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Reasons to #SaveBBC6music

James Crawford — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:24:03 +0000

BBC 6Music

The BBC are going to scrap BBC 6 Music . I wake up to this station everyday at 6.30am, I cook to it, and generally love everything about it. Losing this radio station is, in my view, a disaster.

Here are three reasons to save the station.

1 – BBC 6 Music is the broadcasting equivalent of John Peel. When John Peel died, BBC 6 music filled the void

2 – No commercial station could ever do what BBC 6 Music does. The pressures are too great to plug artists backed by big record companies (with large advertising budgets).

3 – Large parts of BBC 6 Music are produced in Manchester and the station supports bands from outside of London

To make a complaint about the proposed scrapping of BBC 6Music visit this page at the BBC

you can also join the Facebook group.

Links 28 November 2009: (Why I turn to the internet as my first source of news and entertainment)

James Crawford — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:50:47 +0000

Here are a few links of interesting “media” stories, which tickled my whistle this morning.

TECHCRUNCH

I recently contributed to a feature for How-Do on Twitter and Mob rule, which was written by @LauraSpence. I wish I had raised a few of the points on realtime news that was written in this article . I also wanted to write a post for my blog on the Tiger Woods story, but I think realtime news has passed me by, as this article sums everything up.

Amazing picture of the Sun

This stunning photograph of the Sun was trending on Popurls.com and appeals to anyone with an interest in nature, and the natural patterns that lie within the world around us. Beautiful, and an example of the internet at its best.

RIP Technics
As a man who has several thousand 12 inch records, and a proud owner of a set of Technics 1210s, I was very said to read this last night, which shows that Panasonic has decided not to make their iconic turntable any more. The geeks among us will read the online chatter which takes the line that only the MK2 will cease production, but the official line is that the MK5 is for the chop too. It could all be a clever PR stunt and I will be looking into this in more detail.

If true, these are dark days for music fans, but the technology has moved on. All I need now is to pay someone to sit and digitise thousands of my records – a thankless task, but I am willing to pay.

The BBC keeping Cyberspace open to the public
This is an interesting read. For me the BBC should be a major battleground for Labour at the next election. It looks like Cameron has signed a deal with Murdoch to cut the BBC down in size in return for News International’s support. This article shows why we need a big BBC. I am sure the public would back a party which fought the corner of the Beeb.

Ikea Facebook row rumbles on
Yesterday I posted about a clever social media stunt by Ikea. Yesterday Craig McGill added a neat twist. Read here for more information

Seth Godin
And finally, something on the internet which annoys me. Seth Godin’s blog is one of the biggest draws in the Blogosphere, but does anyone else think that his content is crap? The Yanks really go for this sort of self help, psychobabble.

So this is why I turn to the internet for news. I went to the corner shop this morning and bought a copy of the Guardian, but I haven’t even looked at it yet. Instead I’ve tapped into five stories which have defined my morning.

The Sunday Times. Links 15.11.09

James Crawford — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:53:35 +0000

Here are a few interesting stories from The Sunday Times (yes, Rupert, I did buy a copy).

Tories to cut licence fee and niche BBC channels (it is interesting to see this position now that The Sun is backing The Conservatives. Has a deal beeb done?)
http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/op/s8eSFmUrcEuX5iLRAfqL-dQ/view.m?id=1

Media law continues to make it easy for practitioners of the ‘dark arts’ of PR and Marketing, while at the same time putting publishers under too much pressure. (See my previous post on media law, which was featured on Social Media Today)
http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/op/s8eSFmUrcEuX5iLRAfqL-dQ/view.m?id=99403&tid=3019&cat=Search

Obama visits China this week. The backdrop to this story goes beyond the relationship of the two superpowers and will also showcase the latest situation on internet censorship. Will Chinese bloggers be censored?
http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/op/s8eSFmUrcEuX5iLRAfqL-dQ/view.m?id=99443&tid=3019&cat=Search

Palin is back! American satire hasn’t been the same since she went underground. I am sure this book will be full of material.
http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/op/s8eSFmUrcEuX5iLRAfqL-dQ/view.m?id=99415&tid=3019&cat=Search

Europe is wealthier than the United States (So there has never been a better time for The Tories to be farting around with fringe far-right groups, has there?)
http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/op/s8eSFmUrcEuX5iLRAfqL-dQ/view.m?id=99415&tid=3019&cat=Search

How to monitise your blog, according to the Sex Blogger
http://timesmobile.mobi/ms/p/times/op/s8eSFmUrcEuX5iLRAfqL-dQ/view.m?id=99456&tid=3019&cat=Search

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Question Time Censorship

James Crawford — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:42:24 +0000

My view is that we should let Mad Nick*, the far right nutter, appear on BBC’s Question Time.

I might prove to be ill-informed, but I think censorship is pointless, even if Mad Nick’s views are abhorrent and disgusting.

Let Mad Nick on Question Time and show himself up as the nutter he is. Hopefully the audience will allow him to speak without too much interruption, as his own views will be what kill him off.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4′s Today Programme, Red Ken Livingstone, former Mayor of London, believes the Mad Nick appearance on Question Time will lead to more racial attacks.

I believe censorship is an aid to the party’s recruitment because the party recruits its members using conspiracy theories. One such theory is that the UK Government is censoring The Party because it is trying to lead Britain into a race war. So by letting the party onto the BBC we can take away one of his tools of recruitment – wacko conspiracy theories.

Instead, Question Time is a chance for Mad Nick to spout racist nonsense, which I think will ultimately embarrass him. This, coupled to a robust reaction from campaigners and protesters sends a better signal. A message that these are the views of a marginal party.

