HelloSpiders

Homebase blog for a group of sites updated by Will Pollard. The hope is to work out how they link together so people can find the bits of interest.

Friday, December 15, 2017

Pinned Tweet draft #1

Recent tweets have been about Brexit and Trump although stats tell me most followers still mainly interested in tech and learning. I think there is a connection but not sure how to explain it. The politics and journalism exist in context of tech trends. Social media now a major influence.

I realise my opinions are not shared with all on Twitter but I try to follow other points of view. even if just to comment.

Now going back to Ohmynews and Guardian Unlimited Talk. English version of Ohmynews about 10 years ago I think. Guardian Unlimited Talk now not mentioned in Guardian history but I think crucial as when they lost the plot. Citizen journalism not a joke, continues as retweet / edit role for example.

2018 Stories. 

15th Jan  Tabloid Guardian, what is happening online? Will print just knock social media or is there an option?

24th Jan Simon Nelson BETT Arena  Futurelearn and Coventry University . Degree courses extend MOOC ideas. Raises issues for campus investment imho

Both stories will crop up in various versions. Tweets and bits of blog may not make much sense but later edits may work better. Or maybe just links to somewhere else. Clues always welcome.


Thursday, December 14, 2017

Notes ahead of BETT

About 10 this morning I will mention BETT as part of the Wild Show on Phonic FM. These notes are to check some links. Longer version later. Actual show at end of Jan 2018.

Radio tech main reason to go. What used to be BETT Radio is now NetSupport Radio ( stand D120 ) there is a new studio in a case that is highly portable.

The STEAM area has A for Art in STEM. In Exeter at RAMM there is now interest in Minecraft versions of the city in Roman times. Links possible. Also BAFTA awards for animation, usually something going on in Exeter.

Looks like Serif will not be there this year but Affinity brand is online. There is a photo edit and illustration offer, page layout coming soon. Mac versions known at Exeter Apple store, Windows also now or soon. I mention this in case you think I am putting too much space for Adobe. I just tend that way. The Spark software is suited to social media and much is free. You can subscribe but I do not see that removing the Adobe branding is much of an advantage.

Last year there were not many Chromebook examples of screens that actually made use of the graphics software Adobe pushed. This year Google has at least one but it is expensive for schools. In Exeter John Lewis almost one thousand pounds. Expect some much cheaper at BETT. Also Microsoft software for similar devices. Not sure of details but will update on show visit.

YouTube not there but Google may know something. When will YouTube RED come to the UK? They may know but will not tell us, my  guess.

Cannot find a stand for FutureLearn but they are shown as a media partner or something. They may be viable now with the certificates etc. Last year they promoted the MOOC for schools. Should be topic also for HE / FE.

Also looking for video / sound. Aim at mobile studio.

Apple not there but has many fans. There may be speakers. This from a couple of years ago.


Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Newspaper limits in reporting social media

Note form , more later.

MPs report problems with abuse from social media.

Newspapers may well be more worried about falling circulation, age profile of people not already switched away from print, falling advertising income.

See Mail today. Bring the Web Giants to Heel. But can they launch an issue like this without wider support? Yesterday the Sun was with them worried about paedophiles. My take is they are being selective in what happens on Twitter and Facebook.

Mail editorial on "hatred and lies" . Where to find a context piece comparing newspapers and MPs in Commons?

There could be more of this if viability issues continue. Guardian to tabloid in Jan, will it offer similar value? Trinity Mirror to print Express? Depends on pension funds agree to deal. What happens with Murdoch press outside Disney? No clear web brand I can see.

Source of much tension seems to be Trump / Bannon / hard Brexit. Much energy has moved online rather than paper. Westmonster, Breitbart London, Moggmentum.

continuing story.

Monday, December 11, 2017

Student Accomodation at Barn, what is going on?

Previously I did some draft comment for Exepose. See this link.

Seems to have got lost but I was reminded on recent walk to Sidwell Street. Turns out that although the swimming pool and bus station are on hold, there is a new block of student accomodation. The Barn is from Fresh Student Living. Info from someone I met is that much more space will be similar.

I tried a web search on Devon Live but found no info. I do not buy the Express and echo very often so may have missed the news. Doubt if there was an artist impression. Seems to be a box made of more box.

So is the campus an alternative city with the previous centre turning into a dormitory?

If the students are in the city why not move the theatre to make it easy to get a base audience?

I realise the uni is not in control of private schemes. But did they plan to expand student numbers when they took on debt for the buildings?

If education moves online sometime soon or soonish will there be a crash in this sort of thing? Exeter would suffer more than most.

Assuming that even when built the new coach station will not have a waiting room for over night , will the student accomodation have a cafe that could be public?

Previous post mentioned students as one option to rescue other partsd of the site but as far as I can guess this bit is being built as the only bit they think they can finance.

Comment welcome including info.

Monday, December 04, 2017

Tweets set the news agenda

In Telegraph on Friday Fraser Nelson wrote with headline that "Trump sets the agenda with Twitter. His critics keep rising to the bait".

"His aim is to have his favourite topics discussed, so the battle is fought on territory of his choosing." Fake news discussion not making much difference except to upset people.

this bit most interesting

"This enrage-and-derangebtactic is seldom used in Britain, with one notable exception" The £350m for NHS often shown to be false but holding the agenda.

Thing is, what else was in common? methods used by Brexit and Trump? Links developed with Banks and Farage. The approach to mass social media may have involved Russian bots but this has yet to be proved in USA and has hardly been reported in UK. I have asked for detail through Twitter and have been sent a link by Nana Jane , still checking this. I don't think there needs to be clear evidence on Russia, even though it now seems probable something happens. The overlap of people Trump / Brexit is clear enough.

Telegraph editorial Friday headlined "Trump bashing will get May nowhere". Seems to be more loyal to Trump than UK. My guess is that as Brexit turns out to be a fantasy the rhetoric will continue with May held to blame for bad negotiating, mixed policy or something. Meanwhile Twitter has a lot of connected retweets etc. so the "alt-right" turns up in UK. Breitbart London and Westmonster not much different. Leave UK very concerned with Trump.

UK media will eventually report on Russian bots and Brexit. I still think newspapers had clout at the time. Maybe bots were part of it as well. But now the Telegraph seems to follow themes that start online.

Not very sure about any of this. Will check tweets / news over coming weeks.

Visible Girls teenage bedroom, could it be a studio?

Scope of this blog now extended to cover radio on Phonic FM. I sometimes mention the Wild Show on Thursday and @wenotno on a Tuesday but I think this is the first post as part of the sequence. Tweets for @wenotno limited space and Wild Show Facebook page much the same for me. I still like the blog format.

There is a photo show -Visible Girls- in Phoenix till just before Xmas. Phonic studio in basement below. Some photos are updates from 80s. There is a teenage bedroom in one corner of a gallery with soundtrack from interviews.

Wednesday this week my plan is to visit maybe with JD and Chris from the Wild Show. Last week I spoke to JD about his studios in a series of bedrooms during the '70s and '80s. The audience might just be one radio at the end of a cable. Anyway, point of this post is to ask if this is ok.

Is it ok to add objects to a gallery? No damage intended to existing stuff. Just some electronics probably.

Is the project just for girls? Is it only boys who think about the bedroom as studio? Comment welcome or please join us. Plan A is Artigiano about 11.

Also if JD wants to wear the hat can I take a photo?

Monday, November 27, 2017

OU news event, moment for newspapers ahead of BETT

This post will be revised ahead of BETT ( end Jan 2018 ) and after. Please rewrite, quote, add something. Some sort of news emerges around this time. OU is making sensible claims for Futurelearn. Implication is that a change for newspapers has already happened.

