Photo by Evan "ecstaticist" Leeson (Creative Commons)

It’s a rainy, Thursday morning and there’s nothing good on tv (aside from feats of human excellence on CTV). We’ve collected some TNMH-related/social media links into a handy blog post to print off, email, or read to your friends and family.

• First up is a futuristic cyberlink to  True North Media House’s Flickr Group. The awesome image above was shared in the group’s photo pool and taken by the incredibly talented Evan Leeson.
• Jennifer Jones analyzes a few olympic tweeters including @2010tweets, @tnmh, and @W2Woodwards.
• Deborah Jones examines journalistic independence during the Vancouver Olympics.
• The Tyee covers an extensive list of social media people and sites based in Vancouver.
• Canada.com profiles their team of social bloggers including Robert Scales, Nadia Aly, Mariska Richters, Dave Olson, Rebecca Bollwitt, Kris Krüg, and John Biehler.
• Kris Krüg’s PBS photo essay on the Olympics covers TNMH, W2Woodwards, and a host of social media mavens.

By Cherisse Dye and Jason Sanders

Gifts were then exchanged between the Four Host Nations and the Yukon chiefs. The local First Nation hosts welcomed the visitors with handcrafted blankets and cravings while the Yukon chiefs thanked them with five pieces of Northern artwork.

Dakamada Dancers.

The attendees were then led to a globe outside the initial presentation area where comedians, actors, dancers, drummers and singers entertained them for the next forty minutes. Each song, dance, or scene told a short, but important part of First Nations’ history.

Dakhka Khwaan Dancers

Boyd Benjamin

Raven Spirit Dance

As the performance came to an end, the collective troupe poured out onto the stage and into the crowd for the finale, proudly celebrating their First Nation heritage with the audience. An excellent end to an excellent Sunday morning.

With the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics a mere work week away, some of the social media members of Vancouver took a contemplative look at how they’re going to approach the Games and events.

Rebecca Bollwit’s website, Miss 604,  is an encyclopedic trove of dates, times, event descriptions, location guides, and Olympic news. Her Vancouver 2010 RSSencapsulates the many events occurring around the Lower Mainland into blog posts featuring Granville Island, the Richmond O Zone, Robson Square, and some of the participating country pavilions, just to highlight a few. Besides her blog, Rebecca can be found  on Twitter tweeting live Olympic coverage.

John Bollwit’s photojournalistic endeavour took him through the city and up the mountains in order to document some of the new, and/or refurbished, locations around Vancouver. In his travels, John covered the new Olympic Line streetcar (and dry erase messaging system), the Downtown Core, the Athletes Village, and Whistler. He also outlined some his feelings about the Olympics in an optimistic blog post that considered the many different–and difficult–issues surrounding the games. John can also be seen on Twitter.

I haven’t forgotten about the politics on the local and worldwide scale. They are always there, and I can’t forget about the issues of homelessness in Vancouver nor the hefty price tag that has come with these games. Nothing I can say in a blog post could answer all of those problems, but I will be watching closely once everything is done to make sure those promises by VANOC are held accountable.

That being said, my hope and dream is to absorb the atmosphere that the games will bring upon Vancouver. I’m not sure where that might lead me, but we’ll ride the wave and end up where we end up. Be it total chaos to amazing opportunities, people, and new friends, I’ve been enlightened with stories by others who have been to games past. It prepares you as much as opens up avenues to all sorts of other questions.

I have been invited to the opening of Pride House, which will be hosted at Qmunity. The opening is on Thursday February 11th(which sadly, is one of the days I teach, so I am not sure how I’m going to juggle my schedule). But I really want to support this worthy initiative. I find that it’s hard to find any openly-gay Olympians (with the exception of my idol, Matthew Micham, World Diving Champion and Olympic Diving Champion). Qmunity is at 1170 Bute Street, almost corner of Davie. The opening is from 2:00pm to 3:00.

Kris Krüg of Static Photography followed the Olympic torch up to Prince George, snowshoed and dog sledded around the Arctic wonderland, and headed back to Vancouver’s metropolis just in time for the torch’s arrival. A consummate Vancouver photographer, Kris captured the city’s key Olympic landmarks — Canada Hockey Place and The Richmond Oval – in beautiful HDR on Flickr and 3d collage on Photosynth. In addition, Kris is actively uploading all Olympic related photos to his Flickr stream to be shared, downloaded, and enjoyed the spirit of Creative Commons. You can follow Kris on Twitter, Flickr and Youtube.

