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.

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.