Comments on: CCTV Interviews AliveinBaghdad.org Founder http://colinrhinesmith.com/2007/01/31/cctv-interviews-aliveinbaghdadorg-founder/ Exploring digital media and culture Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:57:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Eli http://colinrhinesmith.com/2007/01/31/cctv-interviews-aliveinbaghdadorg-founder/#comment-5772 Eli Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:27:23 +0000 http://colinrhinesmith.com/2007/01/31/cctv-interviews-aliveinbaghdadorg-founder/#comment-5772 Messed up the AIB link above. Visit <a>aliveinbaghdad</a>.org. Messed up the AIB link above. Visit aliveinbaghdad.org.

]]> By: Eli http://colinrhinesmith.com/2007/01/31/cctv-interviews-aliveinbaghdadorg-founder/#comment-5770 Eli Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:25:32 +0000 http://colinrhinesmith.com/2007/01/31/cctv-interviews-aliveinbaghdadorg-founder/#comment-5770 Thanks for posting this, Colin. (Slight delay on the commenting, but I did notice!) I was struck by Brian's commitment and ambition, as well as his insightful criticism of both established, commercial media AND grassroots, activist media organizations. In the interview he points out how both generally fail to provide the people closest to the story, Iraqis living in Baghdad, for example, with a way to express their daily experience that extends beyond a soundbite or quotation. It made me think of other projects dedicated to giving people the means to make their own media, from the <a href="http://www.promediosmexico.org/" rel="nofollow">Chiapas Media Project</a> to some of David Isay's audio documentaries (like <a href="http://www.soundportraits.org/on-air/ghetto_life_101/" rel="nofollow">Ghetto Life 101</a>). These projects do not have the same aim as <a href="www.aliveinbaghdad.org" rel="nofollow">aliveinbaghdad.org</a>, where the focus is on approaching an alternative, day-to-day journalism, but there is a common methodology- the "producer/instructor" provides means of production and some instruction, then steps back (to varying degrees, depending on the person/org). I think it's a good reminder to anyone who is producing documentary work, especially if it is inter-cultural, to think hard about whether their purpose might be better served by allowing the "subjects" to share, or take over, authorship. Even in such situations the "producer/instructor" is often necessary, if they have the privilege of access to quality equipment, knowledge of how to use it, and potential to help distribute the work. Thanks for posting this, Colin. (Slight delay on the commenting, but I did notice!) I was struck by Brian’s commitment and ambition, as well as his insightful criticism of both established, commercial media AND grassroots, activist media organizations. In the interview he points out how both generally fail to provide the people closest to the story, Iraqis living in Baghdad, for example, with a way to express their daily experience that extends beyond a soundbite or quotation.

It made me think of other projects dedicated to giving people the means to make their own media, from the Chiapas Media Project to some of David Isay’s audio documentaries (like Ghetto Life 101). These projects do not have the same aim as aliveinbaghdad.org, where the focus is on approaching an alternative, day-to-day journalism, but there is a common methodology- the “producer/instructor” provides means of production and some instruction, then steps back (to varying degrees, depending on the person/org).

I think it’s a good reminder to anyone who is producing documentary work, especially if it is inter-cultural, to think hard about whether their purpose might be better served by allowing the “subjects” to share, or take over, authorship. Even in such situations the “producer/instructor” is often necessary, if they have the privilege of access to quality equipment, knowledge of how to use it, and potential to help distribute the work.

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