march 2005
writers and progressive publications to launch alternative press association
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Larisa Alexandrovna | Associate News Editor -
Raw Story
Url.: http://www.rawstory.com | larisawriting@gmail.com
February 10, 2005 - Raw Story editors, along with several
other independent progressive journalists and
publications, will be launching the Open Source Press
Association (OSPA) as an alternative to media agencies
such as the Associated Press.
The OSPA will function on four levels: ethics in
journalism, alternative press membership, networking and
projects, resources, anti-smear council, and resources
and distribution.
The Ethics in Journalism Board will vet journalists,
publications, freelance writers and organizations for
free membership, monitor unethical reporting, and present
annual excellence in writing, reporting and publication
awards. The board will be made up of founding
publications, journalists, blogs, and organizational
representatives that run the gamut of progressive press.
The alternative press, including publications,
journalists, writers, and organizations, will allow for
members to share resources, funding and act as a more
inclusive fourth estate. This body will not be a
corporate; it will not be beholden to anyone to report on
certain topics. The ethics board will provide stringent
reporting standards for journalists, publication, etc.,
and various other standards to be followed by other
writers writing in different sub-genres of journalism.
The Networking and Projects arm will allow for a
collaborative, safe, environment for publications to post
projects in need of writers and for writers to post work
in need of publication. The collaboration will be
Web-enabled or function through an office.
The Fairness in Journalism Council arm of the OSPA will
function as a safety for members who are attacked,
threatened, smeared or discredited unfairly for reporting
the truth.
The arm of Resources and Distribution will allow members
to share legal council, have free access to knowledge
bases; including a proprietary OSPA knowledge base,
provide a single RSS feed of information, syndication and
aid in distribution. Members will have access to
publishing, agents and educational resources as well.
The OSPA is designed to bypass the sometimes inaccurate
and unquestioning reporting of the mainstream press. It
is designed so that journalists like the late Gary Webb
are able to find work; so that publications working hard
to get the truth out are not silenced by financial
burdens or smear campaigns. It is designed to allow for
the true fourth estate - the media - to be reborn in
truth and founded in ethical principles, not corporate
bottom lines.
Journalists, publications, and reporting organizations
are welcome to submit statements of interest. OSPA hopes
to begin credentialing membership organizations soon.
Contact Larisa Alexandrovna at larisawriting@gmail.com to
express interest. The group will be setting up an
autonomous website soon. [enditem]
OSPA - Article + many interesting comments at Url.:
http://tinyurl.com/5fwru
Fwd. by:
FOREIGN PRESS FOUNDATION
http://tinyurl.com/4ar5e
Editor : Henk Ruyssenaars
http://tinyurl.com/5uvtv
The Netherlands
FPF@Chello.nl