I am TimPool, a journalist who has covered protests in Spain, Canada, across the US, and is currently reporting for VICE at Taskim Sqaure, Istanbul AMA

Protestor from Istanbul here. I think what you're doing is great. Thank you!

• How long are you here?
• Do you need any assistance?
• Are there any groups in particular that you would like to contact/interview?

We're still trying to spread awareness of the horrific situation the government is putting its people through, and there are many that would like to help you spread the word about what's really going on here.

Many people often thanked me for what I do, but I do it in hopes that all people will better understand each other.

Only with correct data sets can we solve out problems. I try to understand everyone, even those who seem to be 'bad guys'

What's your take on the Turkish media coverage of the whole thing?

PENGUINGATE

The ultimate scandal!

During the outbreak CNN Turkey aired a documentary on penguins instead of coverage of the conflict.

Since then people have spray painted stencils of penguins all over the place; one person even wearing a stuffed penguin around his neck.

But it is what it is, everyone has their criticisms of established news. They have to adhere to their bankroll, like PBS pulling the doc because they didnt want to insult that Koch bro.

You (and others, like Greenwald) seem to be at the forefront of a new wave of independent, global, tech-enabled journalists. What role do you see for the traditional news organizations 10 years out? Will the two paradigms coexist peacefully, fight, or will one supersede the other?

As a follow-up: how do we guarantee 2nd amendment protections and ethical integrity in such a world?

PS I remember following you during the whole OWS story. Really glad to see your career taking off and branching out!

I report on the ground what I sense: Sights, smells, sounds, feelings. The newsrooms need to collect and verify data but also provide more context and analyses.

The biggest problem I see with newsrooms is that they take too long to adapt to a changing environment. Mobile has been here for 7 years and it is still very weak in many newsrooms.

Journalists need to be ready for change and they should be excited for it. Remember its not just the newsrooms that need to adapt its the workers too.

I envision a future where journalists are enabled to go live at a moments notice, tweets(or other social media) are a primary form of short term communication, and real long form pieces provide the context and backstory to the current events.

There will always be a place or real investigative journalism and it needs to be rejuvenated.

As for the 2nd amendment, I'm not sure. Sorry.

pm erdogan says: "we will end this within 24 hours.

Your impression?

I think he can and will strike, but it won't end, not unless he enacts curfews and martial law but even that will be difficult.

Yesterday the police attacked a rally of 10,000 - 30,000 people and easily cleared Taksim in minutes, however the struggle lasted all day and late into the night. Violence begets violence.

Did you ever experience anything close up with Turkish Police? Can you make any comparison with other country's police force?

As aggressive as theyve been they are not stone faced robots like I have seen in other countries and cities. They seem to be mostly young(ish) men.

It seems to me like they were trying to scale things back yesterday since the extreme brutality of the past week and a half, however it was still a bit over the top.

We've met several times while doing work in NYC and Chicago's NONATO actions. I've always been a staunch supporter of your work despite flak received from activists and even accusations of being an undercover. 1) How do you respond to the assertion that you, as an independent journalist, have to choose sides while reporting? And 2) Does this type of activist paranoia exist among Turkey's organizers as well?

There are no sides, that is what people need to understand. At the end of the protest police and protesters eat burritos next to each other.

My friend told me "we all play roles we think we are supposed to play, But once we are out of that element we act the same"

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I can;t speak for anyone else, but I just do my thing. If you watch my coverage and trust it that is all that matters. I get criticism too, everyone does.

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I haven't talked to many protesters about their role models, however the nationalists hang turkish flags and pictures of Ataturk. I've seen some Che Guevera banners, but that hardly represents the entirety of the protesters.

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The message seems to mostly be about their rights to assembly and against the police brutality. The politics get fragmented like any large group but they are all here in agreement for a few things.

What is helping foster large rebellion in other countries that Americans seem to be missing out on?

Community and confidence.

I feel like Americans are self driven. We have a history built on independence where as many of the other countries are more communal(i.e. universal healthcare, public university). At the end of the day I feel like people in the US just want to be left alone.

But maybe its just that when it comes to America not protesting is the more palatable option for people. As soon as they feel like they have nothing left to lose they will stand up.

1. How do you profit from all of this and afford to live and survive in the places you're reporting from?

2. What constitutes you going to a specific place to report, and do you just leave the USA to other location as soon as an uprising begins?

I don't profit really. Last year I had a 'pay what you will' model where I would spend money to go somewhere and then ask for support while I was streaming.

