AFTERBURN REPORT 2006
PUBLIC RELATIONS/MEDIA
Media Mecca stands between the Artery and Playa Info at Center Camp. The closest thing to a "press room on the playa", it is a landing spot for media at the event and a resource where anyone can find out more about how Burning Man's principles have informed guidelines for the media. Faced with sometimes-conflicting interests – giving press access to the Burning Man event while looking out for participants' concern with their presence – the Media Team has focused on increasing awareness of the guidelines and expectations for capturing, recording, sharing, and broadcasting content from the event.
At the 2006 event Media Mecca welcomed "TV Free Burning Man", a television crew from Current TV, which shot, produced, and uploaded, via satellite, five full episodes of Burning Man content. All episodes aired (without advertising) the next day on Current TV cable stations, marking the first programming of its kind at Burning Man. Current TV also did a live broadcast of the Saturday night burn, working closely with Burning Man's own Webcast team to capture the festivities. Subsequently their coverage won several awards and is arguably some of the best in the event's history. Media Mecca also hosted two art tours for the press, and a panel discussion of Burning Man staff members answering press questions. All were very successful. On several evenings, films were screened at Media Mecca, and Current TV showed excerpts from the day's shootings.
Press are strongly encouraged to pre-register (anyone shooting video is required to do so, whether for personal or professional use) and they are invited to visit Media Mecca early and often while on-playa, to meet folks, share resources, recharge their batteries – or themselves. In 2006, Burning Man Information Radio (BMIR) broadcasted media-related public service announcements, reminding participants to ask a subject's permission before shooting and to use common sense and respect for others when posting images from the event online.
Before and after the event, the Jack Rabbit Speaks reminds readers of the do's and don'ts regarding cameras at the event, and all Black Rock City citizens (professional and personal users) are required on arrival to fill out an agreement and tag all video-capable cameras. It's easy to see how technology has spurred creativity as more people registered with the goals of documenting individual theme camps, artworks, and performances, and the Media Team has worked to keep up with that evolution.
Professional journalists, filmmakers, and
participants alike sign contracts of varying specificity advising
them of the rights and responsibilities in the capture of images and
video at Burning Man, and the guidelines that govern producing and
showing that content in print, film, video, online, or in other
mediums. All commercial projects and/or projects which will be viewed
by the public are reviewed by the Media department before they are
authorized for release.
TRADEMARK/INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION
The Intellectual Property (IP) arm of the Media Team had a busy year protecting both Burning Man's intellectual property, and the privacy of participants. A second media volunteer came aboard in 2006 to take on the steadily increasing (and often, quite challenging) work.
We refer to any number of issues this team responds to as
"incidents",
since they can range in violation. For example: using trademarks to
market goods or events; manufacturing t-shirts or jewelry which
include registered marks owned by Burning Man, such as the Burning
Man name or symbol, or imagery from the event; using photographs
without permission of the photographer or subject; and placing
photographs with stock agencies, which is a violation of Burning
Man's policies. Incidents were up 25% year-over-year: 89
cases in 2005 and 117 in 2006. This compares to a 22% jump from
2004 to 2005. Some of the greater-than-normal increase is likely due
to the additional work we can handle with a second volunteer helping
to track down violations. The highly aware and vigilant Burning Man
community is also a constant source of information about potential
violations or concerns.
Most of the people we contact are unaware of IP concerns and immediately work with us to resolve the problem. It is an ongoing challenge to put the word out about intellectual property, since many violations occur unwittingly, or from outside the Burning Man community by those who do not understand the policies. This year the Media Team will renew the focus on educating the community about IP concerns, the law, and their rights.
Awareness and interest in Burning Man as an event of global interest has spread -- both deeper into specific communities and fields of interest, and more broadly across international borders. Today, the Media Team responds to greater numbers of inquiries from news agencies and a significantly more technologically advanced and interconnected participant base than ever before. Media Mecca once again did its part to welcome the world press to Burning Man and acculturate them to Black Rock City, with the ultimate goal of ever-improving coverage of our experiment in community.
Press attending the 2006 event ranged from big market to small.
Photographers from the Associated Press and other large U.S. press
organizations attended, as did small-town daily papers that sent a
reporter to the event for a first-hand glimpse. International press
representation included the French, South Korean, Belgian, and German
presses. A journalist writing for a small town Australian newspaper
found at least 30 participants from his tiny home city! Aviation
maven or electronic art producer; Danish academic or Propane and
Butane Monthly writer – they were all there in 2006; from an
Irish tattoo mag to Car and Driver Magazine, they attended Burning
Man to tell a story aimed at their readers' interests.
In
2006 the Media Team was once again graced with an international crew
of smart and savvy volunteers -- some of them communications and
media relations pros, some from other professions. They work hard at
the event and throughout the year, answering queries about the
organization and event, and responding to issues surrounding the
intellectual property rights of Burning Man and the artists and
participants who attend. With just a few infrastructural changes,
and a makeover of the gleaming vintage Spartan office trailer, 2006
proved to be a challenging and rewarding year for the Media Team, yet
again!
Submitted by,
Polly Harrold and John Cornwell