( Off topic already, I am reminded of how Jeff Jarvis describes how a story leads to another one depending on feedback. Cannot find the diagram at the moment but it will turn up later.)

On the 22nd Nov Peter Horrocks lectured at Durham on the role of Distance Learning for universities. The OU website has a summary and link to the full text. What strikes me is the comparison with the situation for news organisations, especially newspapers. Horrocks previously worked in news including the BBC. He talks about the same "fortress mentality" then in news as now inside the campus.

I have been looking for some sort of "event" as news to show that Futurelearn has arrived. Also to relate a discussion on "disruption". Business Schools still seem to be outside the story for their own situation. Conversation would change when they are involved in decisions around change. So far in the UK only the OU and Futurelearn seem to make major decisions around priority for investment.

There is a fairly clear claim about Futurelean as a platform, based on an implication that newspapers face a crunch, now too late to launch something similar.

In the world of journalism in the UK, there was never a concerted effort to create a shared platform for value and quality in news content, a platform that might have provided a bulwark against US platforms. The UK HE sector is fortunate that it does have such a “best of British universities” platform in FutureLearn, because of the foresight of the OU. It surprises me how few HE policy makers and universities really grasp the strategic importance of the UK having, under university control, a platform of such strength.

Some detail on news

The speed of change in the news industry has been startling. A Pew Research Center report released earlier this month revealed that over a quarter of US adults, mainly younger, now source their news from multiple social media sites, almost double the proportion from four years ago.5 Pew Research also report that, in the five years up to 2016, advertising by digital media increased thirtyfold for mobile, more than doubled for digital, and almost halved for newspapers.

My guess is that there will be some more events soon around closure of print resources in the UK, not sure when, but the tone of this lecture is striking. Whatever the timescale for universities turns out to be, the situation for news is fairly clear at this time.

BETT started with schools but there is now much interest from HE and FE. Some of the topics in the Horrocks lecture will come up again. Including the possible reduction on costs that technology might afford. Apple no longer pays for a stand but there was a talk a couple of years ago. Futurelearn is at a point where there could be some news to draw more attention to these ideas.



So far the lecture from Durham not much reported. Cannot find anything on Twitter. News only in Times Higher Education. They concentrate on the idea of "LinkedIn Degrees". At Learning Technologies just after BETT , (Olympia in Feb ) LinkedIn  Learning will have a stand. There may be some academics who consider this sort of technical, vocational course can work online whereas the "Mode One" subjects continue as normal. Comment welcome, more in future versions of this story.

The Guardian has not recently reported much in this area. Peter Scott has stated that he will not write about the MOOC and he sticks to this. The Guardian seems to me reluctant to inform readers what it thinks is going on with print. Maybe this will change along with the thinking on unis. Connected somehow.









Monday, October 30, 2017

Exeter City Futures on Wild Show

This post is a way to link to a couple of videos. Not sure how it might relate to the rest of the blog.

Mark Jones and James Geer from Exeter City Futures will be guests on the Wild Show, Phonic FM next week, Thursday 9th November. Probably about quarter to 11.

The occasion is the upload of a video to Vimeo.

Founder’s Blog - The role of “place” in making Exeter a Sustainable City from Exeter City Futures on Vimeo.


There is also a blog post with text explanation. Mark and James work on design and social media so we may not get too much into the content. But I hope to raise some questions about how sound and video can work inside an urban space. The Phonic aerial is on top of the Phoenix building so covers a specific space.

Glen Woodcock was also at LikeMinds a few weeks ago, now on YouTube.


I did upload a bit of content from this event, there is interest in video close to the time of the publicity. But th production on this official version is excellent. On both @wenotno and Wild Show we are interested in video as   way to extend radio, and clips can work as social media.

Continues for a while, starting next week.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

How To Get Heard , expanded tweet

This is to explain a bit what I hope for with the clips on Youtube from the Music Panel during Lost Weekend. I started with just the raw files, much too long very few views. Now in clips of about 3 minutes, may be better not sure. Comments welcome especially from the panel. Assume this is ok but please say if there is anything should not be posted.

In clips it could fit with similar discussion at other places and times. The topics make sense most places on the planet.

I think music is ahead of other content in adjusting to digital. During the Long Weekend TEDxExeter looked at AI, machine learning. Probably this will replace radio as music promotion. Previously LikeMinds considered content marketing. Tech Exeter looked at how AI might work with voice, not too soon apparently as output.

The conferences and meetings may repeat next year but meanwhile can connect as clips. Links suggestions welcome.

Friday, October 20, 2017

Loop with Adobe and OmniChannel ahead of #IPEX2017

Couple of videos from The Print Show fit with other topics but not sure how. Andy Gardiner explains how to prepare InDesign files so printers will be happy. I realised it is a while since Adobe was at a print show. Video from MAX shows a different set of concerns. Presumably Postscript still accounts for some income but not for much of the promo budget.



Meanwhile I have found an Adobe guide to OmniChannel. Still do not understand it properly but will continue to check it out. At the Print Show there was still interest in "Cross Media" , from EFI for example, but I cannot find anything like Cross Media Production linked to IPEX 2017. Gee Ranashina ( @KEXINO ) commented on my LinkedIn post to suggest that OmniChannel is in wider use as a term than Cross Media. It could just be that OmniChannel is used by people in marketing, Cross Media still by printers. ( I will try another LinkedIn post when I can imagine how Omnichannel actually works)

At LikeMinds in Exeter I started thinking about this when Jason Miller from LinkedIn spoke about a print magazine as support for blog posts on LinkedIn marketing. This is "cross media" or whatever an online marketing person will call it. At the Print show John Heffernan spoke but LinkedIn as part of a print sales approach. Comment welcome on either video or both.



The Print Show was solid as a UK annual show. It can continue without a lot of product launches. Man Roland Sheetfed was there with a small stand to just meet people and support normal turnover. I gathered that setting up machines takes several weeks so a show needs to be 10 days or so to make this valid. Maybe 3 on the planet. I cannot see IPEX continuing as global in the same sort of way but there is scope for discussion on what print relates to. More later on how this works out, too early to tell at the moment.

Meanwhile much appearing from Adobe MAX, must relate to print somehow. Time warp anyone?


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Notes for Exepose Comment

At the music day during Lost Weekend I met people from Exepose, the Exeter student paper. They suggested I contact Comment for them to develop something. I put the notes in this blog to connect with other topics.

News in Exeter includes that the building of shops / new bus and coach station has stopped. about £100m missing from the sums. Is a swimming bath now too much for a local authority? Has Exeter got enough cafes and shops?

My guess is the solution may include more student accommodation. There is a lot of it. Problem is the balance of the city. Not a centre with suburban dwellings, a booming campus economy with dorms where the theatre used to be. Why not include some study resources in any new development?

Meanwhile the College is doing more around degree level, also with a focus more on vocational and tech. Includes media. So maybe some resources that the public could use? Is there any fit possible? Could be another university with a different focus. Music now seems to be College courses with uni buildings and piano.

Also if everything is on hold why not rethink the waiting room for coach station? Plan seems to be to demolish current one then people wait in street. There are coaches, to Heathrow for example, during the night. Would a 24 hour cafe get some support? Exeter has got a departure lounge but it is in the wrong place.

Monday, October 02, 2017

Music and Content Marketing

At Like Mind last week in Exeter I asked Glenn Le Santo about Content Marketing as in music tracks that are freely available online. He supported my idea that record companies should welcome such situations as they encourage downloads etc. later. Since then I have been thinking I may still need a stronger case. Glenn works for Orange and writing includes technical support. So the cost ratio could be low for some well chosen words compared to some technology equipment with a service contract. Not disputing the value of the words but if a full track is online it may only be sound quality that makes a difference between the promo and the product.