This was easy when most of the reporting was domestic US, but as I tried to reach places in other countries the costs began to overwhelm me. As for Turkey I am here officially reporting for VICE and ts been great. They are excited and awesome people.

I usually report on things I think will change the world. Most visibly its protests, political conventions, and technology but often its hacker and internet culture.

Can you ask the higher ups to increase Thomas Morton's salary so he can afford some food? He's so frail looking on the show.

Yes.

What's a protest like in Canada? Do they all just stand and look mad?

The police come out and apologize to the protesters for the unwanted presence, the protesters then apologize to the police for making them have to come out, the police then apologize to protesters for having to hit them and lob flash bang grenades, the protesters than apologize to police for having to be cuffed and arrested.

If you could get a definitive, on the record answer from anyone in the world, and you'd get exclusive rights to the story- what would the question be and who would you ask?

Obama, why are you targeting journalists and whistleblowers?

On a more whacked out day Id ask about black ops military technology.

What's your experience with Vice been like? I subscribed to the magazine, but it has a bit of a rep for hyperbole. Is there pressure to make everything crazy and dramatic?

On a related note, I'm thinking about going to Karachi, Pakistan in August, wich Vice describes as "insane" and "ultraviolent"…should I be scared, or is that just Vice being Vice?

This is my first time working with VICE. They really just let me do my thing. The only thing they asked me to do is more!

When I am on the ground somewhere and getting shot at I bet I sound crazy, scared, and hopped up on adrenaline. I think the statements are genuine, though nothing is absolute.

Thanks for all your work Tim. Your coverage of OWS was awesome and it fired me up to take some action of my own. I've actually met you a few times but I never had the balls to say much more than "great job."

What role do you see independent journalists like you and Luke (we are change) play in the future of journalism?

Hopefully more people take up the mantle, technology enables independence.

More voices, more views, more stories, will help us find a better understanding. At the same time we will have to work harder to filter the noise.

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Seems like tourists were enjoying the square and the wreckage until the police attacked, then they were gone.

What advice would you give to a high school journalist like myself who's looking into international news reporting? How do you handle rough scenes like the Turkish protests emotionally?

My advice to you is to just go do things, go explore, learn, and try to understand. Learn as much as you can so that you can better understand and relate to people.

Try to avoid college. The debt will hold you back. Just embed yourself in a newsworthy situation and use mobile technology to write, stream, tweet, etc.

What's your experience with Google Glass been like so far? Do you find it distances you from normal human interaction, or enhances it?

Its a cell phone for my face that o far allows me to respond to messages, emails, post photos and videos to social media and translate quickly to Turkish. I love it. Everyone seems excited by it, except the activists who keep asking if Im filming. Once I explain they understand.

The battery life can't handle constant filming and if someone is filming you can see the image in the glass prism.

The protesters seemed to have a dynamic relationship with the police. Would you say the police support their own actions or are just following orders?

They are almost always just following orders, but I think some individual police just get really mad at their jobs and take it out on people.

Yesterday you mentioned that you couldn't stream while you were in the thick of the crowds, possibly because there was just too much cellular traffic, but I read rumors last week that people thought the government was trying to actively block/jam electronic communications or censor social media in some way? Have you witnessed anything like this? PS - i'm not Turkish, but as a human, thank you for what you are doing to try to raise awareness and provide coverage of these historic events. Stay safe, man!

I have been in many congested situations, typically I see the same thing, 0/kbps

Yesterday in the crowd I saw the same. However when the crowd was cleared and numbers dwindled I saw 0/kbps - 500/kbps - 0/kbps - 500/kbps

My signal was jumping from strong to dead, not confirmation of jamming but something have never seen before. After the crowds cleared I should have had no trouble connecting.

As an aspiring reporter, these are the kinds of things I would like to pursue. How did you come to cover controversial topics like protests? What, in your opinion, is the most dangerous aspect?

The most dangerous aspect Is thousands of scared people running in one direction. You can easily get trampled Or like me someone can push you off a 7 foot high platform, Fortunately I have 14 years of skateboarding experience and I do parkour training.

I cover conflicts because I feel that they'll have a big impact on the community and the world.

I got my start by just going down and embedding myself as best as possible. Just go do something journalistic, Go somewhere and tell the story that matters to you

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I was brought to OWS by curiosity. I didn't feel like I could learn about what was happening from the mainstream media. I went to explore and understand, I wanted to share what I saw with people so that we could try to understand just a little bit better.

What is your take on citizen journalism and do you think we will get to a point in the future where we will rely on ordinary citizens to report on breaking news?

What measures can we take with citizen journalism to prevent any inaccuracies?

