FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 1, 2002
FOR INFO CONTACT: NORMAN STOCKWELL (c608-279-1607, e <normstoc (at) yahoo.com>)

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHED TO PROVIDE GRASSROOTS MEDIA INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM IRAQ

As the Bush administration threatens a massive attack on Iraq, many within the corporate media have chosen to become cheerleaders for the war cause. The words "we" and "us" and "our forces" are used so frequently by major corporate media personalities that it has become difficult to figure out if it is the Bush Administration or the corporate media that are gearing up to bomb Iraq.

With Washington on the verge of seeking to destroy an already devastated country, a group of independent journalists and activists - spearheaded by Voices in the Wilderness (http//www.vitw.org) and the internationally acclaimed Iraq Peace Team (http//www.iraqpeaceteam.org) - are breaking ranks with the war chorus. Coordinated by independent journalist Jeremy Scahill on the ground in Baghdad, IraqJournal provides a forum for the distribution of independent information and views from Iraq.

Jeremy Scahill is an independent journalist. He reports frequently for Free Speech Radio News and Democracy Now! He has reported from Nigeria, Yugoslavia, and the U.S. In December 1998, and again in May and June 2002, he reported from Iraq. He has just returned to Baghdad to help bring out news not covered elsewhere. "As the spectrum of media views here in the U.S. continues to narrow," says website editor Norman Stockwell, "we, as citizens, need access to other, independent sources of information in order to be better informed. IraqJournal.org is meant to be one of those sources."

The material on this website will include (beginning October 7th, 2002) regularly updated print, audio, and video reports. The site also includes links to other information sources and background material. All of the content is available free for use by non-commercial grassroots news organizations. Commercial media organizations wishing to make use of material from the site are requested to e-mail the webmaster at <webmaster (at) iraqjournal.org> prior to use. All users are requested to credit "IraqJournal.org" in broadcast or print.

Anyone wishing to help financially support the work of this website may donate using a "PayPal" link on the site, or send an e-mail to <donate (at) iraqjournal.org>. Any other questions and comments may be directed to <info (at) iraqjournal.org>.

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