Photo by Paul Clarke for LikeMinds


Working on @wenotno on @PhonicFM I try to play sound from tweets during the show. Sometimes it stops after 30 seconds. Maybe this is an attention span thing but I find it annoying.



Is there any guidance on how many tracks to include in a YouTube playlist? Phonic FM has now done some ahead of benefits ( Magic Band and Blockheads for example ) They are limited to four tracks.

I have done one for the Black Tabs ahead of their Devon tour to promote Tooth & Nail. I could find six videos compared to fourteen tracks ( some live versions of studio ). Is this about right? (Joe Santana has uploaded the complete works in the case of Power of Peace by Santana and Isley Brothers )

Maybe there could be a calculation for this. Variables include the attitude of the artist, the policy of the record company, how well known the track is, tours or ticket sales expected over what timescale, and the number of tracks available. The answer is the number of tracks on a freely available playlist. Could Exeter City Futures work out a formula? At Like Minds Glenn Woodcock presented a formula that relates to traffic and energy. As a set of data flows the sequence of free music and paid downloads may be similar. I will make some enquiries during the Lost Weekend. May be off topic but worth a try.

Not off topic for Friday though . The Lost Weekend Music Conference may have some clues. I know that if there is a new CD we are not supposed to play more than two tracks an hour. But what we can copy online? not sure? Theory of Content Marketing may help.

Followers of @wenotno include @SIEDAHGARRETT . She seems to have decided to concentrate on a future podcast about knitting. Maybe music works out as an intro to something else.

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Paddy Ashdown and online HE

Paddy Ashdown calls for more investment in online education.

 If we were to convert at least part of our tertiary education syllabus to distance learning we might reduce the cost of degrees without diminishing their quality, give students more flexibility, force lecturers into the modern age, widen access and create a superb platform for adult education all at the same time. Why, beloved Lib Dems, do we allow medieval vested interests to preserve our ivy covered tertiary education system exactly as it is, loading more and more debt on students and preventing us from doing what much of the rest of the world is doing already? 

Since previous post I have not found much more on this "dangerous idea" but he has made a clear statement at a major political conference.  Could get some support so possible lead event for a news article.

A while ago i wrote stories for OhmyNews. I used to have a blog with comments and waffle, then wait for a news item. Usually you get get a lot of your own views in once some clear facts were there at the beginning. Something similar for future versions from this blog. I may do a story for Ournet News. Not sure how it works yet.

Another possibility is the panel discussion at Tech Exeter conference. One speaker cancelled so this was an informal  alternative. Main topic of the day at Exeter Business School was digital disruption. I asked about the MOOC and if universities were also going to be disrupted. I was surprised how solid the answer was, very positive for online certificates, full degree courses using technology similar to MOOC. There was also comment that "real" MBA would continue, competing with "virtual" as seen as more valuable, even though the cost could be x 10 . ( Maybe £3,000 compared to £30,000 ) My guess is that if the cost difference really is that much there will be quite a shift fairly soon even if still small in proportion.

I can only find info on the OU as shifting investment priority online rather than buildings. Most UK sites continue as before. This is another area to look for news.

Timing is a bit vague but it would be good to have a solid article ahead of BETT, early next year.

Previously found an FT story but behind a paywall. this one from Guardian a bit out of date but paints a picture.

Robots, AI, what video is allowed? mp3 also welcome #contentmarketing

Exeter has several visits this autumn around AI so I am looking for video /sound. On Phonic FM we talk on Wild Show and @wenotno about voice interface to AI, obvious challenge for radio. How to adjust the studio? what forms of social media fit with FM? Questions arise about copyright / how content can be mixed. Scope for the robot to choose from?

Not sure what will turn up from the business stream at Tech Exeter. So far the slides are there including IBM and EDF. Video is a timelapse only. Previously Digital Exeter at Tubers appeared as video without sound from speakers. I wonder what is intended. Sometimes the content for a conference is supposed to be exclusive, sometimes made public quite soon. Works as promo for the next one maybe. Also maybe the networking is the main attraction.

Coming up Like Minds and the Lost Weekend. Like Minds includes talk from David Low, Principal Evangelist, Amazon Alexa and also Jason Miller, Global Content Marketing Lead, LinkedIn. Lost Weekend includes TEDx Exeter Salon with Raia Hadsell, lead on robot navigation and lifelong learning at Google Deepmind and also Neil Lawrence director of machine learning at Amazon Research Cambridge. Many other speakers but mention these to show the corporate range. (IBM take on show me the money very good intro btw)

How much video will exist how soon? If you do a search what mix of adverts will turn up? When will YouTube RED be in the UK? other questions will emerge.

Local issue is what forms of video are allowed and /or welcome. There can be cheap recordings that preserve content. Or production numbers with several cameras, graphic design, days of editing. How to fund?

Guests welcome if in Exeter Thursday or Tuesday morning or links to mp3 please ( Youtube feeds into studio)

==========

Guardian today includes a review of Life 3.0 by Yuval Noah Harari -

In the case of the AI revolution, as so often before in human history, we will probably make the most profound decisions on the basis of myopic short-term considerations. The future of life on Earth will be decided by small-time politicians spreading fears about terrorist threats, by shareholders worried about quarterly revenues and by marketing experts trying to maximise customer experience.


Following evening at Exeter City Futures

Last Wednesday I spoke at Exeter City Futures, part of their Autumn Connect event. I was more or less on topic. The main concern is sustainability for energy and transport but the approach seems to be around technology and networks. Communication is part of this so video was accepted for the full five minutes. They are a welcoming group.


Online video , talk at Exeter City futures from Will Pollard

Result seems to be I feel more relaxed about my current situation. There is no YouTube RED in the UK, advertising is still very annoying, my video production standards are very low level, budget tends towards zero. So maybe back to text for something quick to make a point. Still possible to link to something else, much still happening.

I discovered that Exeter City Futures are working on some video, this may appear within a few months. So I hope they will visit Phonic FM for @wenotno or the Wild Show once this is available. Also there is an Accelerator Showcase on Oct 7th as part of the Lost Weekend. I am not sure how to link to this. Phonic FM mostly into the music, relates to sustainability just about. How to get Exeter social media to the point where tickets sell out before the print budget is required?

definitely off topic, where is Zion Train? please add comment, will interest some 

Friday, September 22, 2017

Notes re tags and video around music , Exeter Oct - Nov - Dec

This is to suggest some tags for Phonic benefits, the Lost Weekend and other events.

Looking for comments as I may well be duplicating what already exists and /or  going way off topic.

I now work more with playlists on YouTube than trying to do original content. Works well for performers on tour, often good productions from somewhere else. Also can add a promo clip as one of the sequence.

For example



When will they do one for Exeter? Could someone do one anyway? Similar for other Phonic benefits. The Blockheads are very organised. "Blockheadsofficial" on YouTube. @blockheadspage on Twitter.

Magic Band much harder to find. I suggest #Magic17 as a tag for the entire UK tour. Might be used in other places as well. Problem is that "Magic" finds much else on a search.

Also suggest #LostPhonic to tag anything that links to sound, could be played on a Phonic FM show, including special on Lost Weekend Sunday. There could be lots of content so needs a way to find it. I contribute to the Wild Show on a thursday and @wenotno on a Tuesday so we can start to look into this quite soon.

