A week into our Guardian subscription and I have a message for the good newspaper folk at the Scott Trust: "You've missed a trick!"
Me and Claire plumped for the pre-October subscription "sale" because we knew it'd save us cash ... and because we love the paper. It's quality, it's fun and it airs opinions that are always carefully thought through and argued. It's so good, in fact, that we plunged all the way in and now have vouchers for every day of the week.
The recent sales pitch that hooked us in was prolonged, intense, colourful and thoroughly credible. But it wasn't without its faults.
And here's why the newspaper sales manager needs a good talking to. Not once in the pitch did he or she flag up the bounteous beauty of picking up a morning paper once again.
With just five editions under my Pepe Jeans belt I've managed to enjoy more early morning birdsong than even that time in the mid-80s when Beast and Browny suggested: "Let's spend a couple of nights kipping under canvas in the foothills of Pen-y-ghent - either side of torturing ourselves with the Three Peaks Walk."
This season's black 7am autumn skies are necklaced by seafront streetlights around Swansea Bay. Even better, at that time the world hasn't yet been sullied afresh by humankind in the gas-guzzlers that plummet down Wimmerfield Drive towards another day of office oblivion.
So thanks, Guardian, for enlivening each day with nature, a refreshing complement to your prose and pictures. But do yourselves a favour before the next big sales push ... send the subscription marketeers on a camping weekend somewhere remote.
Showing posts with label Swansea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Swansea. Show all posts
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Business assistance - frustration's setting in
We're 12 days away from our next meeting to discuss the union-triggered journalism co-op. I sincerely hope our working party members are able to report some progress that night - because embracing public sector-sponsored help is starting to frustrate.
All the individuals we've met as we seek guidance and assistance have been decent, good-humoured individuals with good credentials but, blimey, they ain't half hamstrung by the system.
Costa Coffee in Swansea - opposite Ann Summers, nudge, nudge, wink, wink - was the venue for today's lunchtime chat with a business advisor appointed by the Swansea Business Centre. She was attentive, understanding, ready with ideas and thoughtful in her approach.
However, we were left with a feeling of: "We've come this far - we've ploughed through meeting after meeting - but we're not much further forward."
It was the nth time we'd outlined our plans and aspirations, it was another blast of espresso for the body to fight and it was another valuable two hours out of a day.
The time has come to be decisive and forceful. Our November 2 gathering must deliver some significant advances, including an agreement to formally register the company.
It's also clear that we need cash from somewhere to pay for a development go-getter to kick-start this Vespa that we want to be a Harley. Without a couple of months hard graft from him or her the progress of our willing volunteers will be severely hampered.
There's a thrilling uphill adventure in prospect - but we've not yet starting packing the tent poles for base camp.
All the individuals we've met as we seek guidance and assistance have been decent, good-humoured individuals with good credentials but, blimey, they ain't half hamstrung by the system.
Costa Coffee in Swansea - opposite Ann Summers, nudge, nudge, wink, wink - was the venue for today's lunchtime chat with a business advisor appointed by the Swansea Business Centre. She was attentive, understanding, ready with ideas and thoughtful in her approach.
However, we were left with a feeling of: "We've come this far - we've ploughed through meeting after meeting - but we're not much further forward."
It was the nth time we'd outlined our plans and aspirations, it was another blast of espresso for the body to fight and it was another valuable two hours out of a day.
The time has come to be decisive and forceful. Our November 2 gathering must deliver some significant advances, including an agreement to formally register the company.
It's also clear that we need cash from somewhere to pay for a development go-getter to kick-start this Vespa that we want to be a Harley. Without a couple of months hard graft from him or her the progress of our willing volunteers will be severely hampered.
There's a thrilling uphill adventure in prospect - but we've not yet starting packing the tent poles for base camp.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Why memories are Ev's goal tonight
Holmfirth High School 1976-81 offered much to the aspiring traveller.
Cross-Channel trips took us to Paris coinciding with the delicious final sprint of the Tour de France, Lille before it became moderately trendy and gale-blasted Le Touquet on the exposed Normandy coast. There was even a detour into Belgium one day along with a few days at the small market-square town of Hazebrouck about as far north as the teachers could take us in France.
Powerful memories? The throbbing aroma of breakfast-time non-filter Gitanes which intrigued us pre-health-warning teenagers, the soup bowl-sized mugs of hot chocolate - Choky - and the salty mounds of French fries well before McDonald's copycat pallid gunk had given the treasure a bad name across Europe.
