ComplexityGroup

Business Models for Funding Infrastructure

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2007-10-25T08:05:11+01:00

In this 'Stimulus Presentation' for the Telco 2.0 Industry Brainstorm, on behalf of Close the Gap International, I look at some of the issues facing us in developing business models for infrastructure build.

Please click on the slides to move through the presentation builds.

For more on the event and its outputs go here

Digital/style blog

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-06-12T19:09:47+01:00

We are in Harrogate with the first Digital/style

You can find the latest pictures here: www.digital-style.blogspot.com

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-31T09:19:25+01:00

Technorati Profile

From basement minimalism in Soho to corporate velour on the South Bank

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-26T19:54:23+01:00

Earlier today, I was with the indies and freelancers of NMK's (New Media Knowledge) 'I want my IPTV' event in the cool minimalist white walled basement of 01zero-one; the Soho 'outpost' of the University of Westminster. Now, I'm at the London Centre Meeting of RTS (Royal Television Society) in the ITV Preview Studio's blue velour with 22nd floor panoramic views to hear about TV over mobile. Chair: Martin Farrimond, Independent Consultant.

Norman Green opened the event by telling us that the event was full - 84 people had accepted the invitation and he'd had to turn away other RTS colleagues. He'd e-mailed everyone to confirm their attendance and still people hadn't shown. He was understandably annoyed - so you 'no-shows' had better watch it!

The notes I blogged in realtime are below - tidied up but not edited. In this section, I provide some observations based on the perspectives of the events.

Different pictures of Ofcom emerge

At the NMK event, the general consensus appeared to be that Ofcom was taking a very 'hands off' approach to the regulation of IPTV - a couple of speakers mentioned that they'd tried to engage Ofcom but not really got anywhere. In discussion, speakers at NMK said - if it's on a PC then Ofcom don't want to know; if it's on a TV (through a set top box) then they do. Obviously Ofcom doesn't want to be in a position of attempting to 'regulate the internet'.

At the RTS event, Mike Short of O2 indicated that Ofcom had taken close interest in the Oxford mobile TV trial, particularly in respect of advertising. It sounds like BT Movio had a similar level of Ofcom interest to that of O2. O2's trial used DVB-H and BTused DAB-IP. In the presentation, Matt McCann made much of the fact that BT Wholesale's uses an IP network - which he indicated was a 'bearer' neutral approach.

So, on the one hand you have TV running over IP on the internet to a computer and on the other you have TV over IP on the Digital Audio Broadcast Network to a computer (which just happens to be a mobile handset). And Ofcom regulates one and not the other? Actually, once this thing really kicks off Ofcom won't be able to regulate it. And David Currie is too smart to play the 21st Century Canute!

Spectrum a big issue for O2; rights a potential minefield

Mike Short is a very eloquent advocate for the potential opportunity for the UK in mobile TV. He is concerned that we'll do our usual UK thing of not getting on with it commercially after a good start technically. He's hoping UK government will get the spectrum regulatory part of this right. Well, he can hope.

Handset availability and price likely to be an issue for BT

BT's solution is designed for DAB - mainly used by the UK at the moment. Short argues that this will give BT a problem in getting a special handset just for DAB-IP. That's why O2 went for FM radio and why, he argues, DVB-H is the one to go for. It's a good argument. But I wonder what will happen if the Japanese adopt DAB - I know from my trip to Japan last May, that they are watching the UK digital radio scene very carefully.

NMK and RTS considered

I enjoyed both events very much - both well thought through and delivered.

Mobile TV - O2's Oxford trial

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-25T19:36:39+01:00

Mike Short VP R&D O2

Users loved it and used it

Innundated with enquiries from round the world. Huge interest in the area.

We are a mobile operator, not a broadcaster. Users say they want to move from a verbal to a visual mode. It's more than film or TV - it's the 4th screen. Oxford Mobile TV trial based on DVB-H.

Handles cellular and TV on same platform. Screen size or battery power will not be a limiting factor.

56% of people said it was a good idea. They see their phones as much more than 'phones'. UK mobile content market was worth £600m in 2005.

125 - 250 m users forecast by 2010. Korea has 300k subscribers already.

Danger of UK falling behind (US, Italy, Finland). UK Government not moving fast enough.

Arquiva is O2's partner for the transmission network.

Strong channel line-up. Not as much made for mobile content as they wanted. Limited to 16 channels. Radio not seen as important as Matt from BT said. More about channel choice.

Where you watch has an impact on spectrum use - need coverage both in home and in a moving vehicle.
Didn't trial DAB. FM radio is international. Doesn't believe big vendors will produce a UK only DAB version. Needs to have consistent use of spectrum and standards. Feel there is demand for ticketing and interactivity.

Ofcom put some restrictions on what they could do (ie advertising). PVR is important. 'See me' TV is important.

It's a personal TV or cinema world - not a family view on a big screen.
Good balance of users. Av TV viewing 3.4 hrs a day, 14-44 bias on age group.

Over 3 hrs per week, 23 minutes per session average. 1.5 sessions per day.

What do they look at and where?

Home was initially where they watched. Commuting then became the first place to watch, followed by the home. Peak times - early morning commute, lunchtime, early evening. People watch at lunchtime - poss of new type of lunchtime TV. Barcelona nd Madrid show similar patterns. News, soaps and music strong. Sport could have been higher. 83% satisfaction levels. Channel branding absolutely critical.

ESG a key element for users

ESG - important for the users - 'Electronic Services Guide' usability is key. See £10 a month 16 channels in a multi-service environment. PVR is very interesting to them.
White paper available next week.

Spectrum policy and content rights are major issues.

Rights are a nightmare. Rights clearance is a tough one. Liquid media is a challenge to the whole industry. Need strong actions to support UK developments. The industry needs to work together on this. UK government needs to be faster on deciding spectrum allocations. Can't have the situation where Beijing has mobile TV in 2008 and we don't get there for 2012.

Personal TV is the way it's going. Maybe Mobile TV should be part of Digital Switchover.

Mobile Broadcast Entertainment

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-25T19:04:00+01:00

Matt McCann - Commercial Director BT Movio

BT Movio is a business unit of BT Wholesale. Doing a deal with Virgin. Broadcast TV and radio on wholesale proposition. DAB network. Work with device manufacturers and content providers. Mobile operators are partners.

DAB - 3m receivers, 15% of listeners. Digital TV. Vodafone and Orange dricing TV mobile content. Strong UK content industry.

Ran Pilot of DAB-IP mobile last year to understans how it might develop. 1,000 user trial in London area. DRM and conditional access.

59% said appealing or very appealing
2/3 would pay £8 per month
58% say 5 channel line-up necessary minimum.

Results consistent across demographics and spend.

Radio more popular than TV (95 vs 66 minutes per week). Would move networks (1/3 of them). Users want simulcast TV not just short-form snacks. 17 minute average visit. 'It isn't quite snacky content'. Home was the second most popular place to watch, after commuting. All about who controls the remote!

It's all about consumer experience, not a winning technology. Thumb movements and ergonomics important to the experience. Launching in summer 2006.

It's broadcast TV - 5 launch channels with more planned. DAB digital radio will be free - 422 stations in various multiplexes. DLS allows interactivity (4 lines of text so pretty limited). Can have interactivity via GPRS/3G - simple to use and high take up in trial. Music channel with simple 'call to action' 60% response. EPG is free to users and updated automatically.

The device and application
Working with HTC on handset. Talking to haandset mf re development. DAB-IP and Radio App developed by TTP. Over teh air software upgrades.

TV and radio over appropriate bearers - £g DAB DAB-IP DVB-H WiMax. But content should drive the choice of bearer. Needs one platform working across multiple bearers.

DAB-IP
Flexibility to run TV channels at 64kbps.

First commercial launch in UK Summer 2006. IP approach should preserve their platform for teh future.

Questions

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-25T19:00:02+01:00

Battery life an issue for DVB and DAB.

Norman - Strong action on rights - what does it mean?

Mike Short - Content rights are a big issue because mobile operators don't understand. Needs a better dialogue between the actors. Who gets the advertising? Process gaps on rights clearance. There's a national issue.

Matt - Rights issue will be about the history. It's a bit messy.

Q - where do you expect money to be made?

Short - Pay TV model is the model we like. But not clear how to split up the money.

Matt - operators price to the market - they are our customers.

Rights again - clearance. New technologies have legal expertise but producers 'learning on the job'. What are the definitions and limitations. Lack of clarity.

Q re Licensing. Mobile TV is a TV.

Q re new types of content.

