Guerrilla News Network
Encyclopedia
Guerrilla News Network, Inc. (GNN) was a privately owned news web site and television production company that declared as its mission to "expose people to important global issues through cross-platform guerrilla
programming." http://www.gnn.tv/about/faq.php This was accomplished through the production of original articles, reporting and multimedia, as well as republishing of commentary and news articles from a number of sources including other progressive commentary sites, mainstream news agencies, and blogs. GNN also hosted blogs for registered users and a discussion forum, and featured collaborative user-driven investigations and user-submitted photo- and videojournalism. The company also produced feature documentaries, books and music videos.
and they have production facilities in Berkeley, California
. GNN has produced a series of award-winning short web films about such subjects as the CIA's involvement in the drug trade during the 1980s and genetically engineered foods. They also have produced two feature documentaries, numerous music videos, and one book. GNN's web site, GNN.tv, is user driven; users/contributors receive a free blog page. GNN allows submissions of original content in the form of 'articles.' These must be wholly original, sourced, and accompanied by a photograph or illustration. GNN publishes submissions based on a voting system, wherein users/contributors who have had more publications on GNN have more voting weight. Submissions with enough votes are published to the front page, while everything else remains on its creators page until getting enough votes. GNN also publishes headlines.
was released in 2004, and received the Silver Hugo Award for documentaries at the 2004 Chicago International Film Festival. http://www.indiewire.com/ots/onthescene_041020ciff.html It aired on Showtime and was released on DVD by Home Vision. The film follows the story of Frank al-Bayati, a former Shiite guerrilla traveling back to Iraq for the first time since the 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein. Al-Bayati was wounded, captured, tortured and then escaped. He spent more than a year in a Saudi Arabian refugee camp before being repatriated to the U.S. Lappe and Marshall follow al-Bayati as he tracks down his family members and capture the emotional reunions. Al-Bayati's optimism for what he calls "liberated Iraq" is countered by the reality the filmmakers find on the ground. A growing insurgency is creating more enemies than it is killing. With candid interviews with top American commanders, the filmmakers capture the U.S. military's inability to grasp the nature of their enemy. In addition, Lappe and Marshall bring a Gieger counter and conduct their own radiation tests on Iraqi armor that has been hit by American shells. They find evidence of the use of depleted uranium, the controversial metal used in some American munitions. The film was directed by Stephen Marshall, and produced by Anthony Lappe and Lisa Hsu.
was released in 2006 and received numerous awards, including a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. http://www.indiewire.com/ots/2006/01/park_city_06_qu.html Directed by GNN's Ian Inaba and produced by Anastasia King, American Blackout chronicles the recurring patterns of voter disenfranchisement witnessed from 2000 to 2004. The film follows the political battles of former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
who took an active role investigating the scrubbing of the Florida voter rolls and then found herself in her own election debacle after publicly questioning the Bush Administration about the terrorist attacks of 9-11. American Blackout travels from Florida to Georgia to Ohio examining the contemporary tactics used to control democratic process and silence political dissent.
is a 2004
political film
starring Rosario Dawson
. Directed by filmmaker and activist Stephen Marshall, creator of the video news magazine Channel Zero and founder of Guerilla News Network, the docu-drama film blends fiction with reality, focusing on the effects of the media's bias
in order to maximize profits
. The film was also part of the 2004 Official Sundance Selection.
, the fall of Baghdad
and many others. The videos can be viewed from the GNN.tv website.
" for the rapper Eminem
released shortly before the 2004 presidential election. The animated music video shows Eminem leading a group of disaffected young people - a black man who is abused by the police, a Latina woman who is evicted from her apartment while watching the news discuss tax cuts for the rich, and finally a white soldier who returns from duty in Iraq only to be turned around and sent right back for another tour. The video became a cultural phenomenon and quickly rose to number one on MTV's TRL.http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FJ30Aa01.html Videos have also been produced for 50 Cent
, Arizona
band Chronic Future
, and others.
. The book explores the concept of a news media that often simply reports information provided by government and corporations without investigation. It touches on topics such as alternate theories in recent election controversies, conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11, and U.S. use of depleted-uranium weapons.
"GNN is now closed to the public. Thank you for your support over the past nine years. Existing members can log in here.".
As of January 11, 2010, the site directs all page requests, with the exception of links to uploaded PDFs on GNN's servers, to several slightly different though similarly stylized "goodbye" pages. There is no place or means to log in.