Best of all, as geology O'level approached, a week in Buttermere Youth Hostel, a converted Lakeland slate house, a smooth grassy rise away from Crummock Water. As we paired off with fellow voyagers there were clambers up the stream rushing down from Blueberry Tarn, scrambles up the scree slopes and plunges down towards the flanks of Ennerdale Water.
Great opportunities ... but put into stark contrast tonight as we await the first big school trip of Ev. Aged 13, the lad has his bag packed, his foreign currency crisply tucked into a Post Office card wallet, his squad windcheater Cellophaned and his football boots tucked away. Dimples for Astroturf, studs for the real stuff.
In an hour's time he and 40 others from the local comp head off for 10 days ... in Florida (or What? Nine-hundred quid!? as it's now known).
For this is Olchfa School, Swansea, 2009. In store for them are two soccer matches, several theme parks, the Kennedy Space Center and the ubiquitous, worrying, "shopping day" at somewhere known rather morbidly as Florida Mall. An annual stroll up and down Newton Road, Mumbles, is sufficient for most of us.
Still, good luck to 'em ... and if Ev flies back with as many lifelong memories as those trips to the remaining Vimy Ridge trenches and Lake District glacial deposits then every penny of that £900 will have been worth it.
I think.
Cross-Channel trips took us to Paris coinciding with the delicious final sprint of the Tour de France, Lille before it became moderately trendy and gale-blasted Le Touquet on the exposed Normandy coast. There was even a detour into Belgium one day along with a few days at the small market-square town of Hazebrouck about as far north as the teachers could take us in France.
Powerful memories? The throbbing aroma of breakfast-time non-filter Gitanes which intrigued us pre-health-warning teenagers, the soup bowl-sized mugs of hot chocolate - Choky - and the salty mounds of French fries well before McDonald's copycat pallid gunk had given the treasure a bad name across Europe.
Best of all, as geology O'level approached, a week in Buttermere Youth Hostel, a converted Lakeland slate house, a smooth grassy rise away from Crummock Water. As we paired off with fellow voyagers there were clambers up the stream rushing down from Blueberry Tarn, scrambles up the scree slopes and plunges down towards the flanks of Ennerdale Water.
Great opportunities ... but put into stark contrast tonight as we await the first big school trip of Ev. Aged 13, the lad has his bag packed, his foreign currency crisply tucked into a Post Office card wallet, his squad windcheater Cellophaned and his football boots tucked away. Dimples for Astroturf, studs for the real stuff.
In an hour's time he and 40 others from the local comp head off for 10 days ... in Florida (or What? Nine-hundred quid!? as it's now known).
For this is Olchfa School, Swansea, 2009. In store for them are two soccer matches, several theme parks, the Kennedy Space Center and the ubiquitous, worrying, "shopping day" at somewhere known rather morbidly as Florida Mall. An annual stroll up and down Newton Road, Mumbles, is sufficient for most of us.
Still, good luck to 'em ... and if Ev flies back with as many lifelong memories as those trips to the remaining Vimy Ridge trenches and Lake District glacial deposits then every penny of that £900 will have been worth it.
I think.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The town hall's all a-twitter
The communications team at Swansea Council is in the process of embracing social media ... and all that entails. Tweets and video shorts are among the items now being discussed and planned at weekly news meetings.
A couple of months ago they asked me and a fresh-from-college techno-dude (Sam Nicholls aka Studio8) to report on the positives and negatives of hoisting the authority's messages onto Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and further across the blogosphere. We were delighted to do so.
What we found was a UK public sector already showing encouraging signs of moving with the times and - for this sector - relatively quickly.
Years ago it would have been that local councils didn't keep up. Photography may not have arrived in some town halls until the 1970s - and then banned again once the Pistols turned up. Indeed, in some respects, they still don't keep pace - too many council departments are still working independently of teams performing the exact same function for neighbouring authorities, for instance.
However, look at how some authorities are taking online social networking to heart and I think we're seeing innovations which some private sector media operators could learn from.
Liz Shellard, the Swansea marketing unit's web development manager is inspirational in this regard. She has a close focus on building the council’s search engine rating, achieved largely by luring increasing numbers to authority websites and existing social media platforms.
Social media, she says, is a highly effective way of getting messages to those who don’t wish to get information from the traditional media or from the council website.