Mike Short - seeing personal creative content developing in blogging fro example. Education might change with camera phones everywhere. Health TV for example. People will be creative. But there is good and bad in there too. Strong demand for camera involvement from users. Sprint said last year they handled 100m pictures. In Korea they have 8-10 m users - many using HD handycams.

Advertising - users don't like 'flashy' picture in picture or complex graphics.

Q re differences in age?
No real difference. More gender difference.

Q re Tivo mode, video podcasts and so on?
Matt - PVRs would be liked by users. It will be important. But point-2-point might be a better way of delivering the content.
Mike - more pull than push in their trial with users.

Q re trial in Cambridge. Mediaflow with BSkyB - first trial in Europe.

Q - channel change delay? And O2 is putting on DVB-H?
Mike - technology neutral. But we need spectrum - there is some in UHF. We prefer international capabilitty and scale potential to the UK only solution of DAB-IP.

Q re encryption. Dual mode - so cellular leg encrypted anyway.

Potential local services very interesting - news, travel and weather

NMK - I want my IPTV

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-25T15:51:42+01:00

HYPtv - internet TV

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-25T15:50:59+01:00

Lots of talent out there

Film makers animators musicians DJs VJs - but no single place to go as an advertiser to access these people. They all have web presence but it's dispersed across the web.

Communities are important for us to build - creative communities re what it's all about. Sharing information is important as boundaries between genres blur and there is more crossover. That's the kind of community we want to help to build. We don't believe what the big broadcasters are telling us.

We want to be on their TVs, mobile and on the web.

The web is a key target for us. Average punter is unaware of the fine distinctions between set-top box based IPTV and WebTV on a PC. Broadband TV is going to be bigger than Sky - and the technical problems re quality will be solved.

Operating our channel and business model

Interactive and not much difference to conventional channel management.

We don't pay directly for content. We showcase it on Sky. If we can license it they get a revenue share.

Target is £2m revenue in Year 3. Multiple revenue streams including sponsorship/advertising, downloads, merchandising, SMS, library sales, mobile TV and brand licensing. International content in prospect.

IP means it's measurable advertisers will like it

Audience is multi-tasking
They watch, text, chat and play all at once. Their attention span is getting shorter. It's a 3.5 minute window.

[Odd that he hasn't shown any of his content]

NMK - I want my IPTV

brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-25T15:11:18+01:00

Broadcasters' strategies for IPTV

Basically - they don't have one - BBC maybe, and Channel 4. But no one else really. As no one knows how big this will get - so that's not surprising.

Mainstream Broadcasters

People who register on BARB are regarded as 'mainstream'.

Advertisers are questioning the efficacy of 'spot' advertising. Nervous about PVRs. 'PVRs destroy advertising - it's as simple as that.' Video on demand also enables you to avoid spot adverts. Recently subscriptions have overtaken advertising as the chief source of income. Advertisers are relying on the 22-23% of households that DON'T have digital TV.

BBTV is an extra platform. Mobile phones are also attractive. IPTV is very irritating because it invades my territory as a broadcaster and I have three options:

 Ignore it and move jobs before it comes to bite you personally
    Half-hearted move towards it
    Go all out and adopt it

But you don't have to do something just because you can!  But this is not my advice in this case.  They ahve to get 'stuck in'.  If you're late for the party - it'll be too late to dictate the content agenda, user interface, payment and advertising structure.  

Whilst the 'BBC is wallowing in a jacuzzi of cash' - it's still doing too much in IPTV.  What does well is Dr WHo and Eastenders.  Channel 4 will do a 'roll-up' of broadband platforms.  ITV will follow suit.  ITV has now become serious after the mess-ups of the 1990s.  Look how successful the music industry were in starving iTunes.

The large mass of viewers are still with the mainstream channels.  But the Telcos are mobilising - largely by 'buying in' good people from TV to run the business.  

Last year ITV lost £50m of advertising over the previous year.  In July they will drop 12%, in June they are expected to drop 4% over last year.  This is a major problem.  

People will not 'pay to view' for VoD - he believes.  There's so much content out there anyway - there's too much TV.  Why pay for more?  Money from IPTV will come from advertisers.  They will attach their brands to IPTV content.  IPTV, if you can get it right will work on that basis.

Broadcasters don't want to cede their control of production to independent producers.  There's lots of value added by the channel controllers in choosing and packaging winners.  'They're not completely useless'.  Compare how broadcasters are viewed by the public versus the public's views of the Telcos.  

Niche broadcasters
Makes no sense to churn out a channel with 2 hrs of not very good content.  But IPTV could have been designed for them.  They will migrate to IPTV because it's so much cheaper for them.

Q re regulation from Jo Twist and TV without frontiers
UK govt is standing up to EU re regulation.

A - IPTV is developing in Europe as it enables people to bypass the conventional programming model.  Ofcom needs to take the brakes off about branding attached to programming (pre



Cybersonica 2006
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-05-19T17:14:49+01:00
Interactive Music for the Masses

Josh Randall - Harmonix Music Systems


Interactive music creation is a real driver for him.  People are great at using the PS/2 controller - what if this could be used to encourage them to make music.  Early versions used a video game format to generate music.  Too wierd for Microsoft - but Sony bought it in 15 minutes!  It was called 'Frequency' released in 2001.

People who played it really liked it but it had lacklustre sales.  Got a BAFTA.  Too difficult to get people interested.

Sony still liked it and they did 'Amplitude' in 2003.  Made it more MTV-friendly.  Sony said it needed 3D characters.  Still too much abstraction.  Development team of 20 over 15 months.  Puts the user in creative control.  Can be networked as a game or online collaboration.  It was great but did not sell - too abstract.  Likes the look - but it does n't really say "Music" to most people.  Where do we go from here?

Making musical experience accessible to everyone - use Singing


Use Karaoke.  Karaoke Revolution (Karaoke Stage in UK).  Team size of 44 over 9 month developments.  Lots of women on the team in different roles ("In addition to nerdy geeks like me").

Depends on robust feedback system to be a game.  

Guitar Hero is what they really made happen

Team peaked at 49 took 9 months to develop.  It worked because they got fantastic awesome rock tracks.  Rhythm action game play and guitar-like peripheral.  Guitar makes it easy.  It has a movement sensor built-in which makes you act out your 'rock behaviours'.  Whammy bar added - for fun.

Team structure and management key to getting these projects right.  Audio engineers become the equivalent of level designers in games.

Tight budgets and short timelines.  Very focused prototyping.  No time to mess about.  Decisions need to be made rapidly.  Core features need to be 'nailed' rapidly.

Production tips

Hook users quickly
Needs multiple levels of feedback
Make the player feel great about themselves - superstar stuff

Focus test early and often - repeat this.  More important than 'normal' games as part of the process.  Is the UI really intuitive?  Can you offer a valid experience to users at all levels.  Tutorials are important.  

His family have never wanted to play his games.  His Dad was totally hooked on guitar hero!  

Injecting creativity into the games is important - and encouraging users to move on to 'real' instruments is a good idea.  Especially when there is little musical education in schools.  

Guitar hero was breakthrough for participative musical games.  The performance aspect is important and focuses attention on the player rather than the game.  

Social impact of musical games.  Sometimes they are embarrassment simulators.

What's next?

New interfaces are on the way.  More room to experiment.  People may get tired of the big cinematic games (he hopes!).  Web connection will enable new ideas and downloads.  Innovation will happen from this.  New hardware may enable DSPs to tweak/augment sounds.  Musical collaboration may happen (they are very interested in it).  

Guitar hero II will enable collaborative play.  

Q - age group?  Our games are appealing to parents and then kids down to 8 do Karaoke.  10 - 13 is core group.  Pre-teen to mid 20s.

Do people take games out of their home - 'Guitar Hero Night' - it's happening in the US.  'Battle of the Bands' - using guitar hero.  People like videoing themselves doing guitar hero.  People do moves.   





Comms Suitville in the City
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-02-09T09:28:08+00:00
Another day, another conference.  But this one isn't quite the same as buzzy Venturefest.

Philip Graf - new deputy chair of Ofcom is chairing this session.

This is the Communications Managers Association annual conference 2006.

There were 2 blatant sales pitches to start with, one from RIM about how secure the Blackberry is.  One from HP.  Then we had the Public Sector guy from HP - who talked about a case study of the network implemented at York University.  A bit more interesting - but pretty much a sales pitch.  I took notes of these - but don't include them here.

