Tag: #cmn10

Categories
Digital Event Life(style)

CODEC, The Big Read, #CNM10, #CMN10, #CMN11

Lots of feedback from a post by ‘The Church Mouse’ in regards to #cmn10 indicating that there was little on new media at the conference… I missed the original post as I was busy talking to another group who are working with others who need some persuasion in using ‘new media’ – those in Higher Education!  There was a fair bit of “New Media” (whatever that may be these days), it just wasn’t central stage, but believe me, after giving this talk, I have never been so in demand to be spoken to s0 the interest is definitely there. I also pushed hard getting Twitter into the conference, using pre-advertising of the hashtag #cmn10, and from last year, when we had around 6 people tweeting, this year we had around 40, including at least 10 who were trying for the first time!  Here’s my summary of the conference… and I am looking forward to preparing for MediaLit which is all next week – and then onto The Big Read!

Here is Pete Phillips reply to the Church Mouse:

“But I wasn’t there and nor was Mouse.  I have to say that I was able to pick up a new media vibe from the Conference through receiving lots of tweets about what was happening (several saying that CODEC seemed to get a good few mentions during the Conference).  If you’re interested, Bex Lewis kept a record of the tweets made with the #cmn10 hashtag here: http://export.twapperkeeper.com/cmn10-4c1365ca31c75.tar.  Don’t you just love the name ‘twapperkeeper’?

Although CODEC wasn’t officially there, Andrew Graystone, CMN Chair, is a good friend of CODEC and is on our Steering Group.  Andrew is working with us next week on our Media training event for clergy and Christian professionals (Medialit).  And the indefatigable Bex Lewis (a polymath, no less) was there and fielding some questions about CODEC and the work we are doing – more on Bex below.

Having said all that, certainly, we’d be more than happy to talk with CMN about #cmn11 and increase our involvement in this important conference.  It is important to push into new areas of thinking (and yes, I think there is a difference between traditional media and new media) – cloud networking, the implications of new technology and the age of distraction, the instantaneous nature of contemporary news media, and the democratization of reporting are key factors of how the media engages with the contemporary world.  I heard of the West Cumbria shootings on Twitter long before the BBC had picked it up.

And talking of the news, Mouse says I can plug some of what CODEC are doing at the moment – so briefly…

Bex Lewis and the Big Read

While I’m posting, Bex Lewis is starting work with us from July 1st for 2.5 days a week based at Premier Christian Media in Pimlico, London.  Bex is going to working with a number of agencies (Premier, SPCK, Biblefresh, Methodist Church, and others) to develop a national version of The Big Read – an initiative launched by Bishop Tom Wright in the NE of England last year.  Watch this space for lots more in preparation for Lent 2011.”

There’s lots more exciting things on, so keep an eye on Pete’s blog too!

Categories
Digital Life(style)

"Quoted" for #cmn10 in the Guardian

“A cloud wept and then departed from The Church and media conference 2010 in Swanwick last week, but given the conference’s theme – “Voices from the Cloud” – it seemed appropriate. Over the course of the three day conference in Derbyshire BBC broadcasters, TV and film producers, freelancers and church media people were asked how voices of faith and integrity could make themselves heard among a maelstrom of stories.”

Read the full article by Karen Burke, which finishes: “So, “What are the voices in the cloud saying to us as a community?” Andrew Graystone, conference host, asked us as it drew to a close. As I was leaving, I heard someone say that everything has speeded up but the Christian response.” (That would be me, so quoted, but not by name…!). Read further material from #cmn10.

Categories
Digital

Twitter @ The MediaNet

Guest Post: Sam Pratt

“I upgraded my naff LG phone to a shiny new Samsung Android the other week and got very excited over the Twitter application. I wasn’t bothered about the actual phone bit of my new toy! As a Twitter lover, nothing pleased me more than being able to use the social media giant properly in all its glory, especially when I got accepted to attend the MediaNet academy at the Church and Media Conference in Swanwick. Being a media conference, the majority kept to their stereotype by bringing their netbooks, iPhones and other technical gadgets to keep the outside world and each other in touch of what they were doing. I think Twitter is a great way to interact and get the most out of a large event such as the Church and Media conference because you can share information, meet people and generally (to use an old phrase) ‘get the low down’ on everybody else.

