Metadata Standard: last call before Deadline 6th November

Monday 6th November 2006 is our latest deadline for responses, queries, suggestions etc on the initial proposed Metadata Standard for RDF in feed-based exchange of video information between and beyond the projects in the Transmission Network.

I'm writing about this one more time just because it is SO important, SO central to the real world potential of this network to get media where it's really wanted and needed.... and for it to happen, we need as many as possible of our projects' buy in from the start...
and you've not all had your say as yet!

In case you think it's not important or not relevant to your project, here are some of the (slightly improved) IRC notes from the discussion of 'how we can work together as a network' session at Re:Transmission meeting in London last month

20:47 this metadata thing might seem dull, but it will be central to our work for a long time

20:47 rss, cms, codecs etc can all change in coming months and years

20:47 but metadata is the one thing we can do well, and do now, and then whatever else changes, we have the info that enables people to find the material we are sharing both now, and into the future

20:48 as long as we have the 'goo' to hold it together, we could be future-proof whatever else changes

20:48 for video sites with lots of resources, metadata standards may not be so important, because they can endlessly reinvent themselves

20:49 but for the rest of us, who cannot endlessly promote, re-organise and re-promote our content, it always comes down to users' ability to search our material, which is only possible with good metadata

20:49 ok, the important thing seems to be how people use metadata, and why. three aspects to this:

20:49 incentives - why it's good to do

20:49 regulation - the standards that let machines read the information we give them

20:49 design - not so much the software as the human user interface that makes it a usable system

So, we all agreed in Rome (and then got rather excited in London) about:

Number 1. Incentives, which is basically the great potential we have between our projects to get grassroots and critical video where it's wanted and needed, and thus *actually* challenge the mainstream and commercial media... and maybe even change the world... ;-)

and now we have come to the next step:

Number 2. Standards, required for building infrastructure that enables machines to search and create feeds of our material automatically.

only once this is agreed and starting to be put in place, can we move onto perfecting:

Number 3. Design of upload forms etc in a way that is simple yet educates and encourages video users to tag their material properly to enable it to be shared effectively and ethically.

So, to reiterate, we've got to stage two, and if we can get this right now and find a good way to move forward *together*
the world may yet be our oyster!

The proposed metadata Standard can be seen [http://shiftspace.cc/jamie/tx_report_0.1.html here]

The responses (to metadata AT transmission.cc) so far are
[http://wiki.transmission.cc/index.php/Responses_to_draft_schema here]

As you'll see, these responses are varied and useful and are due a substantive response soon from the authors of the report. But there is nothing yet from many of the organisations who were represented in Rome, for example:

.. Agora TV
.. Asia 247
.. Democracy Now
.. IMC Video
.. Jinbonet
.. Labournet
.. NGVision
.. M2HZ
.. Ourmedia
.. Participatory Culture Foundation
.. R23
.. Revolt Video
.. Moviments
.. Engage Tactical Media

Maybe this quietude reflects the fact that you are very happy with the proposal as it stands, and/or you're convinced that people already more closely involved in the process will do the right thing if left them them/ourselves? (If so I would note that most of the response so far has come from Northern/Western groups.... and that issues around framing the
inclusion of format, license, subtitle files, and more are still to play for...)

If you are choosing to leave it all up to us, fair enough but please let us know, if only to put our minds at rest that these plans are reaching you - and to encourage those of us putting lots of time and effort into this that we are barking up the right tree on behalf of the network, and not just completely barking!

Or maybe you are consulting with colleagues and networks, planning your responses and getting set to be just in time for the deadline next Monday. Either way, many thanks!