Better was an interesting look from IDC and this is worth a quick scan:

Duncan Brown IDC

Changing Business Needs and Better Security

Networks are business critical

Don’t say ‘dah’ - this is not as obvious as it seems - but we never talk about standalone computers.  We just assume that the network will be where we are whenever we need it.
Rate of growth is exponential - and what we’ll be connecting to the networks won’t be what we recognise today as ‘computers’.  
Converge trends are across the networks - we are living with it and it will grow.  Convergence is more of a journey than a destination.
Mobility is (increasingly) business critical

61% of banks have a mobile solution deployed.  Education sector have mobile solutions (about 50% of them today).  
Security is business critical

Information/IT systems security is the most important issue rated by CEO/CFOs against all other technology issues.  Users don’t care really what brings the system down.  Security and business continuity are increasingly two views of the same thing.

But there’s a funding gap.  Mobility data strategies are in advance of mobile security.  Lots of money going into fixed security - much less going into mobile.  There is still a perception that mobile solutions are inherently less secure.
Changes in security over the next 3 years

Expect to see an ‘Age of Reason’ taking an integrated and more holistic view of security management.  But everything is getting too complex for organisations to manage - security may increasingly be outsourced.  Managed solutions will increasingly come along.  We will move towards a very proactive embedded, predictive security solutions.  Market for these growing at 20% (vs overall market growth of 5% for UK IT)

But who will deliver these solutions?
Moves in the industry

Network equipment vendors will buy up the specialist security providers - expect to see these acquisitions.  Initially security vendors will consolidate both for scale and access to technology.  Once they get bigger they’ll get bought by the big network vendors.
Keeping the value of this investment in the view of the CEO/CFO

He suggests Iin response to a question] that regular reporting to the Board about the level of attacks and other nasty stuff repelled by these ‘invisible’ systems.  Needs to be part of the risk management process.  Security market has ‘missed a trick’ by not attaching itself to the compliance drive.
Q - where are the SMEs in this?

Network equipment providers see SMEs as very important - but price points can be too high.  COLT has developed solutions specifically for the SME market.  SMEs tend to buy through the channel (possible for the channel to add value here).




Venturefest Yorkshire
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2006-02-07T19:36:02+00:00
Visiting Venturefest Yorkshire and using the WiFi network kindly sponsored by Divine Internet.

The idea is to provide a venue for 'connecting knowledge and technology based entrepreneurs with everything they need to make them successful.  I was just going to visit and have a look at what's happening and blog it.  But Andrew Macdonald has roped me in to chair a session.  

Keynote - Doug Richard.  Founder of Library House (and Dragon's Den)


How do you look at starting a business?

Do what an investor does - only 4 things relevant - Benefit, Team, Market, Return.

Benefit

The proposition must deliver benefit.  Cost save, make money,

Don't fall for the ugly baby syndrome.  Strangers will tell you more than your friends or family about the quality of your new business idea. Test the proposition for its relevance to your target customer base.  Benefit is the core thing.

Can you prove it?
Is the cost benefit definable in terms of the cost of the product for example?

What's the impact of the business (is it lifestyle or scale?)  A scale business is more difficult - they have to grow or they die.  Scale businesses attract investors.  Lifestyle businesses are more difficult.

Team

The only one that matters ultimately.  A lot of effort is invested in looking at the team.  The business only comes to life because of the resilience of the team.

Listen to your customers - ignore everyone else.  But as an investor I have to believe in you.  And that means that the investor will spend a lot of time looking at the team.

When you're new you need to sell to everyone.  Vendors/suppliers especially as they can give you 'free money' in the form of credit.  Much cheaper money than anywhere else.  "Don't go for the largest customer  - go for the fastest growing".

Commitment is another key issue.  And you need to be careful about who else you commit along with you (family etc).

But you also owe commitments to others - employees, customers and investors.  As soon as they hand over the money they essentially lose control.

Being involved with businesss is not a personal mission - so don't confuse your priorities.

Market 

There is a myth of markets.  You need to know only one - the one that will grow fast.  This gives you new customers all the time.  

Return

Very simple.  If I put in £1 today how much do you return to me?  Needs to be a fundamental.  Think about the exit also.  "Take cash".  The basics of exit are "You exit" - a share transaction is not an exit.

Questions

Why did the BBC not do due diligence on Rachel?

There is no reasonable thing you can say.

Q - Successes from Dragon's Den?

Too early to tell.  One quick failure - 12-14 investments made - 1 may succeed.

Q - How do you look at calculating returns?
Formula to apply for working out ROI - needs to look at sector.

In general, though, VCs have expectations of 30% compound over a 10 year fund.  Really high risk has to have 1,000 percent in 5 years - to pay for the 9/10 that will not make the target returns.

Q - How important are business plans?  Versus intuition.

Not a choice between the two business plan vs intuition.  The depth of thought is more important.  Need to understand how much thought has gone in - and it's ability to get the business to where it needs to be. Needs to be able to respond to the situation as it develops.  Business plan needs to reflect quality of thinking.

Q - Why did you do the Dragon's Den?
I thought it would be a hoot and no one would watch it.  Have done it the second time.  Won't do it the 3rd time.  It was fun.  Thought it would be interesting



Is this the UK's most expensive WiFi Hotspot?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-25T09:49:00+00:00
At the Broadband Britain Summit - I was quite hoping to be able to update this blog pretty much in real time.  I thought there'd be WiFi.  And there was.  Make sure you're sitting down when you read the next bit.

This is how much they wanted:

£9 for 30 minutes

£12 for 60 minutes

£15 for 2 hours


Blogging from the Broadband Britain Summit at the QEII Conference Centre
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T12:53:00+00:00
Picture the scene - best part of 400 (mostly) civil servants and public sector people with a sprinkling of businesses and quite a few people from BT.

Declan Curry of BBC Breakfast ('DC" in the notes) did his best to generate a bit of adrenaline in his questioning.  He worked hard and did a good job with difficult material.

Many speakers said "There is no room for complacency".  It was said so often, and in the morning's tone of back-slapping self-congratulation, it seemed to me that there's obviously lots of room for complacency.  Much play made of the 99% availability of 'broadband'  (ADSL I think you mean Minister).  Of course convenient forgetting of the real meaning of this which is that exchanges covering 99% of the UK population have been enabled - but we don't know how many on those exchanges are receiving service and of what quality.  But don't worry your pretty little heads about it - BT says we're only talking about 50-60,000 people.

Also much comfort from the reassuring words of DEFRA on the potential for a new urban/rural digital divide as new services roll out (for example the 8 megabit services being launched now) - rural people will be provided with 'acceptable' levels of service - that's all right then.

No one mentioned or used the OECD subscribers per hundred head of population metric that I believe is a better measure of take-up.

The afternoon was a bit better - with sessions onbut by then my laptop battery was flat - and I was beginning to lose the will to live . . . 


Alun Michael - Industry Minister - Digital Strategy
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T12:02:00+00:00
Vital issue to to the UK.
Speeds going up, prices going down. 
Progress on digital divide but lots of people excluded.  Danger of lagging of those excluded.

Mentions IT for the Absolutely Terrified (but gets the name wrong).  Talks about inclusion and public services access.  Enhancing educational, social and economic interactions.

Digital Strategy = "and use" is important.  Strategy key as it moves away from infrastructure towards use.  It has the PM's backing and is cross departmental.

Says promise is worth £3-5bn in economic benefits.

Focus areas
ODPM report of inclusion through innovation.
Example of video contact centre for sign language users.
Use in education and the digital challenge.
Home Computer Initiative
Content - needs innovation in content procurement and look at innovative broadband content for public servics.
Safe Use - 'Get Safe Online' - awareness raising
Disabled access - 81% of website fail on this.  Websites difficult for the visually impaired are difficult for all users wheter disabled or not.

Need to reflect private sector customer services re availability.

Need to work across government  and with industry.




Panel discussion following the Minister's Speech
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T12:01:00+00:00
Q from DC re 'refusniks' who don't have access.

Alun Michael - ActNow is a good example and so is that of a Shrewsbury group that campaigned.  Need to wake people up to the advantages of broadband and the use of this stuff.

Question from Malcolm Corbett - looking to research the NotSpots - to what extent will a new divide open up between rural and urban areas.  How can we tackle it?

Alan Michael - Let's not talk us down we've done a lot in 3 years and in rural areas - we can tackle the problem.  Combination of public and private sector is key.

Ed Brown - Adit - rural areas are a particular problem. We aggregate public sector spend and leverage the market.  If we can aggregate sufficeint demand we can make it attractive to commercial providers to supply.