Citizen journalists used to be sources or witnesses, but because they now have access to public broadcast(of sorts) they are reporters.

In the future you might end up the most important journalist in the world for a day then go back to building hammocks, or whatever it is you kids do these days.

Yesterday I watched Turkish protesters confront you regarding taking video of their faces for which they're afraid of retribution as if you're a state spy. Do you feel as though their concerns are warranted in such a large public demonstration? It seems to affect your own personal safety (which is paramount!), but do you think it is also affecting your ability to livestream the way you want to?

Stay safe out there Tim!

I never intentionally film people's faces. Most of the people taking action wear masks.

As long as I just film generally they dont seem to mind though I have been grabbed twice by activists and once by a cop so far.

Considering the crack down on social media users I think their fears are warranted. Well that and PRISM.

Is the military paying a role still I understand they are secular and impartial. Will they defend the people from the police?

The people here tell me that the military leaders have been arrested and the army is now very weak. They usually expect the military to support the people and step in but for now they aren't sure.

How competitive is your field? Is a journalism degree worth it nowadays? Just curious as to how many people are willing to walk into the middle of chaos, and work the most dangerous profession, in a country that despises them?

Bonus question: Any suggestions for someone wanting to get into the field?

I don't find it competitive because no one is really doing mobile journalism. The real problem is the inability to adapt, no one is hiring mojoes. There is a lot of elitism and traditional values that the millennial demographic doesn't care for.

Seriously how weird is that canned TV reporter style of talking?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk0wDbyKcSg

Screw the degree, I dont have one, just go embed somewhere, write, read, stream, film, record, share.

This istanbullshit is starting to suck... Claims have been made about the police planting violent people in with the protesters to make them look bad for media... Have you noticed any fishy people or any suspicious thing as such?

I havent but people keep saying the molotovs came from police. My colleague says they were Kurds

How is it working with Shane Smith?

I have only barely met him, he seems like a rad dude though.

Tim, what happened to the street feed? And is there anyway you can put the lens you had on the street cam on the overhead cam?

Cell service down here is weak right now but I'm doing my best to run some tests and find a way to get a live feed from the park

Caught up with all you've posted so far. Are you concerned about Erdoğan's proclamation that "We will end this within 24 hours." and the police movements last night? Love that you are there reporting.

I'm concerned for the bystanders, so many people just trying to get by getting tear gassed.

I'm concerned for the safety of everyone. I don't like seeing people get hurt because they refuse to understand each other or refuse to take a stand.

I'm concerned the ongoing stress on the police will result in emotional and aggressive violence from them. I'm concerned it may result in more police suicides.

I'm concerned about peaceful activists getting hurt, gassed, and killed.

Its a hard world sometimes.

You stayed on my couch once in your travels, and I was impressed by your dedication to everything you're doing. Not many people live and breathe their causes the way you do.

My question is a little more personal: before we all heard of you through OWS, what were you doing? What do you think you'd be doing with yourself now if you hadn't made a name for yourself there?

Hacker, skateboarder, X games organizer, Non profit director, high school dropout, barista, Airline baggage crew chief, musician.

During the Madrid protests it was relatively common for police to pass for protesters and engage in violent acts to justify violent repression of otherwise relatively peaceful demonstrations.

Is it a common occurrence in the other demonstrations you have witnessed?

Only speculation, though I can spot most plain clothes officers.

What type of system do use to live stream? Are you just using a cellphone still or have you upgraded to one of those crazy backpack systems?

Cell phone and battery, though right now I am experimenting with Google Glass!

I remember this tricky moment during your OWS coverage when you were filming people vandalizing a police car in NYC and they approached you and asked you to stop. At that point you did not comply. I now notice that in Turkey you are very respectful and careful not to film the activists. What took you from A to B?

OWS was American, I wasnt filming their faces, and they had a local news crew filming them. At OWS in the beginning everyone was told to film everything no matter what to catch provocateurs, here everyone is told not to film faces.

Is there any sort of insurance that you sign up for or something that guarantee's your loved ones be taken care of in the case of anything happening to you? I know there are life insurance but most life insurances only cover you if you die of natural causes.. Because you guys go into the real thick of it especially reporting for VICE. I can't imagine you'd be out there with no real sense of security back home.

Also, what is your favorite sort of material to cover/ what material are you most passionate about?

There is insurance for everything

http://www.lloyds.com/

No one in my family relies on me really.

I love to cover everything, but mostly things i feel impact the world. Someday soon I hope to cover something simple, X games skateboarding maybe?