I myself being utterly useless at remembering the basics of overnight travelling, looked in my luggage when I got there and realised I left my shampoo at home. Typical. Even though I’m a guy, having clean hair is quite important to me! So instead of feeling sorry for myself and since I didn’t have any time to do a recce of the local shops I did what my Scout leader always tells me in tough times “Buff up Sam!”- such a nice bloke. I Tweeted my dilemma using the conference hashtag #cmn10. Soon after I got a query from another delegate at the conference asking whether I had sorted out my #conferencecrisis as she had spare shampoo! Delighted at this tweet I arranged a time to meet in the bar to exchange business cards and mutual love for coconut fragrance (trust me, I’m straight)

In the academy we were filming outside in pouring rain when all the delegates came out for lunch and started to take pictures of us and then posted them on Twitter proclaiming our bravery for the world to see. Although this is very common for people to Tweet pictures of people or events they see, is it an invasion of our privacy? Probably, but we didn’t care, the thought of hard work being recognized on the World Wide Web was quite encouraging. The girls in my group didn’t know a thing about Twitter and found it all more interesting since they were broadcasted on the internet.

So all in all, my experiment on the power of social media has exceeded my expectations because I made new friends through unusual circumstances- social media still is very social.”

See what Sam & the MediaNet video crew produced:

Categories
Digital Event Life(style)

#cmn10, notes, day 3

The final day of the conference, a few rough notes!

DAY 3

ChurchAds – new campaign.

PANEL: BELIEVING IN BROADCASTING

Tim Levell, Editor Blue Peter. (Lots of news experience)

Start off – agree none of our faiths represented well enough (is this like always asking for more sweets). Fears that Christian characters will all be weird! In big crises, etc. everyone goes to the big charities – e.g. Oxfam.

Inayat Bunglawala, Muslim Council of Britain

Annoying – can Shariah law and British law work together? Archbishop Canterbury – said one thing, and others in the media re-represent it as more controversial, etc. than it was – and have gone off on a tangent, and does affect the consciousness of people! Take effort to understand what people are actually saying! More positive stories – e.g. Eastenders (sexual orientation rarely discussed in Muslim circles). Shift to digital media – terrestrial channels no longer have a captive audience – people are voting with their feet – if they’re not getting the news they want they have so many other avenues to go to.. Acres of coverage of extremist Muslim groups – so frustrating as media coverage is so unbalanced (can get some balance via digital media) … e.g. when he was growing up the N Ireland coverage – affects his attitudes. Now 50% Brits associate Islam with terrorism..

Harmander Singh, Sikhs in England

‘Shy & Retiring types’ – tend to be rather insular. More in UK than census shown. Easily identifiable by turbans – and media tends to seize upon photos, etc. that tell a story that’s not there… not helpful to the community which gets the wrong label. Use languages in the media with care – e.g. not all Sikh murders are honour killings… Limits to what can be done… Are there any serious characters? Check out Sikhs in the City – showed ‘real’ – but so occasional – see as a novelty…

Chris Cole, Cross Rhythms + Europe Director God TV

Simon Mayo pushed to the edge & an anti-Christian theme in comedy, etc. Media driven by the sensational.. Power of impact on the society – we know it’s a soap, BUT impacts on society. What Christian would you like to see on screen – many Christians are just very functional/normal people – but never see them on TV. We need role models that truly reflect what our nation is built on. As a nation, we don’t know what we’re standing on in terms of values (Judeo-Christian?). Church in UK going through a reformation itself – becoming more about community interaction. Cross Rhythms – help the church engage. E.g. Street Pastors. Be great to see mainstream media pick up on moer positive stories…

Christina Rees & Aaqil Ahmed (BBC Head of Religion & Ethics)

…See Tweetstream… (sorry, I was only half-listening, I was summarising the entire conference in 3 minutes – I took it to 3 pages, and then back down to one!)

MEDIANET ACADEMY

A great production, as per usual, this time on the theme of the World Cup.  I’m trying to track it down online, as I was finishing off the plenary!

PLENARY SESSION

Commenced with a summary from Russ Bravo (that ‘story’: the need to tell them and the need to train others to tell them well was the key focus of the conference), and from me.

We’re stronger together, still lot of reluctance with social media, MediaNet – facilitate media training/access in, Media finds it like catching jelly in a net – how improve that? Stop having the old debates (local isn’t dying, it’s changing); if the BBC isn’t doing something – we do it – and if Stop whinging, but write and congratulate the great programmes (& offer help for future)

Suggestion for next year – facilitating increased opportunities for networking; more social media being used, more workshops – e.g. Sound_Mike – podcasting. Wider range of media – nothing from media/print press. Conference which is a must for any senior media CEO to attend. (resource issue).  What resources does CMN already have? Hear hear for workshops!

The Nativity – vulnerability in his story about faith!

Categories
Digital Event Life(style)

Where have I been?

For the last 3 days I have been at Swanwick in Derbyshire, at the Church and Media Conference (my third time there!)… and I’m starting to create some blog entries on Digital Fingerprint, so check out the tag #cmn10!