David Willett - Avaya - example of not being able to download a college prospectus, bus pass, government websites have the best and worst examples of how to do it.  How can we improve this?

Q - re older people and how to help them access?

Jeremy Warne from Symantec - smart cards and id cards - impact of this?

Briantree district councillor - village has 200 people and it's random whether they can get broadband or not.  Need to get the whole population up to 'ordinary' broadband speeds - many people don't have that yet.  What can be done?

Peter Radley - Q on aggregation and how it (didn't) work with previous aggregation attempts.

John Mills - Problems are small and isolated says Defra, we're on the case.  We're optimistic about it.  Speeds can be up to an 'acceptable' level.

Mark Swarbrick, DTI, intersting to see what WIMAX can deliver.  Need to think it through carefully.  Unlikely to intervene through public means.

DC - cover the 'joined up' nature of the issues:

Minister - older people when they retire can take up ICT and there's evidence of that now.  Useful applications are available.  Security is a big concern and it can be frightening - sometimes security is 'over the top' - needs to be appropriate.


Ed Richards - COO Ofcom
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T10:51:00+00:00
Ed Richards was announced and isn't here!

Declan Curry says "Is this guy serious?  Where is he?"  

Ooops. DC now busks till ready.  Doing a good job.

Here's Ed:

Content and how it can deliver opportunities for a successful economy.

Conversation 3 years ago would be different - much has changed.

We have more broadband users than narrowband.
Lots of changes in connectivity - 2.2m to 8.9m on broadband.
More than 20 ISPs prices falling at higher bitrates.
New ADSL 2+ launches

Still lots of scope for significant growth.   

But 40% of UK households do not have any internet access at all.
PC penetration plateau at 67% now.  May see growth of low cost terminals (Xboxes, playstations, other thin client0
Higher use of video, gaming and messaging

Self-generated content is the next big trend.  Lots of blogging and games with virtual economies developing around them.  Broadband channels emerging - and allowing people to upload 4 minute videos for example on 4docs.

The idea of recruiting the consumer is integral to the development of future content.  There is a collision coming between this and broadband - creative collison that will be positive.

New regulatory approach to economic bottlenecks - especially in infrastructure.  Much BT change will happen.   This will lead to more competition and fairer competition at the wholesale level.

Prospects encouraging - LLU market developing (Easynet/Sky, C&W/Bulldog

[Declan Curry interrupts and tells him to finish in 60 seconds!  Ed says - that will be difficult and just carries on]

He goes into polemic now.  
Key challenges:
Digital Rights Management
Digital Divide - a new type of digital divide those who can receive very
Content - public service broadcasting and the digital age - need to review what that means
Digital Dividend - spectrum release on switchover

Need to prepare for the future.  


Panel session
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T10:50:00+00:00
Balance in regulation - light touch?  German example.

Ed Richards - light touch is what we want but it's difficult.  Need to establish predictability and regulatory certainty otherwise no one will invest in new services.  Need to drive competition 

David Sumner Smith - wordzone - does the amount of regulation inhibit business?

Anthony Walker of BSG - regulation has dilemmas - we're trying to argue that new markets should not be regulated too wuickly.  But this is different for the infrastructure layer - we seem to need to regulate that.  Fast-moving parts of the market are difficult to regulate.

DC asks Fabian King of SWERDA to talk about content.  Our purpose is to improve the economy.  We think there are lots of opportunities for knowledge workers.  Content distribution is important  - but content can be generated by collaboration between SMEs.

Fred Perkins - coming together of Broadband and TV and what it means is very important.  The change from deference into reference.  Digital TV has a low level of interaction, broadband high - combine the 2 and it's interesting.

Richard Salz - (Pitcom member).  Canadian example.  We went, we saw and nothing happened.  Canada is miles ahead as they combined content with network devlopment.

Dwight Doyley - use of video to innovate in the Court - fewer prisoners travelling.  Public sector important and we mustn't forget it.  Need to expand the use of this in schools for example.




Sir Digby Jones - DG CBI
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T10:08:00+00:00
Global Competitiveness

Global economy growing rapidly and others working hard.  Doha development is about globalisation.  Globalisation id an opportunity not a threat.

We can gain from low costs suppliers.  "China wants your lunch, India wants your dinner"

[Lots more stuff about global markets, dig at the French, mention of offshoring].

We need digital Britain - commodity services will no longer be provided by UK.  Need to drive up the value chain.  It's about richer interaction  - better integration  -  quicker response to customers.  Closeness is important to generating value - much better than protectionism.

Survey of CBI members - e-business - best practice evidence and lots to do.  Leading companies are transforming their businesses - online and better working practices.  Online engagement is developing new exchanges.  But more SMEs need to be involved.  

Extensive broadband available but what about services?  Many SMEs are sceptical about services.  Too much focus on  consumer markets (music,  video, porn) but business id important.

Ofcom seen as doing well by businesses.  We have flexibility and we can make rapid developments.  But there's too much protectionism in Europe - TV without frontiers, example of Germany.  Commission is part of the problem.  Needs to stop working towards 1970.  The i2010 programme needs to be driven forward and include Parliament - needs buy-in across the EU.

Self-regulation and risk-based regulation is an important aspect.  The time for monopolies and protectionism is over.  Need to make sure that value chain is clear and open to competition. 

We are seeing radical transformation in business through technology.  Need to match and even outdo our international competition.  Need to optimise our ability to compete - through our flexibility and trading abilities.

Need to help others to adapt to the new world - need to espouse broadband and the services it can bring.  People are frightened by globalisation and we need to bring them along with us.




Question Time Panel Session
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-11-21T10:07:00+00:00
Ken Matthews from Fife - about blind people and social inclusion.

Using broadband to promote social inclusion, lots of work with Scottish Government, but it all went on the backburner and we don't know why.  

Nigel Hinton - DTI - we do take it seriously.

Vanessa Philips - here last year - people unaware of what they can gain.  We did a survey of corporate clients 250 - don't really understand the business benefits.  Needs more help from goverment to propmote.

Andrew Burke - BT - e-literacy very important. 930-940k users on broadband.  Lots of consumer activity.  We do need to show how easy it is to get the benefits of broadband.  Need to show how broadband can drive business.

Ray Butler - multimedia company in SW - good level of cooperation with people in London and India.  But we have had trouble with the underpinning infrastructure.  Problem with domain names.

AB - not much you can do about domain names

John Wilson (not our one!) an independent consultant.  Benefits of broadband yes - but there's lots of hacking and virus attacks.  Protection is an issue.  

Jeremy Ward from Symantec - there's a question of trust - and we have been finding that the UK is now number 1 in its infection rates for 'bots'.  Infected systems controlled by others.  

AB - Don't want content regulation.

Peter Sinclair from SEEDA - 930 - 940k businesses connected to broadband?  But we have 4m businesses  - how can that be?  Andrew Burke - this is soho and SMEs over dsl - big businesses tend to use leased lines.

Ms Warner - Royal Mail.  Lack of understanding on data protection and over regulation.  

Challenge from guy who runs e-tyres - why connectivity so patchy - can't be 98%.  BT says it's ok because compression will work


Demos - Mobilising Public Services - speaker line up
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-25T14:45:00+01:00
and a very nice lunch . . .
Barry Quirk Chief Executive of Lewisham Council also President of ‘SOLACE’ (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) and Chair of the London Child Protection Committee.
Will Davies Goldsmith’s College, London and a former senior research fellow at both the IPPR and the Work Foundation. His work focuses on technology and democracy. 
Alexander Stevenson co-founded RSe Consulting four years ago. RSe Consulting has been employed by over a third of English Local Authorities to work out how they can use technology to deliver better public services. 
Richard Brown  director of public affairs O2 plc.
http://www.demos.co.uk/
 



Mobilising Public Services - Summary
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-25T14:04:00+01:00
Big message

Mobile medium isn't the message nor are they transformational.
But there is scope for imagination in service delivery - issues of privacy though.
Is this the case and do people agree?  Let's discuss.

Q from Msoft - what are the skills we need to develop high level supply side services.  We may liberate the 'customer' but how do we train current staff to migrate into the model.

Chris Francis - IBM.  Where are the best areas for ROI - how do we prioritise.

Oona Muirhead - cultural aspects of service delivery.  Customer-led performance management for example.  Too much centralisation or cultural reasons.  Also there are reputational issues attached to the way local govt delivers services.  

Why aren't abandoned cars moved within 24 hrs for example.  How do we get from here to being able to exploit the benefits of technology.

