A YouTube for the Activist World...Only More Fair

This piece, authored by the independent India-based journalist Frederick Noronha, traces a new trend: online free speech tools meant to support the work of activists, campaigners, communities and citizen journalists in South East Asia and the South Pacific.

As he details here, EngageMedia is a video sharing website distributing works about social justice and environmental issues in the region. Designed by an Australia-based non-profit collective, this is (according to the EngageMedia website) "a space for critical documentary, fiction, artistic and experimental works that challenge the one-way communication model of the mainstream media. The growth of digital distribution tools mean[s that] distributing video online has become a viable option for artists and activists looking for ways to get their work out there. Huge potential exists within these new technologies to bypass the control of big media conglomerates and create our own distribution channels. EngageMedia aims to demystify and provide access to these new technologies, create an online archive of independent video productions using Creative Commons licenses and form a peer network of video makers, educators and screening organisations."

As Noronha reports, EngageMedia is part of a movement indicated by the commercial services provided by websites like YouTube, which also allow people to place self-made videos online. However, there several key differences, which the author outlines. In short, in contrast to YouTube, EngageMedia allows videos on its site to be downloaded for redistribution - its "community"-based platform operates under a free software license - the Creative Commons system, which means that others are free to use and modify content for their own media projects, while leaving the choice up to the producer of the work. EngageMedia is also working to offer a donations model that will channel funds back to the filmmaker.

EngageMedia also diverges from YouTube and similar sites, Noronha explains, in that it has a very clear-cut editorial policy which is conceived of as a foundation for community decision-making. The co-founder of this site describes the policy as follows: "We will accept work that is well researched, well produced and edited; focuses on SE Asia and Pacific; aids in development of social movements; is innovative, engaging or entertaining; and constructive, critical or highlights key issues. We won't accept work which promotes sexism, racism or homophobia or discriminates against dis-empowered members of the community; is advertising or advertorial." EngageMedia is apparently growing from a small core collective, and wants to hand over its editorial control to the community once the community has matured.

Noronha goes on to detail the features of the software on which EngageMedia has been built; one notable feature is that community members can play the role either of member, reviewer, or manager. Further information about these features may be accessed by clicking here. Tutorials are also available on a dedicated section of the EngageMedia website. In sharing these details, the network hopes to pass along its knowledge to campaigners and activists wanting to place their content online, or promote it through myriad ways. Beyond knowing how to compress and upload video, EngageMedia also stresses the importance of developing a digital distribution strategy that is informed by an awareness of the intended audience and their viewing habits. In addition to the standard ways of syndicating and promoting videos on issues such as social justice (television, DVD, cinema, etc.), EngageMedia points to online approaches such as email, blogs, and RSS info feeds, RSS vodcast, peer2peer networks (including torrent trackers). Mobile phones can also be an option for sharing videos.

Noronha concludes by noting that there is a new documentation project being set up to aid video makers in the use of free/libre and open source software (FLOSS) tools. It has been created by Transmission, a network of citizen journalists, video makers, artists, researchers, programmers, and web producers who are developing online video distribution tools for social justice and media democracy.