Yes, it can be hugely time-consuming if not carefully managed and policed, but tomorrow's information consumer will demand bespoke, personalised services - and that's the way it's going.
Liz told me: “Let’s take them with us – let’s communicate with them how they want. In future years it will be increasingly important for Swansea Council to adapt the way we communicate to take such trends into account.”
Well said, Liz. Enjoy the ride.
More info If you'd like more detail about my Swansea Council social media report, just reply to the blog.
A couple of months ago they asked me and a fresh-from-college techno-dude (Sam Nicholls aka Studio8) to report on the positives and negatives of hoisting the authority's messages onto Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and further across the blogosphere. We were delighted to do so.
What we found was a UK public sector already showing encouraging signs of moving with the times and - for this sector - relatively quickly.
Years ago it would have been that local councils didn't keep up. Photography may not have arrived in some town halls until the 1970s - and then banned again once the Pistols turned up. Indeed, in some respects, they still don't keep pace - too many council departments are still working independently of teams performing the exact same function for neighbouring authorities, for instance.
However, look at how some authorities are taking online social networking to heart and I think we're seeing innovations which some private sector media operators could learn from.
Liz Shellard, the Swansea marketing unit's web development manager is inspirational in this regard. She has a close focus on building the council’s search engine rating, achieved largely by luring increasing numbers to authority websites and existing social media platforms.
Social media, she says, is a highly effective way of getting messages to those who don’t wish to get information from the traditional media or from the council website.
Yes, it can be hugely time-consuming if not carefully managed and policed, but tomorrow's information consumer will demand bespoke, personalised services - and that's the way it's going.
Liz told me: “Let’s take them with us – let’s communicate with them how they want. In future years it will be increasingly important for Swansea Council to adapt the way we communicate to take such trends into account.”
Well said, Liz. Enjoy the ride.
More info If you'd like more detail about my Swansea Council social media report, just reply to the blog.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Making journalism pay - Wales listens
The Wales Council of the NUJ (National Union of Journalists) meets tomorrow and one item under discussion will be an effort by the Swansea branch to explore new ways of making journalism pay.
The background is diminishing employment opportunities in the traditional media; the opportunity is the fast-evolving new media landscape and technology. Wherever it's leading, we want to reach that destination.
Working at Parc y Scarlets as a rugby PR guy, I won't make the Cardiff meeting - but good people in the form of Ken Smith and Mike Burrows will be there fighting our branch's corner. It'd be good to get positive feedback and offers of support and guidance from the council as the Swansea case won't be an isolated one. Newspapers, radio stations and TV channels all over the UK are shedding jobs so something needs to be done to retain and use the skills these jettisoned journos have.
Things are changing dramatically and many regions, cities and towns may soon find themselves in a professional journalism desert. The powers that be and the holders of our public purse strings will find themselves protected by a clogged up information filtration system. Worse, the public will lose a lively tier of entertainment and independent news.
Swansea are looking at the possibility of being a catalyst in the creation of a multi-media thoroughly modern news agency. A working party is looking at key areas such as governmental aid for young businesses, partnerships with academia, tie-ups and with cooperative and development trust movements and, of course, links with like-minded union groups and activists.
I hope the union's Wales Council give a great deal of honest and open thought to what Ken and Mike have to report.
The background is diminishing employment opportunities in the traditional media; the opportunity is the fast-evolving new media landscape and technology. Wherever it's leading, we want to reach that destination.
Working at Parc y Scarlets as a rugby PR guy, I won't make the Cardiff meeting - but good people in the form of Ken Smith and Mike Burrows will be there fighting our branch's corner. It'd be good to get positive feedback and offers of support and guidance from the council as the Swansea case won't be an isolated one. Newspapers, radio stations and TV channels all over the UK are shedding jobs so something needs to be done to retain and use the skills these jettisoned journos have.
Things are changing dramatically and many regions, cities and towns may soon find themselves in a professional journalism desert. The powers that be and the holders of our public purse strings will find themselves protected by a clogged up information filtration system. Worse, the public will lose a lively tier of entertainment and independent news.
Swansea are looking at the possibility of being a catalyst in the creation of a multi-media thoroughly modern news agency. A working party is looking at key areas such as governmental aid for young businesses, partnerships with academia, tie-ups and with cooperative and development trust movements and, of course, links with like-minded union groups and activists.
I hope the union's Wales Council give a great deal of honest and open thought to what Ken and Mike have to report.
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.
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 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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