Robert Scales of Raincity Studios and Vancouver Access 2010 is heading up one of the most active and up to date independent Olympic sites on the Internet. Utilizing Flickr, Twitter, Youtube and roving social media reporters, Vancouver Access 2010 is bringing current Olympic news to the masses as it happens. Literally. What they’ve done best is distilling the schizophrenic schedule of events occurring around the city into several simple guides of fun. The most popular post by far is their Guide to Free Attractions which highlights a serious amount of entertainment available in the city for everyone. Robert’s already hit up the Robson Square Zipline and a few open houses like the impressive CODE Live. You can follow his Olympic exploits on Twitter, Youtube and Flickr.

Vancouver photographer, Bev Davies, hit the Olympic streets with her camera last week and has already begun capturing street demonstrations and corporate commericial presences on her Flickr stream for all to see. Her Olympic schedule for the next few days includes a visit to the W2 Independent Media for it’s grand opening on Wednesday — where they’re showing some of her photos of D.O.A. –, Robson Square Zipline and a few after dark events.

I will be going to the opening of w2 wed morning between 9 and 10 am. I also have a photo show there 13 Photographs of D.O.A. on the Mezzanine off the main floor gallery. I will be doing other things that include the mind bending changing colour of the lights in Ontario while staying in Vancouver. All I need to do is get there when it is dark in ontario and not after 7pm here (bands come on at 7pm). It sounds like a bit of party central because it is open until 2 AM. Also I will be riding the Zip line 6 stories above Robson Street. I will try not to forget that D.O.A. are playing at the Rickshaw Feb 20. Anything thing else that sounds good and is free let me know. bev101 on twitter.

Note: Originally Posted by Ethan Clow at Radio Freethinker on January 29, 2010. Re-posted here on: February 9, 2010.

Last week in January, Dave Olson joinedRadio Freethinker, a Vancouver based skeptic radio show, to discuss civil rights and security during the Vancouver 2010 Olympics with Rob Teszka, Ethan Clow, and Daniel Gipps. Throughout the hourlong show they covered the  ineffectiveness of CCTVs, how these security systems impact rights, and how media will be affected during the Olympics.

Radio Freethinker episode 47 – Hour long Olympics episode, we discuss civil rights, security and media with special guest Dave Olson.

Song: The Official Theme song of the Vancouver Whistler 2010 Olympic Games by Geoff Berner

Links:

Dave Olson: http://uncleweed.net/ and http://truenorthmediahouse.com/

Mike Adams “what skeptics really believe”

CCTV and security cameras: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/the-big-question-are-cctv-cameras-a-waste-of-money-in-the-fight-against-crime-822079.html

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hors292.pdf

http://v2010isu.com/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=516&languageId=1&contentId=6821#faq-sp-venues-cctv

http://privacy.openflows.org/lyon_paper.html

Bill 13 – MISCELLANEOUS STATUTES AMENDMENT ACT, 2009 http://www.leg.bc.ca/39th1st/3rd_read/gov13-3.htm

Events:

UBC Freethinkers

Note: Originally Posted by Robert Scales at Vancouver Access 2010 and Mike Browne at DOXA on January 29, 2010. Re-posted here on: February 1, 2010.

Robert Scales , founder and former CEO of Raincity Studios, introduces a webisode from Andrew Lavigne’s documentary, ‘With Glowing Hearts.” The film chronicles the Vancouver Winter Olympics’s effects on the homeless in the Downtown Eastside and it’s constantly evolving relationship with social media.

Andrew Lavigne, a filmaker has been working on a project called “With Glowing Hearts” a documentary film about the use of social media and the upcoming 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver..

In this webisode, Kris, Dave and Rebecca speak about an ad-hoc project we have been tinkering with since November 2008, it’s called the True North Media House.

Mike Browne at DOXA summarized two previously released webisodes in the series and introduced TNMH’s clip with brief bios of Kris Krug and Dave Olson.

The website accompanying the film, WGHTheMovie.ca, as well as a blog,webisodes and more information about the film has brief interviews with some of the players.

…

The latest webisode highlights the folks at True North Media House, featured are two local social media gurus, Vancouver photographer Kris Krug (@kk on twitter) and his counterpart story maker and social media activist Dave Olson (@uncleweed on twitter):

WGHthemovie.ca- Webisode #2 ‘True North Media House’ from Andrew Lavigne on Vimeo.

