[diggers350] Re: normal investigative journalism?

Mon May 5 16:29:23 BST 2008

As I can talk only in "personal capacity" I hope a collective answer of 
this emails
could bring you more informations...(hopefully over the next few days)

After the article of the "Daily-rant" a producer from ITN came along 
interested
in the same issue; as I understand, Rampart collective is currently 
preparing a media strategy
to deal with the "spiel concocted for the media".

There are three local campaigns with their own media contacts we are in 
dialogue with :

http://bethnalgreencentre.blogspot.com/
http://www.saveshoreditch.com/
http://open-shoreditch.blogspot.com/

While I personally agree with Simon on the "normality" of this piece of 
journalism, I am suprised by Tony's
abstract and cristallized polemic on the <<us>> and <<them>> of 
"anarchism" and the failure to understand
an <<individualistic and theatrical >> strategy such as the 
situationist's political theatre...
Situationism died 40 years ago in the streets of Paris !!! What happend 
in the 40 years after 1968 ?

I would be interested, in this matter, to listen to the opinion of Colin 
Ward and his self-governing idea of
"anarchism in action"...all about ways of enabling people to take 
control of their lives and partecipate in the
decision-making processes that affect them - in education, housing, the 
environment built and natural, food, even
how water supplies are managed...

Self-governing does not necessary means self-marginalisation !

Massimo

Gerrard Winstanley wrote:
>
> Agreed,
>
> Fact is too many anarchists have a paranoid view of the 'fascist
> media' that too often ends up being a self fulfilling prophecy. They
> fail to understand the situationist concept of political theatre which
> works well with otherwise bored journalists.
>
> They don't see how direct action can resonate through the press and
> see activism as a series of localised events which they only want
> 'alternative' media to cover thus self-marginalising.
>
> People may remember in 1999 we had someone in one of the TV newsrooms
> who happened to be a massive Diggers fan and they were giving us
> sympathetic coverage almost every other day.
>
> Tony Gosling
>
> --- In diggers350 at yahoogroups.com 
> <mailto:diggers350%40yahoogroups.com>, Simon Fairlie <chapter7 at ...> wrote:
> >
> > I can see why a journalist might want to come along pretending to be
> > a punter. That way you are more likely to get ordinary treatment,
> > rather than the spiel concocted for the media. Isn't this simply
> > normal investigative journalism? We'd all be happy for a lefty
> > journalist to phone up Savils estate agency pretending to be a rich
> > client — indeed I've done it myself.
> >
> > Simon
> >
> >
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > From: suburbanstudio at ...
> > > Date: 29 April 2008 08:51:42 BDT
> > > To: diggers350 at yahoogroups.com <mailto:diggers350%40yahoogroups.com>
> > > Subject: Re: [diggers350] 'Estate agents' offer empty homes for
> > > squatrers
> > >
> > >
> > > A bit more background in regard the article
> > > on the Daily "Cry" ...
> > >
> > > During the opening of the squatters estate agents at the
> > > new Shoreditch / London squatted social centre,
> > > (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/396097.html 
> <http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/04/396097.html>)
> > > a very curious guy came along. He was asking many questions
> > > and information beacuse - he said -he wanted to find
> > > a squat for himself...
> > >
> > > The day after, the same guy turn up, with a much better dress
> > > and an NUJ card... he his saying to be a journalist for the
> > > Daily Mail and want to do an article about the squatters estate
> > > agent. The answer was clear from our side.
> > >
> > > We were not interested to collaborate with a journalist we did not
> > > know, and in particularly for the the Daily Mail.......
> > >
> > > Finally the article appeared on the Mail on Sunday, together with
> > > detailed pictures of the building and the "estate agent"...
> > >
> > > I guess now, the question to Miles Goslett, and to the NUJ is...
> > > Why had he to cover up his identity coming along to the social centre
> > > pretending to be a squatter ?
> > >
> > >
> > > Gerrard Winstanley wrote:
> > >>
> > >> 'Estate agents' offer empty homes for squat
> > >>
> > >> By MILES GOSLETT
> > >> Last updated at 01:47am on 27th April 2008
> > >>
> > >> lots of pictures here
> > >> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html? 
> <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?>
> > >> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ 
> <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/>
> > >> pages/live/articles/news/news.html?
> > >> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770>
> > >>
> > >> At first glance, they are the sort of glossy particulars you would
> > >> find in the window of any estate agent's.
> > >>
> > >> But, on closer inspection, most of the properties on offer 'boast'
> > >> some rather unusual features - such as boarded-up windows, possession
> > >> orders and no front-door entrance.
> > >>
> > >> The homes are being offered by Squatters Estate Agents, which has set
> > >> up a 'shop' in a derelict warehouse near the gleaming office
> > >> buildings
> > >> of the City of London.
> > >>
> > >> The new service is advertised on anti-capitalist websites and
> > >> prospective 'tenants' are directed to the premises - squatted, of
> > >> course - in the Shoreditch area of the capital.
> > >>
> > >> A reporter from this newspaper met James, an 'agent' in his late 20s,
> > >> wearing jeans, a T- shirt and several days' stubble, who guided us
> > >> through the details of dozens of ' available properties' on printed
> > >> sheets produced using a digital camera and a computer.
> > >>
> > >> He explained that the service was free and designed to guide others
> > >> like him into new digs.
> > >>
> > >> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html? 
> <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?>
> > >> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770 <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ 
> <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/>
> > >> pages/live/articles/news/news.html?
> > >> in_article_id=562325&in_page_id=1770>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>  