Will - Chris is right - but I don't have an answer.  If you need a manual then there's a problem.  The skills issue is a key one but intractable - the mobile operators don't provide it.  

Lack of skills at management level is a 'big blocker'.  Need organising skills.

Alexander - is absolute flexibility what people really want  - do we want to live totally satisfied and managed.  Our lives as  consumers and employees - become disjoint.

How do we know we can get at the efficiencies?

Mobile working is blocked by a lack of belief  in the possibilities of change.  Very important to get the assessment and importance.  

Complexity is in the implications of offering access - opening up can increase efficiency and cost as well.

Barry - says citizens want lower costs - hence efficiency demanded.  Not just about cost reduction through reduced headcount.  

How can local govt stop playing catch-up?  Is that your q Oona?

Will says - answers seem to be borrowed from the private sector.

Barry  - need to spend more time on what their citizens and residents want (as opposed to doing what central govt wants the whole time).  Too many rules and too little cross-transfers and working.  Too many silos.  Makes it difficult to coordinate services.  Need to improve quality of life and hit that rather than

Jennie Bristow - govt finds it difficult to engage, local authorities worried about efficiency and service.  Health service - 'the worried well' example - too much engagement can drive up cost and reduce self-reliance.

Malcolm Corbett - role of citizen in helping to define the comms tech.  Deptford example.  Driven by the council wanting to experiment and citizens wanting

Warren - flag up need to distinguish outcomes and outputs.  If it's about dealing with things more quickly then there's an impact on behaviour - both positive and negative.  Could we end up with reducing the need for people - and joining up.  Opens up opportunities for local govt to develop communty leadership role.  Dealing with tippers and graffitti.  Need to tell the community what you're up to.  

Challenge is the medium the message.  New tech may create demand true - interesting.

Richard - says we won't go back the the days of sending a registered letter to ask councils to do something.  measuring the outcome rather than the output is key.  Tangibility/measurement is important - and looking to where 

Too much 'top down' thinking and citizen involvement de-emphasis.  Alexander - must not be a veneer to cover the lack of solutions or action.  Community groups don't have power.

MC - says that e-mail can be powerful for example.

Barry - mobile not just about doing things better/quicker.  It's also about the need to manage demand.  Non-spatial definition of communities of interest.  This is a risk for communities.  Need to have a sense of locality and reinforce the sense of locality.

Warren's q  -  Barry deals with it.  Need to move with the interests of the public - and still promote the public interest.  "I don't even read the minutes of meetings I go to let alone other people's meetings" [lol].  Doesn't see 




Wireless Futures Event - at the Dana Centre
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-10T15:16:00+01:00
Excellent event at the Dana Centre run by Cybersalon and Open Spectrum (UK).  Expected to be able to blog in near realtime from this event - didn't work out like that - see 'Don't plug that in! - below








Questions - John Wilson chairing these . . .
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-04T20:01:00+01:00

John Wilson (pictured right) keeps the show moving along

What's happening with BT's fusion product??
Ans - Ian Robinson of BT  says pre-orders are being taken - he's not sure - not his product.
Q - from James Stevens  - Wimaxx -what freq are you using?

Ian from BT (wot me?)
Ans - Ian says they are using 5.8 Ghz band C - in rural areas for the pre-Wimax stuff.  [Avoids answering the q - basically].



Q from "the chap with the hat" - How does all this stuff make our society better??

Ans (from Peter Cochrane pictured right) - millions of lives have been saved, many wars have been avoided.  UK wouild only support 6m people without technology.  15 years ago we did trials with this technology - getting the surgeon to 'teleport' to accident sites - this is just one example.

Adam Hyde (pictured)  - The downside is that there is a kind of 'induced autism' of being glued to the screen.  We need to be careful in how we look at the electromagnetic environment and there is an argument that spectrum is a special resource that needs to be conserved [Peter says - 'I don't think we can do anything to upset the Sun'].

Adam - example of the Canadian indigenous peoples worrying about their prayers causing 'interference' with the broadcasts of mobile operators.

Q - landscape is allowing a lot of proliferation of new creativity and ideas.  But what might happen if governments exert more control over what networks do.

A - JW says that regulators have the ability to allow and preserve the use of spectrum and this provides a level of protection at a legal level.  Hope is that as time goes on can we maintain the balance of closed and open access.  Technology can provide us with some solid ground that we can use to maintain our rights of use. 

Q - from Malcolm Corbett - lots of creativity and invention all round the country.  Can we extend access to more spectrum - do we need more.

A - JW says this is a land plot argument with the tragedy of the commons  - spectrum is infinite.

Exemption from licencing - needs to be justified by need.  It's the other way round.

MC comes back - vast volumes of equipment mean that we can experiment with these technologies cheaply.

PC says licencing started to restrict interference then moved to being a cash cow.  Maybe there's no need to do that anymore.

Adam - we transmit all the time - sometimes unintentionally - do we really want to do that?  We leave an electromagnetic imprint everywhere we go.  Sometimes these can be used to benefit sometimes not . . .. we need to think about it a bit more carefully than we do  - that's what I'm saying.


Evening speech - Korean examples from Dooeun Choi
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-04T19:47:00+01:00
Dooeun Choi from Arts Center Nabi gives some real examples from Korea.
Interaction of people with artists over the net.

Send an image of your face to an artist and it will be turned into an artistic image.
For Koreans, mobile identity and being involved is an aspect of their "Weness".  Example of people gathering during the world cup - used mobiles to coordinate their meetings - a grass roots movement (NOT about surveillance she says as people choose to do it).
Service used by people to keep in touch with friends and to be monitored by family if out late for example.
"Koreans have a desire to express but 'together'".  
Why wireless?
No recent history so people need to make their own history with new technology.
Quick, quick, quick
Not much private space so mobile can become a private space - but it also enables people to do things together  - a bit of privacy.
"Weness" she says again [I suspect that we don't understand what this means - certainly I don't - it seems to be more than just shared interests]
Most use of mobiles for streaming services is actually done at home.  Games are very popular - interactive over mobile.  
'Ubiquitous' connectivity

Cy-world site has over 13 million users (Cy means 'between' in Korean - thats 25% of all Koreans.  People share images and you can decide who sees your content - Inchon - cf 'friends and family'.  
She says the wireless future is in Korea about deciding who will be able to see your content.
Camera phones are being used to narrowcast yourself to others.  The argument is if we are more creative will will become more responsible to each other.


Don't plug that in!
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-04T19:45:00+01:00
Back in the panel session after having to leave for 2 hours to do a telephone board meeting.

To my shame, the board meeting meant I had to miss Peter Cochrane's speech (sorry Peter) among others.  However, Marit has it all on video.

Anyway - it gets worse.

On top of the 'http or nowt' attitude.  You won't believe this.

We were asked to 'bring your stuff' (not sure what that meant  - assumed it referred to WiFi enabled devices).   No wiki as far as I could see having searched the sites connected to the event.  Couldn't see any webcasting - went to the site and clicked . . . and clicked . . . and  . . . .

We were also told "You can't plug your laptop in [to the electricity that is] unless you're speaking.  When we asked why we were told it was for 'reasons of security'. " Yeah right.  Like I've got serious and deadly viruses just waiting to leap out of my laptop (after negotiaitng from the chipset, through the onboard dc supply - woosh through the mains transformer and . . into the 240 VAC mains supply to interfere with a really valuable and sensitive . . . . .circuit breaker.  No doubt speakers were subjected to rigorous checks - grrr.

Come on guys - it was a great event - the venue is awesome in terms of the facilities, but you blew it.

John did well, Lewis did well.  But the Dana Centre blew it.  We didn't have any access the the internet (fact) - we had throttled http access to the web.  Not the same - as any of your techno-geek friends will tell you.  

Now, you might be tempted to think - well it's the Science Museum and they have to be careful . . .. 

Well - at one time, I was responsible for the IT infrastructure of one of the UK's most conservative and cautious merchant banks.  Took me 6 months to get my Board to agree to external e-mail and internet access.  Over 130 of the most confidentiality sensitive and twitchy corporate finance people.  Don't talk to me about risk.  Of course we protected what needed to be protected.

It's not on.  Security is not about stopping people doing things on your network.  It's about letting as much freedom and access in as possible to network assets and only interfering if people start to do stuff that compromises that trust.

And finally (apologies for the rant) it occurs to me that the bandwidth we were denied access to is 'ours' - the public's - we pay for it - and we should have access to it as a right for the public good - especially for events like the Cybersalon/Open Spectrum Free Wireless!