Meanwhile I heard about a Frank Zappa tour with hologram ( Radio 5 Live nighttime, fell asleep found enough to trace it) No dates for UK yet but if it works why not Captain Beefheart, Ian Dury? may be off topic here but interesting,

The Lost Weekend may get Exeter up to speed on social media / content marketing. By chance we may get a comparison with Austin TX as there is a Devon tour coming up from the Black Tabs. They have a promo clip for a new vinyl release and also several complete tracks on YouTube. #tags and social media looks sorted so much to study with whatever else turns up.


Monday, September 18, 2017

Hello Paddy Ashdown, more please on distance learning and HE costs

Yesterday bought a Sunday Times to follow Brexit news. Adam Boulton mentioned that Paddy Ashdown is promoting distance learning as a "dangerous idea". I have now found it through Twitter and also sent a tweet requesting Paddy Ashdown tweets more often. Twitter could be a space for this sort of thing.

We persist in the medieval practice of taking students to medieval ivy covered buildings, to receive their education in the medieval manner from minds, too many of which, when it comes to delivering education, are stuck in the middle ages.

Thing is, only the top two are actually medieval in buildings but there seems to be an idea that statement buildings are required to move into / stay in the top ten or twenty. FT has info on current building spend but behind a paywall.

The OU is alone I think in explicit policy to close buildings and invest in online platforms - Futurelearn and now full time degree courses with certificates. When will this become a news topic? The Guardian relies on comment from academics such as Peter Scott who mentioned the MOOC once, only to explain why there would be no further comment. Maybe the topic is too close to the end of newsprint.

Whatever, please Paddy Ashdown a few more tweets and do not worry too much if others take up the policy.

Lower costs? not too dangerous surely?



Sunday, September 10, 2017

Shifting time and space ( Exeter on circuit )

Have found several video clips on YouTube that relate to the Tech Exeter conference at Exeter Business School. Looking forward to the official video but meanwhile there is much available. Can also find something for some of the speakers - we are Like Minds includes the we are so you find them on Twitter, also Lost Weekend with TEDx Exeter Salon.

The E is for Entertainment by the way. The Wild Show voice robot prototype spec is included as Thur 10 -12 ( and/or Tue 12-2 @wenotno ) available for guests / chat speculation.

Saturday, September 09, 2017

Question about content marketing and high impact video

This post is to show some links and explain a bit more than a tweet. At the Tech Exeter Conference I found out a bit more about video from a previous evening. I missed this as not what I was expecting.





This is fine as a quick hint at the event but I do not see how this is content as such. Maybe there will be a later series with more detail.

Is there a place for a variety of styles? I am still thinking about clips with what was actually said. Sometimes the sound quality is not good but the content is interesting. This one I did at BETT last year.




I mention this now because there is recording from the Tech Exeter conference. I hope this will get to YouTube as longish chunks, maybe 5 minutes or so. But maybe I have lost it as far as how video is now regarded.

Is there any theory about content marketing or has this gone?

Universities and other venues now clearly have the production facility to create any number of shortish tightly edited clips with energy music. But I think something is missing along the way. Comment welcome.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

update on universities and digital disruption

I was reminded about this as there is a Tech conference in Exeter this week. We don't seem to get to how universities could be part of a disruption. Couple of connections through the Guardian.

Peter Scott writes about market pressures but no mention of the MOOC or innovation to reduce costs. Taxation is the only approved option. Since he announced that the MOOC would not be mentioned I think there has been more development on certificates and monetisation, not a word he would choose. Maybe just the tech and vocational end but this includes the full range of business schools.

Sonia Sodha mentions in another article that there is £2 billion of construction spending pending. ( website links to FT but behind a paywall) My guess is that universities still see iconic buildings as a campus attraction. The OU is unusual in closing sites to concentrate on online.

For video I like the locations, Exeter Forum and Lancaster Spine for example. But I think there may be a crunch happening soon when the topic will come up where the priority should be.


chat show / interviews / other time and place

Next few months has a lot of interesting talk. Print is back via IPEX and other events. I am still mostly into radio at this time so will look at Exeter courses through the radio studios at Exeter College and Guild on campus.

On Wild Show / @wenotno for Phonic FM we are extending voice interface to a voice robot. This is a way to chat about such topics during Tech Exeter, We Are Like Minds and the Lost Weekend. Unlikely we can get guests for the shows / video interviews but can report and maintain a sequence. We have guests Black Tabs in October so can look at social media around this.

On blogs and YouTube playlists I will look for related topics in other places / previously. Probably much the same has already happened. #mtw3 theory relates to #mtwr practice, needs some exploration and explanation.

Monday, August 28, 2017

Update around walk on Lancaster campus / conferences , video

I may get to Lancaster sometime 11- 15 September. I think the area where the Time Creating Garden was demolished will now be updated. The Spine still not finished till next year so this is still the time for a walk with interviews, conversation for sound and video.

Meanwhile in Exeter mostly looking at music,we borrow video from somewhere else to promote an event so I am getting used to this as an approach. some topics for the walk will turn up in other places. I had thought that voice interfaces to computers would be an issue. Now this is linking more to AI and machine learning. The "robot" is getting closer.

Trying to follow a couple of events. Cultural Political Economy seems to continue some of the project from the Institute for Advanced Studies. I followed some of the ideas on the Knowledge Economy and Experimentality. Not sure how far towards practice the conference in September (6-8) will be but it finishes with a walk in Lancaster itself. Hope there is some video or stills or some sort of record of where this covers. If wifi is working ok what is the need for a campus? or where is the edge?

Edutalk Radio will be at the #altC conference. Sound only but for most video it is the sound that creates a block. If sound ok a still can cope.

Much happening but not sure how it is linked up. Some video found on YouTube but not sure if meant to be public. Several signs that there is more interest in video and social media. Content for Futurelearn so some production resource.

When the Spine is updated a walk can be a location for video links. Meanwhile forms of script possible. Link suggestions welcome. (Management Theory at Work in Radio #mtwr continues near Phonic FM in Exeter on no fixed schedule)

Friday, August 25, 2017

Exeter Street Arts Festival expanded tweet #ExeterStreetArt

This is a space for more words than fit in a tweet.

I am trying out ideas around #tags and video for the Exeter Street Arts Festival this weekend.

In theory social media can work as promo and video is getting to be a larger part of this.

Often though the search #tags are not that sorted and video production is actually not obvious.



On Wild show, Phonic FM I talked to JD about how there seemed niot to be a Youtube channel although there was a link on one of the web pages for Exeter Street Arts Festival. I am still not sure if channels are the only option. Playlists can work though YouTube seems less likely to promote them recently.

So I have started one playlist and will add to it over the next few days.




The tag suggested is #ExeterStreetArt . This finds graphics but this is included. Also from last year but that is ok too.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Print as Communication and Fashion

I am starting to check out print again ahead of the 2017 IPEX this October. This major event only happens every four years. Today is the launch of a YouTube video promoting Print in Performance, based on London College of Fashion. Part of University of the Arts London, as is the London College of Communication. Communication used to be part of the London College of Printing. So I am puzzled so far. Screen printing ok for any material but what is going on? So far I cannot find anything about RIT at IPEX this time. Previously they have had a larger profile than any UK educational presence. I will keep looking on YouTube for clues. Dedicated blog later but meanwhile just trying to grasp the outlines.

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Video as promo / record , Phonic FM benefits

See previous post on conferences in Exeter , tech and social media.

Phonic benefits can be case studies in an evolving mix of promo and ticket sales. Content marketing assumes content at least in theory.

28th September  Linton Kwesi Johnson



30th September  The Lambrettas and the Chords










Lost Weekend 6-8 Oct Zion Train , not a Phonic benefit but from previously





21 Nov  Magic Band





16 Dec  Blockheads



not a party track this one, but plenty of time to find some more.

