[Foundation-l] [Wikinews-l] Proposal for the creation of aWikinews foundation

[Daniel Mayer]

--- Florence Devouard <Anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Which kinda answer the issue of legal risk. Would there be a legal risk 
> if WMF was handling accredition ? Yup.
> 
> The three main solutions left are consequently
> 1) full spin off
> 2) a separate organization, part of a more global network. And with 
> shared values with WMF
> 3) working with chapters
> 
> I am not sure chapters are to be considered good solutions really due to 
> all the comments previously made (partial coverage in particular), 
> though I believe they are part of the story.

The big issue with using chapters is, as you say, partial coverage. But the solution to that is to
create more chapters. :) Once several chapters start to accredit people, then the processes
developed can be copied much more easily (esp to and from nations with similar legal frameworks in
this area). 

Also, I don't think there is anything preventing a chapter in one nation from accrediting a person
in another nation in many cases (as a temporary solution until that second nation gets a chapter).
Of course, IANAL. 

> As for the full spin-off being the best solution, I do not share Mike's 
> opinion on this, nor does Erik. Other board members did not give a feedback.

I don't agree with having a full spin-off either since Commons photographers also would greatly
benefit from accreditation. Wikinews has done well with its association with Wikim/pedia and vice
versa. 

Having a separately-funded (from Wikinews and maybe the chapters) liaison work in the office may
also help. That person would help chapters set-up accreditation programs and he/she would identify
what chapters could confer accreditation to citizens of nations that don't yet have chapters. 

Of course, the lawyer folk need to see if this would still adequately protect the foundation's
interests (the liaison may need to work from home or from a chapter office to create more
separation, for example).   

-- mav


       
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