-
Karp wants news organizations to get back to the distribution business by sharing their own content broadly and surfacing others’ content aggressively. That goes against the instincts of many journalists, but even when reporters buy into it, the process in most newsrooms is clunky (lots of cutting and pasting, with links often stuck under the ads). So Karp offers a platform to make that process as seamless as possible.
Archive for April, 2009
links for 2009-04-29
links for 2009-04-28
-
It’s not just a new media, it’s a completely different world. Business models are changed forever.
#DFEY-NW Reaching out to young freedom seekers
If you’re young and into tech then DFEY-NW could be the group for you.
Digital Freedom in Education & Youth – North West is a group focusing on young people and issues of freedom in the digital world, based in this region and has being building up an active community since last year.
One of the founders, Tim Dobson explained the thinking behind the group on his blog: “About a year ago, I found myself in a unique position – I was a 17 year old active in a local group of people interested in these kinds of aspects, but everyone else was at least five years older than me. Initially that didn’t bother me at all, I was treated as an adult and was happy “acting” like one. The anonymity of just being “a name” on the internet, paid off for me that time.
“Soon however, I saw that the adult members in another group were – in my opinion – talking down to two young group members. It was clear to me, that without supportive or interested people of their own age, they would soon become demoralised and leave.
“Ben Webb and I had considered our experiences in our different schools and came to the conclusion that schools were very restrictive of how young people could use computers. That instead of letting the computers be open platforms for learning, they locked down and their use strictly regulated This, we believe – and speaking from experience – is detrimental to our education.
“In June, Ben and I set up DFEY, to provide a social space, and a supportive, stimulating atmosphere for those interested in the same things – issues of computer freedom.
The group now has about 35 people on its mailing list, an active IRC channel and a slowly increasing number of microbloggers using the hashtag:#dfey as well as organising regular events.
If you’re young (undergraduate age or younger) and want to find out more about the group’s activities, contact Tim team@nw.dfey.org.
Summer of creativity for Trafford
A masterclass from Grammy-nominated American digital artist Aaron Koblin is one of the highlights of the summer programme just announced by Creative Industries Trafford. Aaron, who worked on the video for House of Cards by Radiohead, is an an artist specializing in data visualization. He says his work “takes social and infrastructural data and uses it to examine cultural trends and emergent patterns”. There’s examples of his work here and he will be discussing his work and career to date during the session in Sale next month. Creative Industries Trafford is also building on the work it carried out with TV scriptwriters in the last 12 months by bringing back Writing For TV workshops. These are delivered by freelance producer Ric Michael (formerly of Baby Cow TV) alongside Jayne Brierley a producer who has developed many shows for BBC, Granada, Channel 4 and Sky. There’s also events for visual artists, photographers, anyone who wants to learn about Web 2.0 and video podcasting and a talk from Joe Simpson, whose exhibition Almost There is currently running at Waterside Arts Centre in Sale. The scheme run by Trafford Council is now in its fourth year of delivering events and training for artists and creative workers. Full details of the programme can be found online at www.creativeindustriestrafford.org. The site also features downloadable MP3s and PDFs featuring information from key events and interviews with Trafford-based artists such as the musician & DJ Mike Joyce and the comedian John Warburton. Events are held at Waterside Arts Centre in Sale and Let’s Go Global in Old Trafford. To book, ring 0161 912 5616. Summer 2009 Programme
May 12th – Aaron Koblin Masterclass
May 13th – Do You Really Want To Do This? #1 (photographers’ event)
May 18th – Writing & Pitching For TV
May 20th – Trafford Artists Network Meeting with talk by Joe Simpson
June 3rd – Do You Really Want To Do This? #2 (photographers’ event)
June 10th – How To Approach Galleries
June 17th – Introduction To Video Podcasting
July 7th – Writing & Pitching For TV (re-run)
July 9th – Introduction To Social Media Software
links for 2009-04-27
-
Let us cherish the bloggers we turn to for content. Let us credit them – let us reward them as we can afford and as they deserve. Many may work for hits – but big stories should equal real pay. Others may well work for opportunities – let the bloggers of today be our staffers of tomorrow.
-
The perfect social bite has two parts the hook and the line.
The hook are the words within the message – the thing to grab attention. This is doubly important as the hook will have no context once it has left the site. For example a hook is unlikely to reference the site so must be compelling, so that someone would visit the page without knowing where they were going. The line is simply the url.
-
The newspaper model is one of a journalist doing the work – being the eyes and ears of the local community. But the online model is one of seeking out direct democratic action. Of having direct access to information, rather than waiting for someone else to report on it. To report on it yourself (not simply to have an opinion, but to fact-find, and fact-check).
-
The first thing to keep in mind is that a headline is a promise. It promises some kind of benefit or reward in exchange for attention. That reward could range from an amusing diversion to the solution to a pressing problem.
-
It is clear social networking taps into something of the female psyche – with sites such as Netmums, CafeMom, iVillage and wowOwow seeing a significant boom. Rayman says women enjoy the positive and empowering vibes they get from such sites, as social places where they can come to share and encourage – which is part of their gender make-up.
-
What’s the point in having a community journalism blog for Preston, Lancashire? Well, simple really: people want it. The sheer number of emails I’ve had and twitter messages saying “thanks for the blog/post, keep it up”.
links for 2009-04-26
-
Given these two realities, how can Twitter leverage the fast-growing Twitter ecosystem so it can start generating enough revenue to justify the venture capital it has raised?
To me, the obvious option is Twitter’s API. If hundreds, if not thousands, of companies are using the API to create services that people are using – and advertisers and consumers – may find appealing, why not charge for the API?
