The Rise of DIY Media in the South West

As the latest issue of both Hard Copy and the Bath Bomb hits the streets (and the net), it seems there is a growing wave of DIY media! Bristol Indymedia writes: With exclusive stories and some of the best articles and news from the Bristol Indymedia website, it's the only local newspaper that is free, ad-free and copyright free (all content is under a Creative Commons licence!) Hard Copy is news made by people for people. Issue 2 has exclusive stories on pollution at Cabot Circus and an inside view on the Poles in Bristol – plus much more. We have started distributing Hard Copy, but you can help us build a people-media network across the city; can you spare 5 minutes to deliver issues to your street? Can you ask your local cafe, pub or community centre if they would like some? We welcome help with distributing issue 2 of Hard Copy...Full article.

Other media activity includes Dialect radio, news on the Women in Bristol monitoring the media and a Bristol Indymedia Volunteers Chat (20th October 6-7pm, at the Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol). We have also seen bloggers posting interesting articles to the site including recent contributions from; onthelevelblog.com (article), noborderswales.wordpress.com (article), eveningpostwatch.wordpress.com (article) & peoplebeforeprofit.wordpress.com (article)

| Hard Copy Issue 2 Article & PDF | www.bristol.indymedia.org/hardcopy | More Media News: Local shop Treble Rock Music bounces back - antidote to the Cabot Circus nightmare (Dialect) | Bath Bomb #15 out now | Women in Bristol monitoring the media | Bristol Indymedia Volunteers Chat (20th October 6-7pm, at the Folk House, 40a Park Street, Bristol) | The Ongoing Decline in Local Media: ITV Cuts | National News Editors to gather in Bristol this November | Cabot Circus Shows Us That We are Now the Real Media |

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As the Credit Crunch Impacts the Region Voices are Raised in Protest, Dissent and in Search of Alternatives

The Financial Meltdown has arrived in the South West as Bristol Evening Post Watch observes: Just one week after the Post greeted the opening of Carboot Circus with the most ridiculous and uncritical hype they are today reporting the first closure of one of the luxury stores as the economic crisis begins to bite the retail sector. Full article.

While PeopleBeforeProfit calls for protests: Nobody needs to be told that we are in the middle of a global economic crisis of vast proportions. We are facing a global recession. The neoliberal ideology that has dominated for so long is in tatters as free market warriors carry out the biggest nationalisations in history. For millions of people the downward spirals on the stock exchange will play out in low wages, job losses and house repossessions...Protest "We won't bail out the bankers". Friday 10 October, 4pm - 6pm Outsite Bradford and Bingley, Colston St, Bristol City Centre (near fountains) Bring whistles, drums, and instuments. (Image: Protest against Wall Street baill-out last week) Full article.

While Parky explores the other options to Capitalism; Capitalism is in crisis and we are not any closer to articulating what an alternative might look like. Here in Bristol we should be talking and thinking about alternative economic systems. If we are heading towards a serious economic crisis then this is the moment when anarchists need to start demonstrating alternative ways of doing things. Full article.

| Cabot Crunch | PROTEST: We won't bail out the bankers | Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare | Related News/Links: South West Repossessions Rise Above National Average | Participatory Economics | advicecentresforavon.org.uk | eveningpostwatch.wordpress.com | peoplebeforeprofit.wordpress.com |

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Bristol Indymedia Film Night: Monday 6th October 2008 8pm @ Cube Cinema

The official verdict of Dr Kelly's tragic death is suicide - but is this true? Why were so many deals about the death so different form other suicide cases? If it was not suicide, then what happened? What were the 'dark forces' referred to in Dr Kelly's cryptic emails? Bristol Indymedia is pleased to present a talk by Norman Baker MP, author of the acclaimed book 'The Strange Death of David Kelly' who will be talking about his research and answering questions on the subject. July 17th 2003: On the eve of the Iraq war, with international tensions at their height and the drum-beat for war reaching its shocking crescendo - a man is found dead in the Oxfordshire countryside - but this is not just any man. This was a world renowned weapons inspector, the 'unnamed expert' in the controversial BBC reports over the veracity of WMD claims and at the epicentre of a global media storm, Dr David Kelly. Full article. Tickets are now available - £4 + booking fee from the Here Shop, 103 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RU.

| Bristol Indymedia Film Night: Who Killed Dr David Kelly? | Venue: Cube Cinema: Dove St South (off Kings Square), Bristol | politicospublishing.co.uk | Related News: AUDIO Dialect - Westcountry doctor speaks out on the murder of Dr. David Kelly | AUDIO - Death of David Kelly part II & Why police upped cannabis to Class B?|

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A Critique of the New Cabot Circus Development & Banner Drop News

Further Updated! While Del Naja of Massive Attack critisied the development, ...how to spend 500 million pounds and bring the city to its knees- a star studded night of portable TV celebs, shopping debt repayment collectors and total auto gridlock.... (via Bristol Blogger) cabot writes: '50% Off Everything, Everywhere, Everyone' reads the voucher that was posted through the door today. Could Cabot Circus really be offering credit-crunched bristolians 50% off everything? On closer reading all is explained - "The advertised price of goods under UK law is only an offer - called an 'invitation to treat'. It is legal to negotiate. You may get better discounts if you talk to the manager as part of a large group offering to pay the same price."...Full article.

Updated! Crunch Cabot writes; CRUNCH CABOT CREDIT CIRCUS was emblazoned across the vile new complex’s advertising hoard in plain view of motorists arriving through the newly routed, soon to be congested, road system that snakes around the £500 million project that offers yet more sterile, soulless, capitalist consumerism. Full article.

Updated!The bristol-blogosphere has responded to the new development with a number of interesting posts around the subject and it's coverage; Evening Post Watch writes about Joined up journalism and Bread and Cabot Circuses, The Bristol Blogger notes the Nichols ripple trickle piffle and that BBC ain’t life brand? finally, the Green Bristol Blog observes the Cabot Cacophony.

George Nonbio writes; “Roll Up, Roll Up. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the unique and splendiferous; to the fantastic and extraordinary...the Cabot Circus Launch event! This will be a day of amazing performances, incredible music and a theatrical extravaganza” says the welcome message on the Cabot Circus home page. The Visit Bristol website reads "Having taken over three years to build and costing in excess of £500 million, Cabot Circus will provide city centre visitors with over 120 new shops, including 15 major flagship stores." What neither of these sites remember to mention is that around 40 of these so called "new" stores already exist in Bristol, many will simply be moving up the road leaving empty shells in Broadmead and yet more in the Galleries, as yet some of the spaces that will be created still have not been filled. Another issue conveniently neglected is that on the day of the grand opening one third of the new units in Cabot Circus will stand empty as branches will not have moved in and contracts still have not been signed. The city is simply over saturated; we already have at least one of each high street chain... Full article.

PS. Tickets are now avalible for the Bristol Indymedia Film Night; Who Killed Dr David Kelly? Event on; Monday 6th October 2008 8pm @ Cube Cinema, Stokes Croft, Bristol. Tickets are £4 + booking fee from the Here Shop, 103 Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1 3RU. Thanks!

| Cabot Circus showing solidarity with hard up bristolians.. | Cabot Circus - wealth generator or consumer cult? | Screening of the zombie classic, Dawn of The Dead | CRUNCH the Cabot CREDIT Circus | Oh What a Circus | Gridlock today - Thanks to the Bristol Alliance (of the rich) | Other News: Autonomous peoples art against Tesco | CLOCKWORK still under threat of Demolition | Bristol North Bath Event - A Great Idea | Bristol Indymedia Film Night: Who Killed Dr David Kelly? |

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