Future Wireless - at the Dana Centre - no one can get out except through http
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-10-04T12:38:00+01:00
In the Dana Centre of the Science Museum no one can hear your packets . . . . 


I'm here for the Future Wireless Event - a joint production of Cybersalon & Open Spectrum UK (John Wilson!). 

Of course, as Peter Cochrane said to me just before the event started - "You know you're back in the UK when you can't get any connectivity". 

So we've got browser access (hurrah!) but no ftp, no smtp, no udp.   No Skype!  All ports blocked.  They've got a wiki though - but I can't seem to find it . . . 

Now of course I thought "Ah ha - at least I can use my trusty mobile phone" - slightly more bandwidth than a piece of damp string but it'll work at least to upload a few blog entries (text o'course). Guess what - no mobile phone coverage! 

And the reason? "It's the Science Museum - you're not at some free networks event now". 

So what will please Lindsey Annison and Adrian Wooster and Helen Anderson who have recently organised Community Network events in deepest darkest rural areas - is here I am - I can SEE the Science Museum's Dana Centre 4 wireless channels - but I have less connectivity than I had in Churchill in Oxon or South Witham in Lincs.


150 Suits in the Ministry of Mayhem studio!
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T12:26:00+01:00

Imagine the scene - 150 suits at an event organised by the Kent Branch of the IoD and sponsored by Kent-based PR firm Maxim.  Very well organised in a great location. Ably chaired by Iain McBride of ITV Meridian (if you're from our part of the country you'll have seen him on the telly).

Very good format - no rambling speeches - straight into questions to the journalists from the audience.  The set-up was 12 round tables with the journalists spread around the tables.  The first question hesitation was pretty quickly over with (no one wants to be first) and the event was lively and useful (yes I did ask a question!).

The participants from the press were:
· Anthony Masters - KMfm        Anthony Masters - KMfm
   Carol Lawless - Kent Director
   David Castle - Kent on Sunday
   Iain McBride - Meridian
   Ian Patel - Kent on Sunday
   Kevin Harrison - Meridian
   Lesley Finlay - Kent Regional Newspapers
   Nicola Everitt - Invicta FM
  
         Sarah Sturt - Kent Life
   Simon Irwin - Kent Messenger
   Talya Roberson - BBC Kent & Sussex
   Trevor Sturgess - Kent Messenger
   Will Roffey – BBC Radio Kent
  
   
   
 




Tips and tricks from the journalists
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:50:00+01:00


Iain asked each of the press participants to provide a 'top tip'.  Here they are - didn't manage to catch all the names.

Please follow up.  If you think it's a genuinely good thing.

Make friends with us.

Use us as much as we want to use you.  If you can relate a national story to a local audience and make it interesting and relevant to our audiences/readers then we want to hear from you.

Nicola (from Invicta FM) - you need to be able to speak to us.  Be prepared to.

Sarah Sturt from Kent Life - interest in a story is not the same as covering your story - don't get upset if we don't use it.

We can't survivie without you.  We need to hear from you and it needs to be a two way street.

Ian Patel Kent on Sunday - don't go into hiding if it's bad.  Don't lie.  Be straight and you'll have a much better chance of getting your version of the story across.

Tell us why it's important and relevant.

A nice lunch doesn't buy editorial coverage.  You need to understand what we need.

Kevin - get it into the local press and it may run to broadcast or go national.  But talk to us first!

Trevor - never forget that journalists are customers too and they can influence their friends.

Prepare, prepare, prepare especially for TV or radio interview.


Are lawyers the most turgid people with news stories?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:47:00+01:00
Trevor Sturgess (pictured in full flow right)
 Lawyers have a reputation for making the releases too complex and turgid.

Thinking in terms of a legal brief is not the way to get it in the paper.  Vertex law is trying to use plain English.  Some other lawyers are a bit verbose and too difficult in the use of their language.




How will the internet change the way you interact with your market and manage your brands?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:43:00+01:00
Nicola - online stuff is very different.  We might use an item on-air and then forward you to the website.  For example, on Invicta we covered the Turner Contemporary art prize on-air and then used photos on our site as.  Invicta very different.

News plus site is very imprtant.  Lifestyle as well as news.  But main news is on-air.

Tony - KMFM works very closely with the newspapers.  We use audio assest online.  Works well.

David - need to know and understand our readers.  We tailor the channel to the audience.  Newspapers will not disappear as we all ahve our audience and readership.  It's about accesibility and who they are - making the content address their needs.

Iain - Everyone is running to stand still as the internet moves so quickly and the market develops very fast.  Children in particular get lots of info from the internet.  We expect to see TV on demand take off rapidly in the next few years.


Getting news from primary sources - will the internet will make conventional media obsolete?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:39:00+01:00
Kevin - we are moving into City Stations to improve our reach.  Doesn't know.

The worry is that some websites are not being policed.

No the internet does not mean the death of journalism.  It might mean the death of the trad news bulletin.  It might be available on demand and over the mobile.

Ian - papers won't disappear - people like them.  Content may change and the way news is ta


Positioning stories with you
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:32:00+01:00
Jon Smith - how much work do we do before we send the release

Nicola - for radio we like everything in advance - don't send us a teaser.

Simon - how much do you want to get it into the news?  Spend time if you want it in - or paper your own bin.

You have to do all the work and we need it straight away.  Get the angle in early.  Make it succinct, make it clear, be there when we ring up.

Get the message in early or it goes in the bin.

Trevor - photos are important.  Need to find out what format we need.  Use someone to take a professional photo.  Needs to be a JPG and good resolution.

Simon - sometimes the time spent on the press release would be better spent on the phone finding out whether its news or not.  Ring up and ask if it's interesting.

If the journo says 'no' that's not a story but they might


I'm hacked off with the media - and here's why . . .
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:17:00+01:00
Simon - Q from IFA who says media distorts the real story.  And also the media needs to take responsibility for some education.

Bad news sells stories re mis-selling.  Lots of distortion.  Why is that?  Why don't we get the truth.

Trevor - disappointed that you're hacked off.  Bad things do sell stories, true.  But good ones do too.  We do try to get the balance - we try to get the other side of the story as well.

David - very difficult to get it right in areas where technical knowledge (such as pensions and endowments) is needed.  Lots of the time we need help to understand the issues.  Of course, we try to extend the courtesy of being honest to you if you are honest with us.

We don't have a hierarchy of bad/good news.  It's about trying to report what we see and how we see it.  You need to get your point across - need to get in touch.

Trevor says media reporting has helped the financial services industry to change.  Media has a role in challenging.

Kevin from Meridian.  We don't have to work to get 'bad news' stories - they just come in.  Good news stories are often harder to get.  Maybe the 6pm news will become more 'magazine' like rather than all 'hard news'.  We used to have business experts but now we don't - and hard business stories don't relate well to a business audience.

Talya - balance between good news and bad - it won't be all bad because it puts people off.  People need to feel pride in where they live and in what's happening.  Financial stories are very difficult to cover because they are very difficult to illustrate.  Only big stories can command this.

On stories - we rely on our business contacts to tell us what the story is and tell us the trruth.  Does the bloke from Pensions plc have an agenda - is it spin or is it true.  Also the headline may be misleading - if it sensationalises the story.

Journos need to be educated by the experts - if you have a local perspective on a national story - get in touch.




London 2012 - Bryan Raine - how maximise the opps?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:08:00+01:00
How do we keep it new and fresh?

Ian - KoS - says - Olympics and Kent will get constant coverage.  Problem will be that there will some 'bad' stories that you will need to 'ride out'.  There will be stories about overruns.  Papers, radio and TV will be keen to talk up Kent's role.  Keeping it in front is not going to be a problem.

Sarah - Kent Life - monthly lifestyle mag with long leadtimes (6 weeks).  Would like to get more into Kent Life.  We'll emphasise the good stories and the personalities  and build the story up over time.  We're all proud about it but the news was overshadowed by other events.  Be aware of my leadtimes.

Talya - completely into the story - it's a great story.  We will tell stories that you don't like but it will be easy to keep it visible.  Won't just be Sport - but there will be lots of other opps.

Alyson (from IoD) says we need to work together to see how we can get business into Kent companies (rather than US or French ones).




What do you think about 'exclusives'?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T09:03:00+01:00
Caroline Binns asked this.

Trevor says sceptical if it's a PR consultant - usually it's not really an exclusive.  More often than not it's not usuable (if it's 2,500 words and we've got space for less than 500).

BBC - shares Trevor's scepticism about PRs.  Usually if we are prepared to to call it 'exclusive' we will have put a lot into it oourselves.