Hey Tim,

Canadian here. Can you talk a little bit about how different protests were in countries where people embrace freedom, like Canada/Turkey/Europe vs America, where they are mostly apathetic and driven by fear and racism?

Canada was way different, it had structure and demands. It was viewed as a means to an end. In the US and Spain it is more anarchic, it was about general corruption and collusion between banks and government.

Here in Turkey it seems to mostly be about the right to assemble and opposition to brutality, though there are many different groups with their own reasons to be here

Thank you and Vice for the great coverage. I hope, in true Vice style, you are not sober. I have suspected that some of the anger in Turkey is from the alcohol ban that is going into place. Thoughts?

I barely if ever drink XD

The alcohol issue contributes, but its more about an encroachment. This is another straw on the camels back.

Exciting work, thanks for doing it.

What are you opinions about VICE sending reporters into dangerous situations? You seem to be fairly freelance, so you probably would have gone for whoever sent you. But there is discussion amongst journalists that the "VICE Model" might be unsustainable or dangerous.

What are your thoughts and feelings about that?

Journalists always go into dangerous situations. I have the utmost respect for people standing in the line so they can share the story.

I think most people have to decide its worth going into the danger. I know I do.

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I dont, it seems like it will get raided similar to OWS at some point but I cant be 100% sure. The police are aggressive but the frontline protesters are vigilant.

How do you feel about accusations thrown at you by some OWS activists and others that you're not part of "the movement because" you report what you see and don't let anyone know what you support. Or worse, that you're police, CIA, FBI, etc.?

The only way we will solve our problems is if we understand them. Journalism needs to give us a untainted set of data so that we can solve our problems.

Was there any time where you felt as though your life was in danger and had get out of there? If so what happened?

Btw I friggen love you guys, I watched a lot of your documentaries on YouTube. Keep up the great work man!

When I got shot at in Anaheim I was worried about abdomen and head shots, but in Anaheim and Long beach I stood a few feet from a bean bag shotgun and it doesn't really phase you until later.

What would your advice be for older teenagers who want to become more involved in this type of journalism and social advocacy going forward? Where is a good place to start and do you have any resources that you would recommend? How would you recommend one start becoming more involved in the activist community?

Thank you so much for everything that you are doing. You are one of my favorite journalists and your work is really inspiring.

Involve yourself, be there, tweet, post, share, etc.

Do you guys ever plan to make your show on HBO longer than 30 minutes? Compared to your online series, it feels like the whole story is not being told in just 10 minutes.

I dont have anything to do with that stuff, sorry mate.

You've said elsewhere in this thread that journalism should deliver an 'untainted data set'. That's interesting. Tainted by what? And how do you ensure your data is untainted?

there are always impurities, but i try my hardest to just say what is happening. It is what t is.

I'm a high school student and I want to possibly pursue a career in journalism of this sort. How can I get started? Love the live feed by the way, I've been wanting to see what's actually happening.

Just go do it, buy a cell phone and stat posting to social media. Dont wait for someone to tell you what to do

Big Vice fan from Slovenia here :)

How did you get involved with Vice, do you like your job? Best moments? Do you hang out with any other vice reporters?

Cheers!

First time with VICE. Ive known some of the VICE people for a while so it just sort of happened. They are all rad and exciting people, I am quite stoked.

Actually I just met someone working with VICE UK today.

Hey Tim, I followed your livestreams and participated in marches with you in New York and Montreal.

Do the police and government in Turkey understand that the more they fight and hurt the general citizens, the more rally on the side against the government?

Also, what was the craziest thing you've seen in Turkey so far?

Molotov cocktails. I dont think the police care, sometimes I feel like governments do this on purpose. They just dont learn from other events.

Its taksim square not taskim

sorry for the typo

How does someone go about getting involved with VICE? How do I produce stuff for them and get them to air it... and maybe get paid for it? Do they pay btw? If yes, how do they pay and how much?

I have no idea really XD My stuff is unique and they were interested, I asked them and then went from there.

Covers protests? How sleazy is that?!!

depends on your perspective I guess. I had people come up to me today and thank me for covering the event, others tell me to stop.

C'est la vie.

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Yea... it was supposed to be now but my drones top left motor burned out at the last minute.

Soon

What is something that you understand from being there that those of us monitoring mostly traditional news media probably don't understand but that would most inform our perception of events?

What its like to be tear gassed, pepper sprayed, shot at, etc.

How dare you call vice "journalism?" It's clearly sold as entertainment. While it may be occasionally informative, it is certainly not a reliable source of information complete enough to use to form an accurate opinion.

I called myself a journalist.