GNN is now closed both to the general public and members/contributors and page requests now result in a black screen with the phrase:
and all is quiet...
The current page displays a graphic which reads 'GNN Rise Up'. In the source code of the page, an HTML comment says, "IT'S NOT OVER".
• The Guerrilla Underground Network (a project of GNN refugees)
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
programming." http://www.gnn.tv/about/faq.php This was accomplished through the production of original articles, reporting and multimedia, as well as republishing of commentary and news articles from a number of sources including other progressive commentary sites, mainstream news agencies, and blogs. GNN also hosted blogs for registered users and a discussion forum, and featured collaborative user-driven investigations and user-submitted photo- and videojournalism. The company also produced feature documentaries, books and music videos.
Background
GNN was founded in 2000. Their headquarters are in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and they have production facilities in Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. GNN has produced a series of award-winning short web films about such subjects as the CIA's involvement in the drug trade during the 1980s and genetically engineered foods. They also have produced two feature documentaries, numerous music videos, and one book. GNN's web site, GNN.tv, is user driven; users/contributors receive a free blog page. GNN allows submissions of original content in the form of 'articles.' These must be wholly original, sourced, and accompanied by a photograph or illustration. GNN publishes submissions based on a voting system, wherein users/contributors who have had more publications on GNN have more voting weight. Submissions with enough votes are published to the front page, while everything else remains on its creators page until getting enough votes. GNN also publishes headlines.
BattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire's Edge
BattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire's EdgeBattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire's Edge
BattleGround: 21 Days on the Empire's Edge was released in 2004, and received the Silver Hugo Award for documentaries at the 2004 Chicago International Film Festival. It aired on Showtime and was released on DVD by Home Vision...
was released in 2004, and received the Silver Hugo Award for documentaries at the 2004 Chicago International Film Festival. http://www.indiewire.com/ots/onthescene_041020ciff.html It aired on Showtime and was released on DVD by Home Vision. The film follows the story of Frank al-Bayati, a former Shiite guerrilla traveling back to Iraq for the first time since the 1991 uprising against Saddam Hussein. Al-Bayati was wounded, captured, tortured and then escaped. He spent more than a year in a Saudi Arabian refugee camp before being repatriated to the U.S. Lappe and Marshall follow al-Bayati as he tracks down his family members and capture the emotional reunions. Al-Bayati's optimism for what he calls "liberated Iraq" is countered by the reality the filmmakers find on the ground. A growing insurgency is creating more enemies than it is killing. With candid interviews with top American commanders, the filmmakers capture the U.S. military's inability to grasp the nature of their enemy. In addition, Lappe and Marshall bring a Gieger counter and conduct their own radiation tests on Iraqi armor that has been hit by American shells. They find evidence of the use of depleted uranium, the controversial metal used in some American munitions. The film was directed by Stephen Marshall, and produced by Anthony Lappe and Lisa Hsu.
American Blackout
American BlackoutAmerican Blackout
American Blackout is a documentary film directed by Ian Inaba. It premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. The film chronicles the 2002 defeat, and 2004 reelection, of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney to the U.S...
was released in 2006 and received numerous awards, including a special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival. http://www.indiewire.com/ots/2006/01/park_city_06_qu.html Directed by GNN's Ian Inaba and produced by Anastasia King, American Blackout chronicles the recurring patterns of voter disenfranchisement witnessed from 2000 to 2004. The film follows the political battles of former Georgia Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia Ann McKinney is a former US Congresswoman and a member of the Green Party since 2007. As a member of the Democratic Party, she served six terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives. In 2008, the Green Party nominated McKinney for President of the United States...
who took an active role investigating the scrubbing of the Florida voter rolls and then found herself in her own election debacle after publicly questioning the Bush Administration about the terrorist attacks of 9-11. American Blackout travels from Florida to Georgia to Ohio examining the contemporary tactics used to control democratic process and silence political dissent.
This Revolution
This RevolutionThis Revolution
This Revolution is a 2004 political film starring Rosario Dawson. Directed by filmmaker and activist Stephen Marshall, creator of the video news magazine Channel Zero and founder of Guerrilla News Network, the docu-drama film blends fiction with reality, focusing on the effects of the media's bias...
is a 2004
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
political film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
starring Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson
Rosario Isabel Dawson is an American actress, singer, and writer. She has appeared in films such as Kids, Men in Black II, 25th Hour, Sin City, Clerks II, Rent, Death Proof, The Rundown, Eagle Eye, Alexander, Seven Pounds, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Unstoppable.-Early...