Note: Originally written by Stephanie Levitz for The Canadian Press on September 26, 2009. Re-posted here on: September 29, 2009.

Due to the growing popularity of blogs and services like Twitter, the organizers have begun to cautiously embrace social media to boost interest in the Games.

For the 2010 Games, the Canadian Olympic Committee has given accreditation to a handful of web-based outlets, mostly to ones who follow the Olympics on a full-time basis.

There will also be a citizen journalism space for the Games, being set up by a group of social media advocates in Vancouver.

B.C.’s unaccredited media centre for the Games has also opened up space for bloggers and received seven applications for its 30 available spaces.

Note: Originally Posted by Bob Mackin on 24 Hours on July 16, 2009. Re-posted here on: July 16, 2009.
24 Hour News’ Bob Mackin interviews Dave Olson and Kris Krug on the new W2 Community Media Arts Centre where the True North Media House will be housed.

An alternative to both VANOC’s official media centre and one sponsored by the provincial government is proposed for the new Woodward’s complex.

Social media strategist Kris Krug said talks are underway to host the True North Media House in the W2 Community Media Arts Centre.

“We’re just a bunch of kids who are doing social media and online media and we just want to cover the Olympics,” Krug said. “We’re banding together to share sources, resources, photographers, places to work, press briefings.”

Krug and Dave Olson are leading a local new media group that sought access to the Games through VANOC and the B.C. 2010 Winter Games Secretariat.

Follow this link to read the rest of the article.

Note: Originally Posted by Jeff Lee at The Vancouver Sun on November 24th, 2008. Re-posted here on: July 15, 2009.

Vancouver Sun reporter, Jeff Lee, considered the media’s role in the Olympics and highlights Dave Olson’s open letter to VANOC as an example of the changing environment.

So it was a bit surprising to discover that the Vancouver Organizing Committee seems reluctant to include some types of online reporters in its planning for the 2010 Games. On Thursday Vanoc was asked in an open letter from Dave Olson, an online writer with Raincity Studios, to allow some of his colleagues to attend the World Press Briefing.
They didn’t get an answer. But on Sunday, Renee Smith-Valade, a.spokeswoman for Vanoc, sent the following hopeful email to me.

“Undountedly online media and the Internet as a news source and foum for discourse continues to grow phenominally. That’s why we have spent considerable resources to make our website our number one source of information and why we will continue to look for ways to make it a platform for discussion as well as information and purchasing. We welcome online media interest from all sources and were encouraged to see online media representatives registered for the recent World Press Briefing.

Please follow this link to read the rest of the article and the enlightening discussion in the Vancouver Sun comments.

Note: Originally Posted by Bruce Sharpe at 25 Hour Day on July 7, 2009. Re-posted here on: July 15, 2009.

Bruce Sharpe thankfully covered Robert Scales’ and Andy Miah’s Northern Voice 2009 presentation: ‘Then and Now… Citizen Media and The Olympics.’

Coverage of the Olympic Games is dominated by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) contracted rights-holder and accredited major media conglomerates. However some feel there is a role for crowdsourced documentation of both sporting events and the cultural context in which it happens.

This expert panel discusses changes, challenges, and opportunities facing grassroots media makers around the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games.

From Northern Voice 2009.

Please follow the link to read the comments and download the video via Bruce’s site.

Note: Originally Posted by Will Pate at WillPate.org on November 25th, 2008. Re-posted here on: July 15, 2009.

Will Pate takes a brief, but detailed look at Dave Olson’s open letter to VANOC and discusses the motivations behind Raincity Studio’s True North Media House.

Several of the folks in question are colleagues of mine, and represent Raincity Studios, the web studio I’m proud to say I co-founded. Kris Krug, Robert Scales and Dave Olson are tireless social media practitioners, trainers, authors and conference organizers. They represent the best of what Canada does when it comes to the ongoing evolution of journalism through technology. They are treated with the respect due to recognized experts outside Canada, it would be a loss for the Vancouver games to overlook great talent in their own backyard. It would be a win to build on what they learned using social media to cover the Beijing 2008 Summer Olypmic Games.
Nor should social media as a force for good and bad PR be overlooked. The news has been filled in the last few years with stories of journalists, politicians and businesses tanked by bloggers and cameraphones. But my colleages are not proposing to build a virtual lynch mob, interfere with the major networks who pay good money for exclusive coverage of the events, or otherwise tarnish the image of our beloved Vancouver.
My colleagues want to help the mass of people who will arrive to watch and create social media at the games. I would like to see VANOC and the IOC reconsider bringing them to the table, at least so their exclusion doesn’t become a story that detracts from what I expect to be a most successful event.

