Monday, June 29, 2009

Co-operative working - the DIY way forward for journalists?

Could it work? A co-operative working agreement between freelance journalists in a corner of Britain dominated by media monopolies?
Well, that's an idea the National Union of Journalists' Swansea and District branch have started to explore.
The aim would be to create work for freelance and out-of-work branch members in an area covering Port Talbot to Aberystwyth. It's a big ask - but if we don't try who else will?
The recession means lost jobs in the traditional media and fewer freelance opportunities. However, it also creates opportunities. There’s a demand for news and information so why don’t we – the experts - supply it and make a fair living from it? Could we run a grassroots-up network using agreed union rates? Could we complement the big boys of the patch - Northcliffe, Newsquest and the BBC?
The first move is a series of three exploratory meetings to gather the thoughts of members - the first was on June 25 in the Uplands Diner, Uplands, Swansea.
The second is from 7-8pm on July 1 at Costa Coffee, Penllergaer Services, on the M4; number three is from 1-2pm on July 9 in the cafe at Swansea's Dylan Thomas Centre.
Feedback will then be circulated to members who, with help from co-op experts, will decide on a way forward.
That Uplands meeting heard there was a UK-wide support network for co-ops – see www.cooperatives-uk.coop, www.wales.coop - with much expertise to call upon. Individual support and encouragement has been indicated by co-ops with similar skill-sets - Alpha Communication (www.alpha.coop, Durham) and The Very People (www.theverypeople.co.uk, Scotland)
The biggest journalism-based co-op seems to be Associated Press, a global news agency serving multi-media platforms. Could we go down the news agency route with multi-media offerings?
Other media co-ops, the Uplands Diner gathering was told, include the New Internationalist (a London-based social affairs mag) and Wisconsin’s 70-year-old weekly Inter-County Leader newspaper (7,000 circulation75 payroll).
No Welsh journalism-based co-ops have been found and advertising professionals say revenue generation is tough but winnable with right product in right market … and with much groundwork.
One ploy, of course is that rather than starting an enterprise from scratch, we buy-out a company, run it along co-op lines and develop new-media lines. Any available?
The UN, incidentally, has placed its support firmly behind co-ops; indeed, July 4 is International Day of Cooperatives. Sec Gen Ban Ki-moon urging greater government and consumer support for co-ops.
So are there opportunities to fill gaps left by established media? Can we offer news from fresh sources, not relying on PR? Could we encourage freelances to develop new sources?
Could we work as an agency – offering a news service, information provision, training opportunities? Could we embrace help/assistance from various quarters such as start-up agencies, training bodies and business funders?
The co-op model chosen will be crucial: how would the shareholder system operate; would charity status be required; how would a possible board run the co-op (and would it require representatives from other community interests?); or perhaps a member-run organisation would be the most applicable.
Is ‘special interest’ journalism is the way forward? Is special local issue-based journalism the way forward - for example, the environment. Immediacy is important, so could we test the water with e-newsletter carrying grassroots local news?
Is there a gap in the local market for traditional local news reporting such as crime, council and court? Can we plug the gap? There's a quarterly community newsletter in North Gower - The People’s Estuary - which suggests a market for local news. It has attracted Assembly finding and volunteer help. Warning 1: The Swansea Standard local paper launched a few years ago but it was sunk when the South Wales Evening Post dropped ad rates. Warning 2: The cost of print media is high – so should we look to first create a web-based product?
Hey - you tell us! Come to a meeting or reply to the blog.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Glastonbury pulls the plug on defeat

Good ol' Bosch Customer Service. The fridge had problems, the pressure was on to excel with some macho mechanics ... and the online help pages came to the rescue! The big question: "Why's the floor of the main refrigerator section always wet?" The answer: "Possibly because the condensation water drainage channel is blocked. Clean it with a cotton bud." And magic - out popped a slimy plug of formerly edible vegitation. One happy missus. Little things like that have help balm the hurt of the last-minute Lions defeat - little things like the English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh real ales quoffed by our gentleman visitors as they settled down for our front-room Sky Sportfest. Little things like TV's Glastonbury coverage too. What a fabulous event it looked - small screen highlights were The Specials and Madness, of course, but also Bat For Lashes' Daniel, Bon Iver's Skinny Love, Prodigy's Smack My Bitch Up, Blur's The Universal, Tom Jones' Delilah, Kasabian, Springsteen, Quo (yes, why not, Status Bleedin' Quo!), the bum cheeks of Lady Gaga and the enthusiasm of the Beeb's presenters. Mark Riley, take a bow. And happy birthday.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Lions outshone by George to Somethingth

So the British Lions' second-half fightback fell just short but I reckon they showed enough to suggest a monster-monster effort next weekend as the second Test dawns. Good luck, boys, especially Stephen Jones and Matthew Rees who'll both start or my name's Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela *. Saturday was rescued by a remarkable night out down The Railway (Killay), Swansea's greatest basic boozer. A few peppery Lancastrian jars of Phoenix White Tornado, a summery session ale from Heywood, between Bury and Rochdale, were complemented by one of life's more surreal pub quizes. Okay, the congregation raised £40+ for Barnardo's ... but, by 'eck there were rumblings about the obtuse nature of the quizmaster's take on Saturday night "fun." Here's a couple of his gems: "If the Queen died tomorrow, what would be the official name of he new monarch?" And, no, the word "Charles" doesn't enter the equation. "Who was BB King's favourite singer?" How should we know - and why should we care? (Answers: George to Somethingth and Frank Sinatra, in that order ... and * is Winnie Mandela, quizheads)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

From Aldenham to Cape Town thanks to Sky+

The Faces of Stradey Park - the world's greatest book about rugby union - has now made it into the window display of Killay Newsagents. I noticed it on the way past to pick up today's Observer and a handful of delectable pink grapefruits, the breakfast of choice here this summer (along with passion fruits when they're a decent price at Lidl). Thanks go to the friendly shop assistants for their thoughtful approach to plugging it at a topical time for rugby.
I caught up with the SkyPlused Lions today - that tight but welcome win against Western Province. As they were getting soggy in Cape Town yesterday I was on the way back from Aldenham, Hertfordshire, with Terry Morris, my photographer pal. We'd been to meet John Williams, a splendid South Shields exile who's now one of the UK's finest chefs.
He's top man in the kitchens at The Ritz and he was photographed by Terry and interviewed by me at his home as we begin to create a great new UK-wide portrait collection for the very worthy Academy of Culinary Arts.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Thanks, British Lions

The record of three wins in three hides a few concerns for Ian McGeechan, Stephen Jones, Matthew Rees and co. But it's no time for pessimism (the England 20 Twenty cricket XI are monopolising that field).
Indeed, there's a splendid reason for Lions-related optimism, albeit a reason based on selfishness - yes, the South African tour has triggered interest from bookshops in the fine rugby tome Faces of Stradey Park. I know because I'm the author.
To date it's been sold exclusively through Scarlets outlets but now it's been picked up by multi-national bookseller Borders. I was equally chuffed to see it in Killay News, my local newsagent deep in the heart of Ospreys country.
The book's done well in the Scarlets heartland and it'll be given another boost this October when the first anniversary of the momentous move from Stradey occurs.
If you know of any sports loving booksellers who'd like to stock the Faces of Stradey Park, give me a shout!