Continuing question of how print fits with #tags, aka cross media, continues as topic for LikeMinds see previous post.

#mtwr continues in background , busy months coming in Exeter

The attempt has worked out ok at another Management Theory at Work in Radio. Another look at the Design Science DJ on the Wild Show and there are plans for something on mindfulness next month. The @wenotno show included clips from Carl Munson on news and mobile equipment so there is practical info as well.

Current topic is still digital disruption, sound around FM moving to social media. How do radio organisations change around this? Phonic FM is distributed, each show has various forms of promotion and distribution. Probably the FM operation will remain stable with social media experiments around it, including video.

In September two conferences, one from Tech Exeter at the Business School and also Like Minds at the Castle. There could be some crossover as technology and media relate.

At the start of October the Lost Weekend includes a TEDx Exeter Salon. Topics include AI and lifelong learning.

Phonic FM has several benefit events coming up, details in next post. There has already been video of some of these and also promo use of video from other places. When Radio 1 was in Exeter last year they spoke about "visual radio" as in the Live Lounge. If radio moves to social media for sound clips, it might as well be video. This is just shorthand, something to come back to.

The original Management Theory at Work was through two conferences in Lancaster a while ago. Based in part on how the idea "Learning Company" changed with new technology. It is still possible to relate back to academic conferences but this is now in outline mode. One question is how universities are subject to digital disruption. Do they still need a campus? How much is moving online? Such questions may crop up even if the discussion starts with radio. Arguably any location can now be a studio so similar questions relate to cafes and art centres. Still relevant this clip from a MOOC -




Exeter is still concerned with buildings. How to mix with online? Topic probably continues for the rest of the year as Phonic benefits need promotion. Evaluation takes time.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Video resource in Exeter ahead of BETT

This post is a sort of reminder, maybe should be called sometime after BETT. But some things worth repeating as video and radio are moving along. there are several ways to create sound clips and informal video using mobile devices. Facebook is doing more and LinkedIn has new options in the UK soon.

In Exeter there are courses in Abobe Creative Cloud at the Phoenix. Tubers Academy seems more open to adult support and business as well as younger people. The university library has a multi media suite with Premiere and After Effects. There are different policies on updating software. The Phoenix has an educational licence for Creative Cloud so is updated. the university library has stayed with a version before the Adobe switch to subscriptions. Still a good resource for effective video edits.

Meanwhile there are online options and cheap or free software for video edit. Sound clips even easier. The Radio 1 Academy suggested "visual radio" when they visited Exeter last year. Their Live Lounge has a reasonable production level but "visual radio" may be just a sound file and some well edited stills.

Next year Adobe may be at BETT again or they may just be lurking online. Spark is a set of free software to create quick video, web pages, graphics. They may develop other features, seems to be a way to remain visible when the main software requires a subscription. BETT was noted for new cloud services on video and sound support.

So not too soon to check out what has happened since and get prepare some questions for next time.

Friday, August 11, 2017

More on Critique and #mtwr

Now finished Radical Technologies by Adam Greenfield. (Verso) It helps me understand the views of people in the Guardian books review. I have not found much from Critical Management Studies links on the topics such as AI and machine learning. So this book helps prepare for a techno discussion as walk on Lancaster campus with a focus on voice interface to robots. Once the Spine is complete the location should work for any tech topic, this one more urgent as linked to radio.

For new readers I contribute to two shows a week on Phonic FM, Tuesday and Thursday. Limited visibility is an issue so voice on phones has been regarded as a benefit. Started with Siri on Apple. Also helps us understand the tech in developments such as Alexa from Amazon.

In the book Alexa turns up with the Dash button in the Internet of Things. The AI and machine learning are much later though I think they will develop rapidly with such devices. We are interested as it is hard to see a future for FM radio as such.

The scenarios towards the end include some resistance within an expanded power for the Stacks- Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook. (Microsoft is seen as trailing, mention for Samsung but not for Sony) Another scenario - Green Plenty - is linked to Fully Automated Luxury Communism and may be just a fantasy. The Stacks scenario is closest to what we have but the resistance could have more energy than implied in the tone of most of the book.

I have this week become aware of Anchor, a new radio app. Could be quite corporate, can be found through Alexa. Plays tracks from Spotify so no rights issues in putting a show together. Anyone can upload speech, no apparent limits on what can be said. So there is some wide scope in this to be tried out.

Adam Greenfield has objection to data used for control, most of what he observes. This fits with the critique take on Quality Management, mostly negative. I still think there could be some benefit in looking at quality theory as well as learning companies when there is concern with what is produced by a system. More on this another time.

If I had started a walk on Lancaster campus at InfoLab 21 with a techutopia vision and then found the Radical Technologies book at the Management School I would still be on my way towards the Learning Zone.

I notice the book has almost nothing about education or research in universities. "disruption" is dismissed when facing power structures. Maybe there is more to come. The Stacks have not yet approached education directly on any scale. Universities might adopt new forms.

Wednesday, August 09, 2017

Critique and #mtwr

Some notes on critique as #mtwr continues slightly. August may well be a "dark time" for theatre but I am still trying out some aspects of Management theory at Work in Radio. Some feedback but also trying out ideas that may repeat later.

Recently the main area where critique would be welcome has been the voice interface robots such as Alexa. They have advantages but also potential for harm if there turns out to be a monopoly for global sales / advertising organisations. I have been reading "Radical Technologies" by Adam Greenfield, only half way through. The AI and machine learning chapters yet to come.

Previously I have sometimes found critique blocks some practical conclusions, see previous posts on the Cloud as part of Experimentality. But with the voice robots I think some perspective is required.

Looks too late for the Critical Management Studies conference, July at Edge Hill . But there is a Lancaster one on Cultural Political Economy, including a topic on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This may include voice interfaces to global information systems. They sound attractive but there is much to check out.

I will try to follow this on Twitter etc and see what turns up. There is some of a relevant book online.

(Meanwhile still thinking about a walk on Lancaster campus when the Spine update is finished. InfoLab 21 at one end where tech confidence quite high, lower with critique later. Where is the Cultural Political Economy located? )

Saturday, August 05, 2017

#mtwr repeat of Creative Commons video on Phonic FM

I sat in for the Storyteller on Thursday. He is stuck in France so I did one show extra. Ran out of radio plays to borrow so spoke about social media etc. Drama not so well promoted as music I think. More on this another time.

I realised that Creative Commons is important so these two from a while ago. Like Minds is back in Exeter this September.







These also show that casual video is ok on the edges of an event. We could do more.

I notice YouTube will drop the video edit feature so much more difficult to work with Creative commons remix. They suggest you contact the source and ask for a copy. No direct download option. This may be part of a move to competing with Netflix or whatever they have in mind. see previous post. Long ago it was suggested that Web2 had to do with read / write, social media etc. I have nothing against broadcast, am in slump mode from about 8 most evenings, but cannot help thinking there may be a space for something other than YouTube if things carry on as they seem to be going.

Also, sound clip from previous talk with Storyteller. #mtwr continues with a bit of a pause next week.


#mtwr continued - YouTube RED means UK is wrong place, though this may be right time

Management Theory at Work in Radio continues, not as a regular conference but a series of repeats maybe.