Simon from KM - we would ask why has someone offered this to us, are we stupid or what?


How do you get the right training and how do you get noticed?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T08:51:00+01:00
Will - there are media trainers (ex-journos) who can help.

We won't give you the specific questions in advance.  You must not read your answers from a crib sheet - a really bad idea.

We try very hard to treat people fairly.

While you are talking to a real human you have to make sure you get your point across - don't let a line of questioning drive you in the wrong direction.

Nicola - need to be prepared.  Your quote will drive the journo.  Don't put a quote on a press release if you're not prepared to say it!  Prepare but be natural.  Explain things simply.

Trevor - getting into the news is about developing relationships and knowing the personalities.  Need to get to know them.  Ring 'em up and let them know what you're doing.  Don't just send a bland release.  Try and establish an ongoing relationship.

Ian Patel - find out when papers get done (they don't all get done on Friday nights) - need to understand the process and mesh well with it - that will get things in.

Make sure you are available to give the quote that's in your release.  Need to be able to speak to you.  Be ready to talk around the story - not just to what's in the release.

Put the story in the first bit of the e-mail and press release.  But you'll only have 18-20 seconds to get the message (54 words).


What makes a good story?
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T08:41:00+01:00
"Hard news" - job losses, gains, collapse of airline, new buyer.

Needs to be unusual - needs to be wacky (exporting sand to deserts), female entrepreneurs.  Too many suits.

Put yourself in the mind of the reader.

David - the clue with News is in the title (it needs to be NEW!).  A news story needs to capture people's attenttion.  On Sunday, we have a bit more time so we can do 'themes'.  

Don't like releases that 'pat themselves on the back'.  We try to find stories where we can say to readers 'this is going to affect you'.  Need to offer people something they can think about and act on.

Everything gets speed read  - so you need to grab attention.

Tayla - in terms of TV BBC SE covers a large area so stories need to travel, must have good pictures (!).  A business feature has to have examples and case studies.  Needs to 'lift out' of the local area and see how it impacts the whole of KEnt.

Kevin - interested in viewers in Ramsgate and Brighton.  We like stories about Eurostar - good pictures.  Unless the pictures work we can't do it as we can't have people switching off.

New news is very good.  But sometimes an update is worth doing. 

'Talkability' is very important - they need to be able to talk about it next day at work - not just big bad stories but stories that make people feel good about where they live.




Meet the Media Event - Ministry of Mayhem Studio
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-27T08:26:00+01:00
Blogging from the Ministry of Mayhem set at the Maidstone studios.  Chair is Iain McBride from Meridian.

Intros:Tayla - BBC SE Editor newsgathering  (TV, radio and online).  Looks at partnerships and specialist correspondents

Nicola - Invicta FM.  Editor and reads on drivetime.  News on station and website.  Lots of planning.

Karen Lawless - Kent  Director 3,600 circ business mag

Sarah - Kent Life Editor - recent redesign and 'new look'.  She's also been changing the content.  Sales are growing!

Lesley - Kent Regional Newspapers, Editor in Chief.  Introducing business pages in their papers.

Trevor Sturgess - Group Business Editor Kent Messenger Group - papers, online and the pink supplement.  Goes in all paid-for titles.  165,000 circulation.

Will Roothy - BBC Radio Kent - Assistant Editor and responsible for the website.  Involved in Folkstone literary festival, outwardlooking

Simon Irwin - Editorial Director Kent Messenger Group.  Planning new titles.  8 paid for titles, 11 free and the website

Kevin Harrison - ITV Meridian, producer and deputy regional editor.  Decides what goes into the 6pm news.  Fully digital operation.  Moving into 'City Stations'.

Anthony KMFM - Group News Editor - 6 stations (New station in Ashford).  14 journos around the county.  6 in Canterbury.  3 bulletins sent out, 3 done live.  Manages the team and the logistics.

David Castle - Kent on Sunday.  Business Editor.  Responsible for putting together the business pages (120,000 readers across Kent).

Ian Patel - Kent on Sunday founder.  Planning regeneration supplement.  Positive attitude to business.  Editor of KoS until yesterday.





New video added from Podcastcon 2005
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-23T15:55:00+01:00
This week, I've spent a bit of time editing up some video from Podcastcon on Saturday.

I have also (I hope) enabled comments on this blog - let me know your thoughts . . . 

Thanks


Paul Nicholls – Podcast Paul
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T16:45:00+01:00
Legal stuff from Paul to help podcasters:

Freedom of Speech
The legal side of podcasting is very tricky.  Podcasting is not recognised by the law.

Paul has been in law for 20 years.  Works in civil litigation.  

Is speech really free?
No – we have lots of freedom to speak but there are limits to what we can say.  

Public law has parameters that we live by.  These are policed by the state.

Civil actions  - they can be taken by individuals who’s rights are infringed.

Defamation as opposed to ‘Mere Taunts’
In the heat of the moment calling names may not be defamation.  But if its not in the heat of the moment and it might be calculated to sully a peson’s name then it may be actionable.


Podcasting and the law
The law doesn’t like new technologies.  Podcasting is difficult.

Theatres are covered by the Theatre’s Act.  Broadcasting Act covers TV.  Podcasting doesn’t appeal.  Maybe it’s libel if you defame someone.  Maybe it fits under the Broadcasting Act.  No one really knows.

Defamation may happen through waxworksor through spreading lies with malicious intent.

Paul has dealt with a podcast defamation issue already.  Pub conversation resulted in reference to someone else.  It wasn’t defamation – but there is a risk there.  You can’t defame people.

Evidence requirement
May need to prove evidence:
If you accuse them of a criminal act (current affairs podcast for example)
If you accuse them of having a sexual/contagious diseas
Imputation of sexual unchastity (in women)
Disparaging in office or profession
Innuendo – not just smutty (example of amateur golfer in 1931 who felt his amateur status was compromised by JS Fry’s advertising for chocolate!)

Ignorance of the law is no excuse

Can’t defame a class of people

Drawing the inference is the test

If the group is small enough it may be actionable – if the individuals involved could be identifiable.

Be very careful if you talk about current affairs and you might give information which would lead to mis-identification.

Defences
If you think you may have defamed someone – you need to take advice – offer to make amends

Justification, fair comment in the public interest.





James Cridland - Virgin Radio
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T14:34:00+01:00
"Brand portfolio" is included in this talk [he makes a joke of it and everyone laughs]

[Example of ITV marketing ad on video].

Doesn't like the phrase 'amateur' podcaster and will not use it [he has them on his side already].

Wants to share info with us.  Virgin broadcasts on 26 different platforms (some internet).

The future of radio is multi-platform.  Mentions iPods. And Silvertone i205 from 1953.

Podcasting is 'me casting'.  It enables me to listen to what I want when I want it.  85,000 people download our podcast breakfast show.

Announces new podcasts in Oct (2) and possibly vic reeves.  It will be internally podcasted - but we have no idea whether it will make good podcasts more widely.

Would like to investigate the 'unsigneds'

Getting revenue through 'Podverts' [not his word he claims].  Needs to be relevant to the audience
COI for Special Counstables
Bose dock for iPod users
The Kaiser Chiefs

Record companies are beginning to advertise through podcasts.  People don't forward through the ads apparently.

He uses the term Podvertising

iTunes has produced a change in how people access podcasts.  They are now getting people looking at archive stuff.

On Mondays, they do very well (everyone back in their offices with decent broadband).

Threats to podcasting
77% of Nokia 8310 use the phone for listening to FM radio (83% of business users do as well).  Radios into phones and iPods could be a threat.

Live TV on mobile can be a threat - also DAB.  Audio is just as important as TV.  

FM can be changed to be more appealing to users - adding visuals is interesting to users.

41% of their users have portable media players. 32%  of those have an iPod.
 

Don't forget to use your website - very important and needs to be an integral part of your marketing.

[Finishes with O2 example]


Community and Educational Applications – Milverton Wallace
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T13:01:00+01:00
Knowledge workers are going to be very important (teachers, lecturers, social workers) are going to be important in the spread of podcasting.

Kids are leaving school without being able to read and write – in deprived areas.  

Story of lots of geek kit being installed by big corporates in schools, Ministers, ceremony.  Geek heaven and lots of youngsters.  Few days later – no kids turned up to take part in high tech wonderland.

Milverton went and had a look and said – but it’s just a class room and they already rebelled against the classroom.  Doesn’t work for a significant proportion of the kids.  Give them iPods and they will learn (but still look cool).