-
Most newspapers, however, are surviving the downturn and will be serving their communities for many years. They are responding to the poor advertising climate with responsibility and thrift–NOT by giving executive bonuses that should be used for strengthen their businesses.
Twitter tips and info hope
-
You may be doing all of the right things on Twitter: talking to other people, re-Tweeting folks, posting links to interesting Web sites and being helpful in general, but you may want to boost your visibility. (If anything, it may earn you a bit of breathing room with your bosses, who wonder why the hell you’re spending your time on Twitter.)
-
Their success – the site now covers a number of US cities – showcases a cost-efficient way of delivering useful information to readers direct from the source. After all, the sources of this information are the very sources that journalists traditionally go to. One attractive scenario that comes to mind here is to use this cost-effective means to deliver nuts and bolts reporting, freeing resources to support more considered and analytical reporting to run alongside.
Friday fun: Quiz Kev
A Manchester man has become half of the sofa surfing, problem solving duo for WKDs new interactive feature Kev ‘n’ Dave.
25-year-old ‘Kev’, Chris Wright , from Carrbrook is online to answer all those burning questions you might have of two blokes at home.
A spokeswoman for the company said: “We know that 118 is no help when it comes to those crucial conundrums that mates debate in pubs all over the country. Like, who is the fittest page 3 girl? Or, how do you do the running man and manage to retain an ounce of credibility?
“The lads will respond to your every whim, but be warned, if you want to know what Kev’s thoughts are on economic recovery he might recommend you go for a fry up, turn your phone off and go back to bed. ”
WKD is hoping this feature will set a new benchmark for interactive content. Having played around with it for five minutes, I’d say four would be sufficient to see all it has to offer but let me know what you think, after all I’m unlikely to be its target audience.
Made me think back to the old subservientchicken.
Have a good weekend!
Blog of the Week: Around the World in 80 Dinners
By Paul Robinson
A confession/disclosure: I know this blogger personally. That said, so does virtually any regular of The Cornerhouse and the entire Arts Faculty at MMU. Even Sarah mentioned him on her food blog. However, as I haven’t posted anything recently to join the musings of my colleagues, I figured I would nominate another infrequent blogger for your attention.
A couple of years ago, Robert Hamilton explained his idea to me over a lager (in aforementioned Cornerhouse): “a journal and food diary for reluctant tourists and lazy foodies like me. The idea developed out of a chance remark I made to a friend last year. Friend: Where did you go on your holidays? Me: Lunch.”
Sounds like the story of my life. Us Mancunians are an over-worked and lazy population, aren’t we? And yet we have one of the highest immigrant populations in Europe. There has got to be some good eating out there beyond the curry mile and Chinatown, right?
And so it was that Around the World in 80 Dinners was conceived. He admits that this project – to have a meal from 80 different countries within Manchester – is actually physically impossible. In fact, at the time I think I suggested I would be amazed if he got cuisine from 30 different countries out of the Chinese and Asian dominated local culinary scene.
But that hasn’t stopped him trying. He has on occasion strayed beyond the city limits, and I would (and did at the time!), argue his trip to a “Canadian Steak House” doesn’t count, but he has so far clocked up 45 dinners and enough calories across all those meals to keep a pack of horses going for a week.
However, pace has slowed. He hit 40 dinners in August of last year, and just 5 more that “count” since then. His blog has moved tone to occasional write-ups of restaurants he has enjoyed here and abroad (see, he does travel occasionally really), and I fear his goal of 80 restaurants is now unobtainable. I mentioned to him I was thinking about blogging about this, and he mentioned he thinks there are 10 left that can count, and then he’s out of ideas.
And that you see, is why I suggest his blog as blog of the week. Let us haunt his blog with comments suggesting places he doesn’t yet know. Let’s egg him on until he is successful. And fat. Very, very fat.
Then we lazy pigs can take comfort knowing that if we wish to explore cultures from all over the World we too can be complacent with public transport and the knowledge the cardiac team at MRI is on standby, 24×7.
Blogger named for Forever Manchester
A blogger has been appointed to help raise charity cash for the future of the city from residents and ex-pat Mancunians alike.
The Forever Manchester blog launched today with Chris Norwood at the helm.
Adoptive Mancunian and history graduate Chris has worked and lived in the city for nearly 20 years in economic development, inward investment and innovation.
He also runs his own consultancy business advising Manchester: Knowledge Capital and Marketing Manchester amongst others and has just qualified as a Green Badge Tourist Guide for the city.
He said: “Although I’m not a native Mancunian, I’m fiercely proud of the city I live in and have spent most of my career working to make it an even better place to live.
“Forever Manchester is a fantastic concept and I hope that the blog will keep people up to date with a wide range of issues affecting the city and be a great forum for others to share their own opinions and ideas.”
The Community Foundation for Greater Manchester is encouraging Mancunians across the world to unite in discussion and debate via the blog.
4evrmanchester.wordpress.com will cover a range of issues from local issues and history to festivals and the infamous Mancunian weather with the idea being to form a global online community of Mancs.
Forever Manchester is a four-year, £4.4 million fundraising campaign launched by The Community Foundation that aims to build an everlasting fund to be invested in communities across Greater Manchester.
Nick Massey, Chief Executive of The Community Foundation for Greater Manchester adds, “The Forever Manchester campaign is about celebrating everything which the region is deservedly famous for, which is why we wanted create a blog which would bring together an online community of passionate Mancunians both here and abroad.”
“With his knowledge of Manchester’s past, present and future, Chris is the perfect person to stimulate debate and excitement about the city we all love.”