YouTube seems to be concentrating on becoming a cable channel. They have expanded the number of places inside the USA where you get RED as part of a bundle with other major brands. Now they have bid for content - series based on Karate Kid ( see Hollywood Reporter)

Meanwhile RED not available in UK. The idea for the first #mtwr was that subscriptions would make YouTube accepted by a professional audience with no adverts. So conference presentations could have some sort of budget. Not much needed. But not possible in UK. However the situation we observe is probably the same in many other places-

  • large audience for video, social media as promotion for journals, books, courses, certificates  etc.
  • more devices with some capability for recording sound, video
  • digital disruption for radio as part of music industry, similar not much delayed for news, weather etc
So probably somewhere there is a conference / production resource to mix an academic conference about learning companies / disruption / visual radio / podcasts.

Best bet for #mtwr is to carry on as chat and link to whatever happens. Seems an approach for the moment, may change, comment welcome. Original channel - Will Pollard / Rougement Global Broadcasting continues with variable production standards.

btw my gmail includes the claim that the TV Advertising summit is "peer to peer learning at highest level" , can be found as #MPTVIS  , maybe something will turn up.



Sunday, July 30, 2017

Management Theory At Work In Radio During August #mtwr

Reviving this topic as it was attempted previous two summers. Started as part of Dark Times, gifted space at Bike Shed in Exeter. Then with rented lighting as Bike Shed Bar unsuitable for video. This year may involve a trip to the Boat Shed cocktail bar in natural light. But more likely sound only, some from Phonic FM studio.

There is a dedicated Twitter account but I am starting this on my own blog and as #will789gb . Twitter page has a MTWR background as this is my main project. So far not working that well, zero subscribers as YouTube channel. ( same for RGB2 intended as local ) Previously I did some social media ahead of a third Management Theory at Work conference but this has yet to happen. First two were in Lancaster. So other links may well be revived if this gets any momentum.

Meanwhile the background of theory still seems to me to be relevant for current situation. I work on two radio shows and try to develop social media as the FM signal may fade away. Topics below are around a case study approach in the middle. Could be a day conference or a series of podcasts but starts as bits of text.

Critique / Philosophy

Critical Management Studies sometimes blocks the way to any practical proposals so best to start with the question if any form of radio is to be supported. Standup Philosopher can be briefed on issues to become a drama. Clip here is from May discussion.



Mindfulness 

Bronwen Rees spoke at the earlier conferences. Not sure this page is current for East West Centre.

I will check out related shows on Phonic FM.

Meditation takes longer than a radio show. there are MOOC versions that allow flexible timing.

Sociology Paradigms

Not sure how to do this in limited space. Something to come back to depending on cases.

Keynote - Learning Company

This first Management Theory at Work conference started with a keynote by John Burgoyne. Video versions still reasonably up to date. How to update? see below




Design Science ( DJ )

Design Science has been a topic for management theory and for teaching/learning. But so far not both together. Meanwhile my friend JD has been slightly more convinced that radio presentation could be designed, even be a science rather than an art. Chat uploaded to YouTube makes us a top result for search on "Design Science DJ" even though we are confused as to what this means.started just as working with clips about design science. ( try a search on Rise of the Science DJ )

Digital Disruption as in FM / Music

FM radio seems to be in decline, business models around music promotion also in flux. How to adjust a model of local music support? Phonic FM concentrates on FM signal but recently improved bandwidth in studio and now works with RadioPlayer to reach more devices. When Radio 1 Academy visited the Phoenix in 2016 there was talk of "visual radio" as in video this is not part of Phonic as such. Several shows have video as part of social media and the artists for Phonic benefits have video from which sound can be played.

This could relate to a Burrell and Morgan diagram ( see paradigms above ) with OFCOM and FM as near regulation and social media / video near change / subjective.

Universities are also part of digital disruption with the MOOC etc. This could be part of a later discussion maybe back to #mtw3 rather than radio. But there is some sort of similarity if every venue has a studio for social media. Arts organisations similar to a campus in most cases. Relevance of this from a MOOC a couple of years ago. Not sure if a repeat is scheduled but a group could form to be ready if one turns up




Forms of publishing

conclusion phase includes working out what to do with the content.

Can include a look at script ideas for a walk on the Lancaster Spine when completed early in 2018. This may relate to a conference on Networked Learning. Two of these have been at Lancaster and there is some video already. ( Tests around Exeter have shown locations could work as context for interviews etc.)

Extract from first video shows route of Lancaster walk



Sunday, July 23, 2017

Topics around video for next week

The Storyteller is still on tour so I continue with the Drama Hour before the Wild Show on  Thursday. I now have a digital copy of one of the plays from the radio evening at Boat Shed. So can link around this to talk about content marketing, clips and promo.

I may use an extract on Tuesday for @wenotno show. Previously we played a lot of Laurence Jones from video recorded when he supported Vintage Trouble. Maybe worked as promo for his own headline performance. No stats available. But fits as a topic for show. Theatre not so much content marketing though there are trailers.

Tuesday evening is Tubers / Digital Exeter so I will check out what they say. The scope is video for business in general but music is an area where video has been tried out for a while.

There may be some places still available meetup.com/Digital-Exeter/events/241716277/

Radio 1 Academy last year was about "visual radio" - low level video by TV standards. Still not sure how this works. As promo in some sort of loop with events. Continues as "Management Theory At Work In Radio" during August, including question of why buildings are needed.

Futurelearn / OU case Study in Disruption?

Radio clearly is in a disruption situation. Streaming now viable for music distribution and FM only part of a marketing mix.

Education could appear as obvious a case over time. Recently I have found it difficult to raise the question. But in the autumn I will try a draft article in the way I worked on for OhmyNews a while ago. They require a news event at the beginning but I found that bits of blog could be copied in once the event was established. My guess is that BETT in January will have something announced or discussed that shows things are moving with UK universities. This year Futurelearn concentrated on how their resources could be used in schools but universities are now attending in larger numbers. Students now have expectations about technology so universities are closer to where schools are at.

One question is when the budgets will change so that education spends relatively more on tech and less on buildings. On the Exeter campus it seems that iconic architecture is still a priority. Could be the same for the arts in general. Boat Shed in Exeter has plans for the building but I am not sure about a video studio or support for social media content.

Not sure if the Goethe Institut MOOC will be repeated this summer on managing the arts. This clip is from 2015, still relevant but not sure if his claim is accurate about what is happening. I am linking this to any building that might be partly a gallery or studio.



By chance the Observer today has story about the offices that tech companies are building. No evidence there that online is enough.

Also I am looking forward to the Lancaster Spine as a location. Just not sure that all these buildings are the best use of funds.

Anyway back on topic the OU is making major moves. So far most reporting has been on the loss of jobs, closure of sites. But the digital direction is definite. Futurelearn is in the top five of global platforms. ( Later story will have more on whether this matters. Should academics worry about this sort of thing / language? Valuation of the top two may be another crash about to happen. Still works as a case study)

There are now some examples of courses that are charged for, full online degrees. Futurelearn is well placed to encourage students to consider this progression. OU as much as others.

More later.  Confidence level of some verifiable facts ahead of BETT? Quite high.



Low Level Video Production Continues

So far not much happening with mtwr or RGB2. See previous posts for the idea that the current YouTube channel is too limited to low budget methods. RGB2 is intended for improved video local to near Exeter, mtwr for Management Theory at Work in Radio. But both assumed that YouTube RED would be available in the UK. Advertising gets more annoying so the subscription option has to be there, especially for a professional / academic situation. Meanwhile options such as Adobe Spark allow some reasonable content in the mix. Also I am able to get good sound from the Phonic FM studio. Lighting still an issue so making use of daylight over the summer.

Management Theory at Work in Radio is an idea that could well be happening somewhere else. It came out of an attempt to do a social media advance on another face to face conference in the series Management Theory at Work. There have been two so far in Lancaster, a mix of theory and practice. see previously for more on the Spine, currently being updated. Video playlists could link content in a context based on a walk. But the Spine is a building site until early next year. Production budget depends on available tech at that time. Linking video better with a tripod, steadycam, edit budget etc but possible with a few stills.