Please follow this link to read the rest of the article.

Note: Originally Posted by Darren Barefoot at DarrenBarefoot.com on November 25th, 2008. Re-posted here on: July 15, 2009.

In response to Dave Olson’s open letter and the Vancouver Sun’s commentary article, Vancouver blogger, Darren Barefoot, dissected the Olympic news situation by looking at the opportunities available to social media.

This feels like a good place to start. As Dave says, social media types aren’t expecting all-access passes to the gold medal hockey games. He’s right to point out that there’s a big hole to fill in the media coverage for such an event. I was thinking about it, and drew this little Venn diagram:

Venn Diagram by Darren Barefoot (CC)

The CTVs and CBCs are going to have the major, breaking news covered. It’s all that green space–that’s where social media creators can live. Through various channels, I’m seeing several ways forward for benefits for both parties. Social media creators get some tools, resources and access to help with their citizen journalism efforts, and VANOC enjoys a whole new layer of news coverage. Such a partnership would also highlight Vancouver’s place as a global for new media, citizen journalism and the like.

To read the rest of the article please follow this link.

Note: Originally Posted by Geoff Dembicki at The Tyee on March 23, 2009. Re-posted here on: July 14, 2009.

What happens to the overflow?

There’s no doubt come 2010, Vancouver will be a media circus. On top of the 10,000 accredited media anticipated by VANOC, a further 3,000 “unaccredited” passes will be issued by the British Columbia International Media Centre.

Scales was accepted into this second group, and plans to show up at Robson Square Plaza each day for official briefings and meetings with other reporters — though he’ll be barred from all Olympic venues. As thrilled as he was to receive access, he’s concerned that untold legions of bloggers, citizen journalists and tech-savvy spectators won’t benefit from the same resources.

“What happens to the overflow?” Scales asked. “Are they not entitled to cover the same stories? Are they not entitled to have a space to collaborate?”

For the past few months, Scales and Krug have participated in talks aimed at starting an alternative media centre. The True North Media House is still a work in progress, but could see 500 Games-time passes issued to everyone from international broadcasters to figure skating bloggers. Scales and Krug envision a social media hub where pros and amateurs trade sources, avail themselves of speedy upload technology and gain access to First Nations, protest and cultural groups outside of conventional channels.

“There’s going to be all these people who aren’t sports journalists who are here to figure out what Vancouver’s about,” Krug said. “The centre is about harnessing all these individuals doing alternative or outsider coverage of the Games.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Next Steps

With the Olympic Games barely a year a way, it’s time to organize the next steps of the campaign for an independent, alternative media centre before, and during, the 2010 Winter Olympics and Para-olympic Games in Vancouver and Whistler, BC. We aim to create an inclusive, apolitical and collaborative space for grassroots media creators to creative and publish content about sport and culture.

If you are ready to become further involved in this effort, we invite you to a follow-up meeting with the aim of forming some task-oriented committees and creating a board to organize this project over the next year.

Details

February 3rd, Tuesday

6:00pm ~ 7:30pm

at Raincity Studios

1 Alexander, Suite 420 (buzz #420 for access)

Gastown, Vancouver, BC

Agenda notes

At this meeting, Robert Scales will discuss his conversations with the BC Independent (unaccredited) media centre and discuss some conversations with curious collaborators and corporate supporters. He will also preview the “Social Media and the Olympics” panel at the upcoming Northern Voice conference in which noted Olympic scholar Dr. Andy Miah from the UK will share his experience and knowledge (see his essays in “Owning the Olympics”). Dave Olson will offer a few remarks about the Vancouver2010.com web focus group meeting including the IOC’s “constraints” and VANOC’s evolving web strategy.

In addition, the agenda will include ideation time and input from all participants and an opportunity to offer skills (and superpowers). Along with forming a board and committees, we’ll plan next steps and meetings, including a possible event to mark the one year countdown to the Games.

‘get in where you fit in’

Come with ideas and leave with follow-up items and projects to lead. To get things started, Robert, Kris and I propose to organize three committees for starters and then break out task forces and sub-committees as needed, ergo:

Robert Scales – Partnerships (sponsorships, fundraising, gov relations, corp outreach)

Kris Krug – Operations (programming, volunteer, facilities, finance, logistics)

Dave Olson – Communications (brand, messaging, media relations, web site, blog etc.)