They didn’t take Milverton’s advice – and ended up closing the facility – so no progress.

The establishment seems unwilling to experiment and take on new IT training. Says he was a ‘web guerilla’ for 5 years in education.  Teaching web authoring ftp – stuff like that.

Universities are not taking up blogging fast enough (Warwick excepted).  NHS is the same – wasting billions on what they call ‘ITCs’.  

Example of problem of contacting Community Nurses – to communicate with them and keep them informed of developments.  M suggested using podcasts.  Neat solution to a real problem – but blank looks and resistance from corporate IT culture.

Teaching refugee children is a big issue.  Podcasting can be used to help them learn English.  Teachers in school sometimes find some children have difficulty in face-to-face teachning and need reinforcement – ‘listen again’ podcasts can be used to help.

Kids are up with the technology.  They get it.

Biggest resistance to podcasting is ‘one way’ communication.  Little interactivity and no direct feedback.  Needs to be addressed.  People want to ‘talk back’ – hence the rise of blogging.  In the learning environment a feedback route needs to found (example of quote box in Fireant).

Dangerous to reproduce old media in new spaces.  Revenue models will emerge.  Selling speeches example – but not exciting.  Need to find new ideas.

Traning, for example, don’t need to burn cds or dvds – big co saved 30% by not burning.  Need to involve people – getting them to add tags is a good way – as a guide for future users and to aid group and common interest formation.  

Duke University has given everyone an iPod.  Reviewed experiment in Jan 2005.  They found that people used it to share recordings among themselves – sharing comments on the lectures.  Found that access to this accelerated learning, particularly students learning from their peers.





Music Podcasts - Mark Hunter
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T11:37:00+01:00
Thinking about wall hanging - wallpaper or a picture.

Mark Hunter hosts and produces the Tartan Podcast - thrice weekly - new Scottish music (NOT KILTS AND PIPES!).  Unsigned bands.

Popular around the world - in top 5 on the podcast alley site usually.

Want to motivate people to seek out new music, start your own music podcasts - and not get sued.  Consider using music in your podcasts - even in talk based podcasts - makes them 'bigger'.

Art is more important than wallpaper.  People focus on the art not the wallpaper.  In radio music tends to become the backdrop.  We're trying to reverse that trend - the focus of our show is the new music.  Needs to be exciting.  Radio stations tend to churn out the same tunes day after day after day.

New music grabs you.  I want to tell people about the new music I hear - that's why I started podcasting in the first place.  Plays video clip.

Podsafe music network
1200 different songs - just sign up.  You can build your playlist.  It's all podsafe music - organised by genre.  You can search and finetune your music.  Search by name or by influences.  Download.

Bands like it
Podcasters have to tell you when it gets played.  And you can see whos played them.

Protection for them through the T&Cs on their stuff being aired.


Podcast Technologies - Chris Ritke
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T11:20:00+01:00
Can't stand TV and I can't listen to radio (except NPR).

Mags are boring.  Repetitive.  So what do I do?

Blogging and audio with video.  Knitting podcasts for example.  I'm building something that looks at feeds from Blogs.

It's amazing what's out there.  Video blogs - not on mainstream media.  www.49media.com.  So it's about getting involved in looking for new stuff - that's what his site does.

But what is relevant?  Each person has their own relevance test.  Not about hierarchies or lists.  But you can see what other people are interested in and thinking about.

Podcasts are easy to create - but what do I do?  I interview people who create the new media that appears on 49media.

Lots happening with video blogs in Holland and Germany.  Fireant tool for videoblogging.  Lots of 'content mash-ups' happening.  Spinexpress from Outhink - build a peer to peer group - enables a mash up to be made.  Encrypted



Neville Hobson - Podcasting for Business
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T10:20:00+01:00
Not just about iPods.  Or RSS.  Purist definition - ignore it.

Show notes are important.  We think very important.

Control is more important than anything else.

Today at least 15,000 podcasts, 6-8 million regular listeners.  All major broadcasters and newspapers are podcasting in the US.  It will happen here.

He co-presents 'For Immediate Release'.  
Targeted at PR industry.  Started in Jan 05.  Twice weekly show done over Skype.  Only way to do it between Holland and California.  Mon and Thurs - 60-80 minutes.  Av downloads 500 per show.

Listeners send in audio as well.  

How to measure?
Downloading may not be the same as 'listening'.  We know how many people download.

The impact is not about numbers
Its the 'right people' listening.

Shownotes are important
Get exposure through the shownotes - we blog our shownotes.  This is very good from a business point of view.

Who's doing it from Business?
Mostly US, mostly techy (IBM, Oracle, Cisco).GM are pioneer from business.  Chairman blogs from his Blackberry.  Now a fundamental element of their approach.

US Air Force podcasting to their people.

Why are they doing it?
Seems to be an additional and complementary channel to their existing communications.  Enables niche audiences to be accessed relatively cheaply.  Groups of 62 people become targets for example.

A lot about coolness and 'buzz', identification with the youth market.  Viral marketing.

US corporates (GM) are experimenting and getting feedback.  GM's first podcast was poor quality - but heloed them do it better.  N American audiences like it.

Hineken the brewer are into music and they can get podcasts out to people - as a 'coolness' thing.

Similar concept to blogging.  Helpful to organisations:
Marketing - new products
Financial - investor comms.  Regular updates.  Regulatory issues need care - but ok.
Employee Engagement - CEO weekly update - 15 mins.  Chat to employees and get feedback.
Team Building - comms with dispersed sales teams.  Occasional comms with sales tips as part of learning.  Additional to normal modes of comms.  

All examples real.

Distribution issues
Feedburner as 3rd party - help with enclosures.  RSS feeds growing by about 1,500 per month.

Apple - 7m subscriptions on iTunes (since June 2005).  iTunes offers 15,000 podcasts and adds a 1,000 new podcasts a week.  21 different languages.  

Drivers
It's easy.  It's inexpensive.  It's portable.  It's available.

It's a beginning
Videocasting will come next.  Audio will still be there.  But video will come in.  Very important from a business point of view.

[Played clips]  Click here: Podcastcon 2005 - corporate clips



Podcastcon UK 2005 - Chris Kimber BBC
brian.condon@complexitygroup.com — 2005-09-17T09:41:00+01:00
Chris Kimber - Head of Radio Interactive BBC
Podcasting is an opportunity for BBC.  Spring 2004 took Reith Lectures onto mp3 downloads.  HAd no idea of level of response - but had great feedback and demand for more  content.  This was a surprise (!).  The offered 'In Our Time' as download and as XML podcast.  Feedback is it's about listening to things you might not hear.    

Did an official 'podcast trial' - huge variety of programmes.  Portal page drives navigation and access.  Lots of links to XML feeds and links to programmes.  New logo.

Over 100,000 downloads per week - In Our Time still the No 1.  Available on iTunes.  Lots of new people access podcasting through us.

Why is this important to radio?
It's about control and portability.  CF PVRs.  People don't need live TV - they like portability.  Lots of portable DVD players.  It needs to be on-demand.

Media consumption is changing
Could have been a threat to radio - but it's not.  BBC radioplayer offered radio on demand but you needed to be online.  Streamed.  Podcasting is 'pull' instead of 'push'.  Choice, control, portability.  This is big change for trad broadcasters.  

Last year you could be sure that anyone listening to an iPod wasn't listening to radio - now they can.  Radio is now there.  Radio is at the heart of the new platforms.  Radio as a medium has benefited from Podcasts.

Radio becomes more tangible
Podcasts enable this.  You can pick it up and own it.  You take it with you rather than receiving it by broadcast.  You own it like you own your music.

Radio becomes accessible to the people
Anyone can make and distribute content.  Levels the playing field [!! - oh yeah?].  Brand becomes less important [I don't agree].  New brands come in.  People only subscribe if the quality is high enough.  We compete with every podcast out there.

We will be forced to improve our output.  Suddenly Radio 4 has competition. [No it doesn't actually].

Podcasting disagregates the medium.  Brand of radio station becomes less important than the personality.  Feedback is that time-shifting through genre downloads is widening participation in Radio as it brings in new listeners.

Maintaining brand
Use audio idents to keep it 'visible'.  [Tried to Demo - didn't work - oops!]

How Podcasting is changing radio
Audio interviews need to be structured differently - time/advertising.  New radio formats being invented.  We can learn from successful amateur podcasts.  

New talent will be discovered.  Podcasting is a good training ground.  Soon we will see this happening.

BBC's impact
We want to popularise podcasting.  Here's an audio example. [didn't work - shame].