[Foundation-l] FW: [Wikinews-l] Proposal for the creation of a Wikinews foundation

Wed Aug 22 22:44:51 UTC 2007

Forwarded from Wikinews-l

Can we all agree on one list for this? Preferably Wikinews-l?

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian McNeil [mailto:brian.mcneil at wikinewsie.org] 
Sent: 23 August 2007 00:44
To: 'Wikinews mailing list'
Subject: RE: [Wikinews-l] [Foundation-l] Proposal for the creation of a
Wikinews foundation

I would like to point out that in the UK the situation is not one where the
NUJ is stigmatised for the word "union". Within the UK if you wish to
operate as an independent journalist submitting freelance work membership is
effectively a requirement. It is your "press pass".

That is the basis upon which I have based the introduction of the word
union, as well as the fact that I believe the organisation is more important
in representing its members' interests. Credential verification becomes
"yes, so-and-so is a member in good standing", and it means more than
they've just paid their dues.

Whilst disputing the name may well be counting angels on a pinhead, we do
need to look at who we will be associated with. WMF is a given, but should
we be linking up with the IFJ? Should - as an example - UK members look for
dual membership with the NUJ? Will other press groups even take us
seriously?

Brian.

-----Original Message-----
From: wikinews-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org
[mailto:wikinews-l-bounces at lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Craig Spurrier
Sent: 23 August 2007 00:05
To: Wikinews mailing list
Subject: Re: [Wikinews-l] [Foundation-l] Proposal for the creation of a
Wikinews foundation

Calling it a union have a few problems. A union (at least in US usage) 
refers to a collection of employees who unite for collective bargaining 
and to provide its members with benefits such as unemployment 
insurance.  The other problem with this is that it is not really what we 
are trying to accomplish. We need something that provide us with an 
organization who users can claim membership with, who will confirm the 
claim as well as provide support services for the users.  Unions are 
also for the most part thought of poorly in the US.
-Craig Spurrier
[[n:Craig Spurrier]]
Thunderhead wrote:
> Perhaps "Wikinews Community Union", or perhaps on a wider scale, we could
have a "Wikimedia Volunteer Union". Both of these emphasize that the
community is involved with the accredidation, while showing that there is a
level of authority that oversees the accredidations, and can write letters
(in a sense of authority) for the reporters if nessesary (like previously
mentioned with Sean at G8). 
>
> Of course, we could always go with "Wikinewsie Editors' Service
Association", which implies that we only help Wikinewsies, and that we don't
really control the Wikinews domain (or have corporate authority over
Wikinews). Plus we've already got the domain ;-)
>
> --
> Thunderhead
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Wikinews-l at lists.wikimedia.org
> http://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikinews-l
>   

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