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.

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.

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.

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.

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?