[Commons-Law] Communication Rights Form is Creating Pre-WSIS Focus Groups
Soenke Zehle
soenke.zehle at web.de
Thu Aug 21 18:40:03 IST 2003
[fwd CRIS email]
Anyone interested? I am not sure yet, but think that commons/opens source
issues are more likely to receive proper attention in 'media divcersity and
communication for development' (see list below) - could be, as CRIS argues,
a good vehicle to get not-quite-mainstream-yet-OSS positions into an
international NGO campaign.
best, sz
Dear All
The majority of you have been in touch asking how to participate and
support the CRIS campaign. When I mentioned the idea of developing
Thematic Working Groups around 4 key areas most of you showed a high
level of interest.
So first of all, I have to apologise for the long delay between your
enquiries and this response. For some of you I am aware that it has been
particularly long. However we are now ready to start the ball rolling.
We have decided to hold back on making the attached anouncement public
as we felt that it was necessary for small groups to start working
together first. At a later date we hope to enlarge these groups once
they are functionning comfortably.
If you are still interested in getting involved with the CRIS campaign
at that level, then please do let me know which group you would like to
part-take in and advise me of the email address you wish to use for
this.
Attached you will find a "public" announcement and the Terms of
References for the groups, so you know what it is that we are hoping to
develop over the next few months. As for the hours committed, this is
more of an average and we will not be counting. What we aim for is to
welcome people that are happy to spend some time sharing their already
existing work and experiences to take us forward.
A very big thank you to Kirstin Sharmas for all her help.
Bestest
Myriam Horngren
CRIS Advocacy and Network Coordinator
c/o WACC
357 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY
Web: http://www.crisinfo.org
Tel: 44 (0) 20 7582 9139 ext 226
<<Terms of Reference TWG draft 1.rtf>> <<public communication draft
1.rtf>>
Terms of Reference
The CRIS Campaign
Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS) is a campaign to
ensure that communication rights are central to the information society.
The campaign is sponsored and supported by the Platform for Communication
Rights
(http://www.crisinfo.org/live/index.php?section=5&subsection=0&doc=2 ), a
group of Non-Government Organizations involved in media and communication
around the world.
CRIS definitions and aims
"The information society" denotes the pervasive role of all traditional and
new media technologies in organizing global peoples and cultures. The focus
of the campaign is based around 4 priority areas and through research and
advocacy we hope to enrich and promote a discourse which situate
"communication rights" within the wider movement for Civil Society.
CRIS themes
Inspired by the CRIS charter (see attached), the CRIS themes are:
1) Information Security:
Reclaiming civil and political rights in the information society
2) Intellectual Property
Rights on Communication and Culture: Reclaiming the use of knowledge and the
public domain
3) Media Diversity and
Communication for Development: Creating spaces for democratic environments
4) Access: Securing
equitable and affordable access.
CRIS Thematic Working Groups (TWGs)
In order to facilitate the development of the campaign's discourse on the
designated CRIS themes, four Thematic Working Groups are being developed.
Purpose
The working groups are intended to support the CRIS campaign by producing
advocacy, educational and informational content on issues related to
communication rights. Each groups' role will be to actively develop and put
forward aspects of the debate surrounding communication rights and
communication for development.
Objectives
Development of discourse and strategies
. The first task to be undertaken by each TWG will be
an in-depth analysis of its specified focus area. Each group will provide
an 8-10 page Thematic Brief which:
S
Identifies and defines the key issues related to its focus area;
S
Develops a realm of discourse around these issues which adheres to the
governing principles of the CRIS charter; and
S
Specifies appropriate demands and attainable, timely objectives for the
campaign related to the group's focus area.
These reports will serve as an assertion and explanation of the CRIS
position on specific communication rights issues and governance priorities.
To maximise their impact and relevance, the briefs are to incorporate Gender
as a cut-crossing theme throughout the research.
. Each group will
summarize its Thematic Brief into a two-page pamphlet for public
communication. The purpose of these pamphlets is to:
S
Involve and consult the public on the establishment of communication rights
issues;
S
Encourage public debate on such issues; and
S
Increase public knowledge and understanding of the CRIS position on
communication rights issues.