Please use the Wiki to collaborate on organizational structure ideas and suggest topics to add to the agenda.

Sign-on

If you plan to attend, please register at the Google Group.  Sign up for the Group with a Google ID and we’ll approve your request as soon as possible. http://groups.google.ca/group/vancouver-2010-alternative-media 

There is also a Google Wiki Site – confusing? Sure. The Group manages the mailing list and has informal group work space. The Site is more of a Olympic Media resource toolbox. Your account needs to be approved but then you can add/edit content and share resources. Everyone can poke around. Twitter @uncleweed to get added to the Site as a collaborator http://sites.google.com/site/vancouver2010alternativemedia/

Notes

For the record, Dave Olson (the writer of this release) is no longer employed by Raincity Studios but continues to work with colleagues Scales and Krug on this project – it’s all good.

PS My apologies for the short notice.

Originally posted by Dave Olson at Raincity Studios on December 5th, 2008

Thank you for sharing

Very pleased to see so many smart and engaging personalities co-mingling ideas and energy at Raincity Studios last night for our open conversation about the Olympics and “all of us”.

The 48 attendees represented many ages, motivations, backgrounds, and media channels from blogs, pods, newspapers, PR peeps, photographers, and so on. By the end, the conversations were bubbling and gifts exchanged and enthusiasm mounting.

My colleagues and I wanted to set the tone for a productive and inclusive project for anyone to participate in – no matter where they come from physically or philosophically. Scales and Krug’s remarks pointed out that we are apolitical, eager, and open for collaboration. I also think the passion for making media, changing the landscape, and being truly welcoming to our international peers came through.

What do you think? It’s up to all of us to grab ahold and create something noteworthy. Are you in?

Coverage of the meet-up

As usual, if I’ve missed a resource, please drop a comment to share your thoughts.

• Raul wrote an epic VANOC 2010 Indie Social Media Meeting Liveblog with help from raincoaster
• Protocol 7 blogged Vancouver Soc/Alt Media Centre and asked some solid questions about naming
• trishussey and others flowed the twitters with the #2010socmed hashtag: http://twemes.com/2010socmed
• Independent Media Center and the year 2010 with Dave Olson a video by Jess Sloss (socialsquared) Independent Media Center Discussion
• Ianiv captured portions via a Qik video stream (your mileage may vary)
• 2010Vancouver.ca wrote a preview call to action 2010 “Independent Media Centre” Grassroots Initiative Kicks Off With Inaugural Meeting
• Newslab previewed as well: Vancouver social media meet-up over 2010 Winter Olympics
• Here’s the public chat for banter about the project

Next steps

- Talk about what this centre might be – write on your blog, with your friends, on your podcast, twitter, facebook, whatever … but i encourage you to speak and brainstorm publicly about where could it be, what kind of programming, who’s invited, how do we manage it, how do we pay for it?

- Tell your friends/colleagues/contacts – this project will require diverse resources from legal advisers to catering connections – spread the word and see who’s interested in this experiment.

- Join up – there is a Google Group and a Google Site – confusing? Sure. The Group manages the mailing list and has informal group work space. The Site is more of a Olympic Media resource toolbox. Sign-up. Ping me for collaborator permissions for the Site.

Group: http://groups.google.ca/group/vancouver-2010-alternative-media

Site: http://sites.google.com/site/vancouver2010alternativemedia/

UPDATE: Sign up for the Group with a Google ID and I’ll approve your request as soon as possible. Twitter @raincitystudios or email dave (at) raincitystudios (dot) com and i’ll add you to the Site as a collaborator – be sure to sign up as a Participant to declare yourself involved. – daveo Monday, Dec. 8, 11:07

- Educate yourself – read the Protecting the Brand and relevant Copyright legislation, subscribe to Olympic-studies blogs and become an expert at something to share with the community.

- Create media – there are heaps of Olympic related stories going on now – both sporting events, venue construction/completion, along with budget boondoggles and contract snafus – write/pod/vlog etc.

- Hang out – the Skype channel didn’t really get going as planned last night, but since I made a Vancouver Independent Media public chat, i’ll keep the lights on for the banter

Photos

Vancouver 2010 Independent Media Centre photos by Roland on flickr