. Directed by filmmaker and activist Stephen Marshall, creator of the video news magazine Channel Zero and founder of Guerilla News Network, the docu-drama film blends fiction with reality, focusing on the effects of the media's bias
Media bias
Media bias refers to the bias of journalists and news producers within the mass media in the selection of events and stories that are reported and how they are covered. The term "media bias" implies a pervasive or widespread bias contravening the standards of journalism, rather than the...
in order to maximize profits
Profit maximization
In economics, profit maximization is the process by which a firm determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit. There are several approaches to this problem...
. The film was also part of the 2004 Official Sundance Selection.
NewsVideos
GNN is known for its series of "NewsVideos" - short, music-driven web documentaries. The videos have been screened in numerous film festivals around the world and are compiled in two DVDs. Topics have ranged from the CIA's involvement with selling of narcotics ("Crack The CIA", which won the 2003 Sundance Online Film Festival), the trade in blood diamonds in Sierra LeoneSierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, the fall of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and many others. The videos can be viewed from the GNN.tv website.
Music Videos
GNN has also produced politically-charged music videos for major recording artists. They are probably best known for the video "MoshMosh (song)
"Mosh" is a protest song by Eminem and Guerrilla News Network, released on October 26, 2004 as a digital single, just prior to the 2004 presidential election....
" for the rapper Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
released shortly before the 2004 presidential election. The animated music video shows Eminem leading a group of disaffected young people - a black man who is abused by the police, a Latina woman who is evicted from her apartment while watching the news discuss tax cuts for the rich, and finally a white soldier who returns from duty in Iraq only to be turned around and sent right back for another tour. The video became a cultural phenomenon and quickly rose to number one on MTV's TRL.http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FJ30Aa01.html Videos have also been produced for 50 Cent
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
band Chronic Future
Chronic Future
Chronic Future was a band from Scottsdale, Arizona. The band was formed in 1995 when their average age was 14. They achieved a short period of mainstream success with the album Lines in My Face, as well as the album's hit single, "Time and Time Again"...
, and others.
Books
In 2004 GNN released a book of investigative journalism and media criticism, entitled True Lies, by Anthony Lappe and Stephen Marshall with additional reporting from Ian InabaIan Inaba
Ian Inaba is an American film and music video director, producer, and journalist for the Guerrilla News Network.-Music videos:Inaba directed the music videos for "Mosh" by Eminem and "Time and Time Again" by Chronic Future...
. The book explores the concept of a news media that often simply reports information provided by government and corporations without investigation. It touches on topics such as alternate theories in recent election controversies, conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11, and U.S. use of depleted-uranium weapons.
Closure
As of November 16, 2009, their site directed all page requests to the following notice:"GNN is now closed to the public. Thank you for your support over the past nine years. Existing members can log in here.".
As of January 11, 2010, the site directs all page requests, with the exception of links to uploaded PDFs on GNN's servers, to several slightly different though similarly stylized "goodbye" pages. There is no place or means to log in.
GNN is now closed both to the general public and members/contributors and page requests now result in a black screen with the phrase:
and all is quiet...
The current page displays a graphic which reads 'GNN Rise Up'. In the source code of the page, an HTML comment says, "IT'S NOT OVER".
See also
- The Real News Network
- AdbustersAdBustersThe Adbusters Media Foundation is a Canadian-based not-for-profit, anti-consumerist, pro-environment organization founded in 1989 by Kalle Lasn and Bill Schmalz in Vancouver, British Columbia...
- DisinfoDisinfoThe Disinformation Company is a privately held, limited American publishing company that focuses in current affairs titles and seeks to expose disinformation. It is headquartered in New York City, New York...
- Shooting WarShooting WarShooting War is a webcomic and graphic novel by writer Anthony Lappé and artist Dan Goldman. It originated on SMITH Magazine, a web magazine about storytelling in all its forms. The story is set in the year 2011 with John McCain as the American president. It tells the story of a video-blogger named...
- RINFRINFRINF Alternative News is a daily updated source for under-reported news and current events. Heavy focus is placed on human rights issues and political dissent.- History :...
External links
- gnn.tv
- The Bunker, Anthony Lappe's blog
- Revolutionary Theory, Stephen Marshall's blog
- Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's collection of GNN videos
• The Guerrilla Underground Network (a project of GNN refugees)