I think UKIP are a bigger risk to our country, but that is another blog post altogether….

(*His name has been changed to reduce his online presence via search)

Panorama vs Ryanair

James Crawford — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:37:25 +0000

An eye opening insight into Ryanair’s approach to Media Relations. (see link below)

Panorama.pdf

The problem faced by Ryanair is that the company behaves like a challenger brand despite being the market leader. That’s just plain arrogant.

In this email exchange it looks like Ryanair have gone the distance toe to toe with Panorama. I’m saving my judgment until everyone has had time to view the programme… What will be the post-broadcast fall out?

Brucie has ‘done a Big Ron’, but Cowell profits from taking the mentally ill for a ride every week

James Crawford — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:06:03 +0000

Racism is wrong and maybe Brucie should be sacked for supporting the ’Paki’ comment (s0mething he is now denying).

Http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/mobile/entertainment/8297488.stm

However on the other side, ITV’s X-Factor, Simon Cowell takes the **** and generally profits from mentally ill ‘hopefuls’ who dream of becoming stars while clearly not being ‘very well in the head.’

So which do you prefer? Old school racism or voyeuristic humiliation of X-Factor?

It’s all good harmless fun!

(I’m ranting now, but that is what happens after a 5 hour each way train return journey to Brighton. Only Posterous keeps me sane)

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BBC accused of bias over mayor’s Eastenders cameo

James Crawford — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:53:02 +0000

The BBC is today facing fresh accusations of bias for allowing Boris Johnson to make a guest appearance on Eastenders (The Times, 1 October)…

The reason for this accusation is that Red Ken was rejected the dubious honour when he was in the post as Mayor of London.

The poor old BBC is damned if it does and damned if it doesn’t at the moment. Accused of being a left-wing mouthpiece by the right, now Labour is outraged that Boris is rubbing shoulders with Peggy Mitchell and sinking a lager at the Queen Vic.

BBC bashing is a major past-time of the hard up print media right now. Not only is it “distorting the market” with its acquisition of Lonely Planet and other ventures, but the ‘lefty’ producers and staff who inhabit Clapham, Notting Hill and other communist communities are pushing their twisted take on Trotsky’s ideology onto young impressionable minds.

What we need is Fox News…

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Murdoch makes the BBC the battleground for the next election

James Crawford — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:03:38 +0000

James Murdoch has laid out the battleground for the next election with his criticism of the BBC.

A controversial media tycoon, Murdoch and his family are seen as being over-powerful, and to some are real-life bond villains who are controlling an evil media empire. In this context James Murdoch?s criticism of the BBC is going to be controversial and the row isn?t going to go away anytime soon. Especially as he has pointed his finger at a British cultural icon.

Laying my cards on the table, I?m no News International fan ? especially its more extremist mouthpieces like Fox. The argument for and against the numerous media outlets owned by this huge corporation is a thesis in itself which I will write up during a bored afternoon sometime in the very distant future.

Regardless of where I stand on News International, my problem is that I kind of agree with Murdoch. In what other industry would we stand by and let a public entity keep growing and growing, competing for space with ?hard-up? publishing entrepreneurs?

This argument might not hold any muster with the man on the street, and I chose the term ?hard-up? with my tongue firmly in my cheek. However, for me, I am behind the entrepreneur. Some of these entrepreneurs are SMEs or regional media outlets which are fighting out for every bit of revenue they can get in order to pay staff and suppliers.

Gordo (@gordomanchester) of Manchester Confidential (www.manchesterconfidential.com ) tweeted me earlier to say that he is behind James Murdoch 100%. He made a valid point and said, how can small publishers compete against a state funded entity that has £180million each year? Putting it like that who can argue?

The BBC is a bit like a member of the family, so changing it would be a poison chalice and will be met with uproar. You could liken it to the spoilt, cute little nephew who the family loves. Everyone knows he needs a firm clip behind the ear, but you love him the just the way he is.

I am not certain if I want Auntie changing, but maybe it should sell off some of its publishing arm. Does it really need to own Lonely Planet for example? Then again, this is a good way to subsidise the cost to the tax payer?

It is inevitable that the BBC will now be the major strategic lynchpin of the next election. Whoever, dances to Murdoch?s tune will get the backing of The-Sun, The-Times et al and ultimately wins the election . This one will rumble on and I would love to hear from other publishers on their views.

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Traffic congestion on Bank Holidays… Is the inevitable newsworthy?

James Crawford — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 12:13:31 +0000

Is the inevitable newsworthy?

What is it about the British media?s desire to report on Bank Holiday traffic? The story currently has equal billing with pig flu, Jacko and Ted Kennedy?

As sure as eggs are eggs and night follows day, the Bank Holiday means an exodus of holiday makers hitting the motorways. It happens every Bank Holiday.

At the grand old of age of 31ish I have experienced this phenomenon, perhaps, 30 odd times. I know it is going to happen. I am used to it happening. I take evasive action to avoid it happening to me. And importantly, I don?t bore people with stories about six mile tailbacks… zzzzz

Stories about Bank Holiday travel are a good way for the BBC et al to fill time while the ?real? journalists are away on holiday. They can call in the eager correspondent from Bristol to report on the M5 junction, while the rest of the team take the day off.

My question to you all is this: is the inevitable newsworthy? If the inevitable is news then it is not very interesting! Wake me up when the Sport comes on…

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7am at BBC Manchester and it’s just me and the doctor in reception

James Crawford — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:18:27 +0000

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