Meanwhile "Having A Wonderful Time" is working out ok. I am sitting in for the Storyteller in the slot before my usual time for the Wild Show. A radio play based on a short story can also be a situation / outside broadcast. Content needs development but we have got to a location and back within scheduled time for the show. So same approach could well work with a Spine walk. I have realised the script / design needs to be vague enough to be able to work anywhere. "Vague" is wrong word maybe, outline better. Details can change if the audience already knows the plot from previous info. Also things turn up that can be linked to.

YouTube seems to be turning out more like a mainstream broadcaster than social media as I have understood it. They are dropping the online video editor in September and now suggest that the Creative Commons approach can work if you direct message to ask for a copy of the file. So no download option or way to just edit a version online. In the USA they expand the number of urban areas with cable that includes YouTube RED. So the better funded content is probably going to come from those same sort of locations. I will be looking out for clips to put in a playlist. We can add some comment and links in the UK but the delay on YouTube RED is a definite problem.

Management Theory at Work in Radio has been a low level event as face to face. Part of Dark Times in 2015, space donated by Bike Shed Theatre in August pause. YouTube RED then a rumour but the potential was indicated. 2016 we rented some lighting and tested the bar. Worked ok but still no Youtube RED in UK. This year the base is just sound, some clips possible as part of Wild Show or @wenotno on @PhonicFM . Some issues relate to arts centres or education, see next post.


Saturday, July 08, 2017

The "Not Making Of" Option

Thinking about video situations for the next month or so. July / August is a holiday phase so mostly notes mode and as basis for future versions. There may be actual news in September or soon after as people return to offices. Only time pressure is that the Storyteller is away on tour. Most weeks he is in the Phonic FM time slot before the Wild Show so I have got to know his situation quite well. I will be trying to get in an hour early for the next three weeks. This started at a time of a Phonicon event linked to News From The Sun as visual art. I found a radio version on the internet archive. Then the continuity announcer stated that next week it would be Having A Wonderful Time. So I played that and thought it could be the basis for another set of events. Holiday culture days out or holidays as containment for social pressures. So I return to this to explore.

Should be week two but it turns out JD is on holiday soon so we will make the trip to the Canal Basin / Boat Shed this next week. And fit in the News From the Sun from the archive. In the short story the holiday makers never come back from the package. Equivalent could be a basement for creative activities from which nobody returns. Details yet to be worked out but there may be an escape route assuming people then spend the rest of the day away from the Phoenix. Boat Shed one option so that bit may be recorded next week.

Recorded as in bits of sound or video and some stills. Sound can be mixed in studio later. Backgrounds maybe for video mix when we work out the script a bit better. The Phonic FM studio is definitely ok for sound, not sure about the rest of it. So it may turn out to be a "making of" sort of collection or a "not making of" if there is never a final edit.

All Creative Commons as the radio plays are such from the Internet Archive and it should make things easier. If someone would try a similar idea then it could go in the mix. Starting with text in this blog. The basis is the location that becomes a sort of set. I am also working on a Walk along the spine on Lancaster university campus. This will be for next year when the spine is completed. The idea is to use the route as continuity for discussion on digital disruption and education. Spots for tech vision, critique and business planning, library and bookshop response, views from humanities and social science.

Meanwhile there will be an update on Management Theory at Work in Radio. This has been tried out the last couple of summers. The Bike Shed Theatre was available for Dark Times, then we tried out rented lighting. Should be easier in daylight at Boat Shed or nearby. Earlier Management Theory at Work was the title for two conferences at Lancaster. There was also a social media version of a third one that morphed into a sound version. The content could be the basis for another conference if this makes more sense at a future time.

On YouTube the videos will be part of playlists. There are some already that may change in scope. The Exeter campus could be used for tests of discussions for the Spine Walk. There is news of online courses to be launched next year so some real base for discussion. No change in the campus so far butb this may be a question to ask.

The Storyteller informs me that the Bad Blood performance will be repeated at Exeter Visual Art in the autumn. This is located at the end of the Alphin Brook  so could connect with a walk along the river and canal. Not sure how this fits but the sequences will need some definition on occasions. The "not making of" approach can only go so far and needs links to somewhere else.

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Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Laurence Jones in Exeter - Case Study in Content Marketing

Laurence Jones returns to Exeter Phoenix next Sunday as headline following support for Vintage Trouble in May. There were about 80 tickets available yesterday. Plus some extra if the top balcony is opened. I contribute to the We Don't Know show on Phonic FM today 12 -2 and also the Wild show on Thursday 10 -12. Video from the May performance is now on YouTube.


So the plan is to promote the event through the radio and the associated video. Last year Radio 1 Academy was at the Phoenix and told us about "visual radio", the Live Lounge etc. Phonic FM has not even got a webcam but mentions of YouTube etc. are possible and also @wenotno on Twitter, Facebook page for Wild Show.

Phonic FM is a fairly small community radio station, aerial is on top of the Phoenix building and reaches an area around it. Views on YouTube may be under 100 in the time available. But we need to reach the right 80 or 100 people. ( opening up the balcony may also help future video as a possible camera angle )

More about content marketing later. Simply put, one theory is that there has to be content.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Trade issue reported but not much

Twitter has a clip from Today on Brexit but they have not chosen the bit where Angela Rayner mentions priority for tariff free access to the market. John Humphries queries how this can happen but there is no background on how EU may see free movement of goods and people as connected. EU speaker cut off yesterday because of the weather but surely the Today planners could find time to explain?

On Sky / Channel4  last night Jeremy Corbyn said " the priority is tariff free trade access". I cannot find this today in the print Guardian although they do report him at length. My guess is that the Guardian has been supporting LibDems as a way to contest Brexit but this has had a mixed response. Looking at what Labour would actually negotiate could have more potential. They might say more if they thought they would be fairly reported. So far Andrew Neil and Jeremy Paxman have concentrated on immigration in their questions.

Humphries shares a concern that the electorate is being "infantilised" by the absence of information on what Brexit negotiations are about. My guess is that this will be remembered or discovered if the consequences turn out to be difficult. So far the UK media has missed a lot as far as I can tell. Contrary evidence welcome. there are still a few days.


Monday, May 29, 2017

word cloud as three sound clips

Previous versions of Hello spiders had a graphic of a word cloud. Something like quality, learning, communication. The three things fir together. I started on this working on ISO9000 in print industry, then wanted to know why learning failed to happen. or at least quite slow.

Since this is linked to a  pinned  tweet you may wonder why there are so many tweets on #Corbyn and #Brexit. This may be a temp thing but has continued since the referendum. I have found the media take on #Corbyn to be shocking, still is. Recently I notice that social media are a large part of the election, especially with younger people. Could link to the main themes of the blog, too early to know but something is going on, not sure of scale or timing.

Recently I work mostly with radio, more advanced in streaming and breaking content into clips. Text publishing could be similar sometime soon. Three recent clips are a base for future links, some as sound, some as text.

Design Science DJ

My colleague JD continues to doubt my proposals but we still score well if you search for Design Science DJ on YouTube




MOCC pronounced MOK

I hope to do a draft report / story about this, maybe a finished up one in time for BETT 2018





Studio in cloud run by robots

Going more with speculation / imagination. Actual studio to follow later.


Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Improvement Circle meeting promo as an improvement loop

Blog post to collect some things together. I am trying out video and hashtags as promo for a meeting on June 1 at the CQI in London. I have an interest in social media and video. So far mixed results on getting resources for video production.

