Yesterday, there was a story on No Media Kings aired on Italian national public radio. The show was called Dispenser, and though I understood not a word I was impressed by how lively it seemed: there was dance music backbeat and, at one or two points, a baby’s voice.
UPDATE: Filippo Angeli graciously did a translation of the article, click to continue reading. Thanks Filippo!
25/11/2003 – steal my logo and
become a publisher : no media kings challenges
The fact is very controversial. Many kids download mp3 files from the net, happy for not bear to the laws of the major, but above all happy for not spend money for music.
Meantime, the crisis caused by this phenomenon, is pushing the major to buy each other. They are less and less and more powerful.
Casarini (member of No-Global Movement in Italy) shouted in TV “NO LOGO!!”, but on his fleece there is the “Helly Hansen” logo, and the people at home wonder why?. Carpenter that made chairs shouldn’t feel ashamed to be paid for his works. Writer and musicians yes, and we don’t know why. In this complicated frame, I repeat frame (bailamme is a French word), Jim Munroe swims against the current.
In 1999 the Canadian writer Jim Munroe published for Avon his first book, with a catchy title, “Flyboy action figure comes with gasmask”. After the publication of the book, Avon has been bought by Rupert Murdoch and become part of the publishing empire HarperCollins.
Jim Munroe, has been always an independent author and already a collaborator of the famous “opposite information” magazine Adbusters, lived with uneasiness this acquisition. The idea that his book is now Murdoch’s property, businessman defined by Jim without compromise a “manipulating bastard”, pissed Jim off.
Jim feels that is time to get in action against the superpower of the gatekeepers of communications.
First he decided to found his own publishing house called, purposely, “No Media King”. He published his own the second book titled “Angry Young Spacemen” and opens “nomediakings.org”, on which he makes available the book for free download, take it away from Murdoch’s copyright.
But this is only the beginning.
Munroe wants to push other independent writers to follow its example and invites anyone to self-publish their own works, making available his brand “no media kings”. In the opinion of the author a good cover with a catchy layout will make it similar to the other published by the official publisher (the Murdoch’s one)
Munroe, who is involved for long time in the fanzine circuit, is a true theorist of “do-by-yourself” culture.
For this reason he gave tips and guides, on his website, to the aspirants writers about the realizations of their first novel, from the concept, to the distribution and promotion passing through the production.
It concludes with an invite to “steal his logo” and show different example of other that followed his invite.
Unfortunately all this is addressed to the US public, but a lot of cues are useful also for who want to follow its example in our country (Italy).
Meantime the volcanic Jim has been pushed towards new territory, like the one of the digital productions, realizing the cd-rom based review “novel amusement”.
It’s a video fanzine, rich of curious movies, clips by independent band and interviews. You can subscribe on-line, but it’s useless to tell that the generous author made available many clips on-line, with the instructions to make one by yourself.
So, a fall of ideas that put our Dispenser “empty” and the most important creative handbook ever seen. This not-king of media deserves all the our unconditioned enthusiasm.
-Matteo B Bianchi.