement, and the larger economic justice movement.

(B) To facilitate the creation of such works by other members of Occupy Boston.

(C) To facilitate the dissemination of such works either through our own channels or through external channels.

   * (V) CALENDAR* 

(A) To facilitate the maintenance of the Occupy Boston calendar by other Occupy Boston working groups, caucuses, and related affinity groups.

Steps (objectives) the Working Group hope to take over the next 6 months toward achieving this purpose or mission:

· Continue weekly meetings for Media WG

· Continue media coverage of Occupy Boston events, actions, gatherings, GAs, and other related Occupy Boston actions

· Continue monitoring the coverage of the Occupy Movement and Occupy Boston from the mainstream and alternative media outlets

· Continue to engage and further develop relationships with the mainstream and alternative media outlets

· Improve collaborations and communication between Media WG, OB Radio, OB TV, Liverstreamers, and Boston Occupier in order to provide improved coverage of Occupy Boston

· Improve collaboration and communication with OBIT with regards to website and other tech needs regarding OB media channels

· Develop system for other OB working groups, caucuses and related affinity groups to access media support for events, meetings, gatherings, and related Occupy Boston actions.

· Amplify Occupy Boston, the movement’s messages and the issues of economic justice, economic inequality, and social justice issues through communications

· Train and develop media skills of Occupy Boston members of working groups, caucuses and related affinity groups through workshops, media summits and other opportunities

· Collaborate with other Occupy groups in Massachusetts and around the country in amplifying the Occupy movement messages.

· Increase visibility of Occupy Boston through mainstream and alternative media channels

· Increase Occupy Boston’s use of current OB media channels and continue to develop new and creative media channels

· Encourage and develop works of journalism/media that raise awareness about issues relevant to Occupy Boston, the Occupy Movement, and the issues related to economic justice movement.

Itemize resources, including money that might be needed to accomplish these objectives: Current resources:

Free/No cost:

Celly text system

Facebook

Twitter

All ready purchased:

Computer with editing software

3 hot spots (one currently needing repair)

Rent at E5 through Feb 2012

Cost Related

Current:

3 Hotspots and monthly wifi plans

Currently: $150 per month (funds were approved by GA already)

New/Additional:

1 new hotspot

1 repair/replace broken one

(Would like to increase to 4 hotspots in total)

Additional:

$150 equipment – 1 new hotspot and 1 repair/replace broken one

$50 for another hotspot plan

Total: $200 hotspots monthly

$1200 for 6 months

Current:

E5 office rent ($400 per month)

Paid thru Feb

Additional

Continue office rent

$2400 for 6 months

New

Hard drives

2 @ $250

Total $500

Resources to hold Events – trainings, summits, etc…

$500 for 6 months

Materials/printing/copying

$250 for 6 months

Press passes/credentials

$220

Travel reimbursement: for Inter-occupation related summits and New England region Occupy groups

$1250 for 6 months

Additional Media equipment TBD

$5000

Total:

$11,470

Actions we expect to take to help get the resources and money needed for the work we are planning:

Currently, we are planning a dance party fundraiser in early spring and identifying potential donors. We may also be interested in a specific “we pay” button, but this has not been fully discussed in media working group as of yet.