Should any meetings space also have the basics for a studio? Tripods hard to carry if going to London for the day. Sound mixing can help, at least a feed from a desk. Soforth.

So I have started with a quick video via Adobe Spark. Much more complex presenytations are possible. the download can be edited with other clips. Also a playlist on YouTube



Also a #hashtag for Twitter - #improvementcircle

Guess is there will be more video found with the same tag during May and June. Suggestions are welcome.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Video production as a learning loop

Title just seems best available for update on my situation.

There is a day event coming up at the CQI in London. Organised by two special interest groups - Edwards Deming and the Next Generation. There is still power in face to face but I want to explore how online relates to this, for example as promotion ahead of one event or as a draft of the next one.

Previously I have tried to do video from quality meetings, some at the CQI, and found that there are several issues. Some people are not relaxed with casual recording. The production standards are supposed to be better than most YouTube style ( this is a bit outdated now, there are many well produced clips that are still casual conversation) although there is a limited budget.

So my current idea is to look for existing video that relates to the event, then take at least one camera. No tripod as harder to carry. Maybe the CQI could invest in a tripod ot there is one not far away.

I am also thinking about #BadBlood , tag for a performance mixing myth and Taylor Swift. Started on Valentines evening with one repeat so far. My YouTube playlist can mix in full tracks from Taylor Swift without any copyright issues. Analytics show views now dropping off but the view time is over 30 min. I have done several video clips of the Cartwheels Collective in various guises, never getting the sound and camera quite as I hope for it to be another time. But maybe getting closer and the teepee will soon be looked out for the summer so at least the lighting may be sorted.

#BadBlood also exists as radio, in the slot before the Wild Show on @PhonicFM. So I get to meet the Storyteller and may take over the slot when he is on tour. Not sure of the dates yet or how much of the Wild Show I can take for chat. should be mostly music.

Suggest #improvementcycle as a tag for this event. Just done a search on Twitter, nothing since March and what turns up is relevant.

Suggestions welcome for video to include in a playlist.

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Reference content on Lancaster campus as a location for video chat

This post is to link to some photos following visit to Lancaster last week. The main news is that the Making Time Garden has been demolished. Part of the project to upgrade the Spine. This  has destroyed the site as a real place in my head. I can no longer imagine my next visit to the garden. It has to be working on text or mixing photos. Also the people working on the site confirmed that the complete date is sometime next year not the end of this. So I am getting ready for quite a long time to prepare a script or related clips before a chat show / set of interviews / presentations as a walk along the spine.

Meanwhile, the video as uploaded at the time



A map based on panorama from photos ( scale may wobble a bit but shows the walk )



A graphic that could be a printed page with extra detail. For new readers, start with tech vision, critique at business school, check in public space ( near Costa for example ) This first part is still possible during Spine work. Sites towards InfoLab21 and near tree outside Management School with space for recording in daylight. The problem now is the South Spine to discuss the implications. Apparently the Making time Garden will be replaced so more on this later.



Photos of each space

Near InfoLab 21



Tree near Management School



Demolish Making Time Garden



Pods near Arts building


Sunday, April 23, 2017

Draft ahead of next Wild Show / some chat on @wenotno

Chris Norton is away on jury service so me and JD are extending our talk on a Thursday to last beyond 10.30 and towards 12. Last week we repeated a clip from guest Joseph Parsons as he is on another UK tour. This coming week we hope to persuade the Storyteller to stay maybe 15 minutes after the Drama Hour show.

Previously he did an evening performance as part of Management Theory at Work in Radio, a day conference at the Bike Shed Theatre two summers ago. This covered critique and how academics relate to management projects, digital disruption for example. What I want to discuss is how much has changed meanwhile and whether the positioning of the performance should also change.

I think about various sequences:-

  •  The layout of the book about the Learning Company , 
  •  the programme for the first two conferences Management Theory at Work 
  •  the social media version to relaunch another conference ( nothing so far) - #mtw3
  •  versions of Management Theory at Work in Radio - #mtwr


going into reverse,  #mtwr is now a collection of sound clips that could take a day, could be explained in 30 minutes with brief extracts. Central case study actual problem of how FM radio adjusts to social media, starting with music and including news / chat shows. ( Radio 1 Academy in Hull soon, continues from Devon in 2016)

The Standup Philosopher performance at #mtwr covered issues from the Critical Management Studies aspect of the first actual conference. Chris Grey concluding keynote challenged why academics would get involved in practice anyway, let alone check out technology and the learning company. This should be at the beginning so people can choose to go home or go to another meeting.

The Learning Company book has not been revised to relate to recent social learning developments. There could be playlists on YouTube and other platforms exploring developments from previous versions until a new print version appears.

As video ( or visual radio as Radio 1 call it ) the Lancaster campus is the basis of a straight line with variation in set. Can start with  tech vision at Info Lab 21 , then to critique at Management School, then to Alexanderplatz to check bookshop / library / cafe wi-fi actual situation. The towards arts and humanities for further comment. As of 2017 it seems there has already been substantial change in this central space ( recording will wait anyway till later in the year when the spine is renovated, currently a building site ). So the focus of the drama may have moved into the social science / humanities space towards the arts.

I have done the basis of a sequence around voice computer interfaces and AI. This has links at different locations. Will be updated, mostly the critique phase.

There is a garden ( generating time as first intended) with a balcony that could work as a stage. The sound from the Bike shed Theatre was not too good but the lighting was ok. Recently Bad Blood was ok from the Workshop space in the Phoenix. May try something out and / or use a green screen to transfer to Lancaster later. Not sure. Depends on what any of this would fit with.

At a recent writing workshop in Cumbria I was shown how chance can be worked into a plot. Stock elements of story can be mixed by throwing dice. So if there is a tech vision at the InfoLab 21 end, say a 50% chance it gets past the management school in a form still recognised. But only 25% chance of welcome in the Arts / Soc Sci end even though it may seem to have already happened in the central space. Move the drama along as best fits on any occasion.

Meanwhile in Exeter the Wild Show / @wenotno also considers the urban space around the Phonic FM studio. seems to be like a pizza slice , quarter of a circle starting from North Street and High Street with the Museum nad related buildings in the middle. This is another set, background for chat. but also the reality can be reported. Recently Tubers ( just outside the space across a car park) offers a Youtube Academy. Aimed at young future stars so the business model cannot yet be fully tested. The studio can be hired on a day rate so open to productions as well as being a significant development. Interviews could just ask about how people respond and think differently about online video.

Getting back to next week, my guess is that Jon on @wenotno may think that things have already changed a lot, he prefers the phone to the CD as a source of music tracks. JD on thursday may prefer the reality of Pizza Slice Exeter to forms of fiction or speculation. Comment welcome ahead of the shows and updates later to this blog.

Thursday, April 20, 2017

Quick Note on Joseph Parsons / Doghouse Roses Tour and BBC Radio cornwall

BBC Radio Cornwall still playing , may be Claire Rowley sitting in, not sure. Joseph Parsons Duo about half an hour in. Link about here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04yh5hg - should be available for about a month.  Two live songs and a short version of story as we heard on Wild Show last year in Exeter - Phonic FM.

So they did not need any of the clips loaded on Youtube. JD explained to me this morning on wild Show that most shows usually recreate such content in their own style. so we did use one clip again but other shows will do something else. Clips still there for more info if people want to find them. search on Joseph Parsons and Wild Show.

Meanwhile news is the new CD is called The Field - The Forest , recently released for UK. Sample tracks on Soundcloud, link on site.

So not sure which sounds will reach local radio for the rest of the tour. Hope they still include the Bridge Topsham if they get lots more bookings next time.