The groups' suggestions on issues, policy and actions should be abbreviated
into four key areas which still convey the full scope of the thematic
discourse to the public.
. Each TWG will
outline a work plan with specific, achievable goals; this outline will
contribute to the formulation of a general CRIS strategy.
Consultation, Publication and External Relations
. Participants in the
groups will be expected to respond to editorial demands and to provide
content to external agents on an ad hoc basis. This includes but is not
limited to
a) providing content for any press release distributed by the CRIS
campaign;
b) providing statements in reaction to policy plans and
implementations;
c) producing campaign documents (either as new research or education and
introduction materials).
. Participants will
be expected to identify areas of co-operation with Civil Society movements
and establish links with them in order to develop common themes and
discourses.
. Participants will
be encouraged to attend relevant international events linked to their
thematic area. (CRIS is actively seeking funding in order to provide grants
for such attendance).
. Each group will
post documents and materials on the CRIS website as they are developed.
Monitoring
. Thematic Working
Groups will monitor events and international policy initiatives and
developments in their focus area in order to provide informed and
well-considered advice to the campaign on relevant international issues when
they arise.
Procedures and Meetings
Membership
. TWG members must be
in full support of CRIS's vision and aims and must demonstrate such support
by signing the CRIS charter.
. Members must be
willing to commit at least 10 hours a month to working on the campaign; this
time commitment will not necessarily be evenly distributed, but will be on
an as-needed basis dictated by relevant events and demands.
. CRIS is
particularly keen to involve people from the "South" in the groups.
Although English is the primary working language of the CRIS campaign, all
published CRIS documents will be translated into French and Spanish. CRIS
will also endeavor to have as many documents as possible translated into
Portuguese and Italian.
While the intention is that Thematic Working Grups will operate as
teams, CRIS seeks to include scholars, practitioners and activists already
involved in communication and media research and activities. This will
ensure that participants are able to situate their existing professional
activities within the context of the campaign, thus contributing much-needed
expertise while simultaneously enriching their own program of work through
group discussion and increased public exposure to their ideas.
Meetings
Group work will be conducted on-line, initially through list-serves, and
possibly later on discussion boards and when possible, face to face.
Coordinators
The campaign is also looking for volunteers to coordinate these groups.
Responsibilities for TWG Coordinators include but are not limited to:
. Chairing group
meetings
. Serving as a point
of contact and accountability for the thematic groups and the CRIS campaign
coordinator.
. Liaising with
specific designated members of the CRIS International Organising Committee
for official campaign docs (such as campaign demands etc)
. Organising and
distributing work and activities
. Coordinating
workplans
Contribute to CRIS!
Communication Rights in the Information Society (CRIS) is a
campaign to ensure that communication rights are central to the information
society. The campaign seeks highly-motivated individuals to join one of
four Thematic Working Groups to support the campaign in its research and
outreach capacity. The CRIS campaign is calling on media and communication
experts to help define and advance the realm of the campaign's discourse on
issues related to four key themes as per the CRIS Charter
http://www.crisinfo.org/live/index.php?section=3&subsection=2
· "Information Security"
· Intellectual Property Rights on Communication and Culture
· Media Diversity and Communication for Development
· Access
This is an excellent opportunity for scholars, practitioners and
activists already involved in communication and media research to see their
work implemented by an international campaign promoting communication rights
and civil society. Getting involved will allow participants to situate
their existing professional activities within the context of the campaign,
thus enabling them to contribute their much-needed expertise while
simultaneously enriching their own program of work through group discussions
and increased public exposure to their ideas.
While the work to be done by the groups is both timely and urgent, CRIS
intends for no participant to have to contribute more than ten hours a month
to the campaign. By incorporating volunteers' existing research, and
through group cooperation, each group should be able to meet ad hoc
publishing and monitoring demands without undue responsibilities placed on
any individual
By joining one of these groups, you can help ensure the saliency
and success of the CRIS campaign. It is the Thematic Working Groups that
will make CRIS's platform both relevant and vibrant. We welcome
communication specialists who are willing to undertake such a commitment and
who will make the most out of networking with like-minded communication
researchers and activists.
For further information, please contact act at crisinfo.org
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