Now that I have finished exams and suchlike I am getting round to updating this blog and shock horror may actually post on it more often.
07 Jun 2007 13:59
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So the labour leadership contest is under way. Everyone knows who is going to win but will he wrap it up sooner rather than later.
In order to run for leadership an MP must be nominated by at least 45 of their fellow peers.
Currently the lefty, John McDonnell has 29 nominations while Gordon is cruising on 297. If my calculations are correct there only 26 more nominations available. So, if John McDonnell doesn’t secure over half of these his campaign will be over before it has even started.
I expect it will be a busy 24 hours for McDonnell’s team before the nominations close tomorrow.
I think I’m right in thinking that everyone has to vote for a candidate and can’t abstain?
I have a feeling Gordon’s smile will be even bigger tomorrow. I can’t imagine there wll be many more rebels who will vote against him, but you never know.
Edit:
BBC have just announced that McDonnell has conceded after Brown reached 308 nominations, so looks like good old Gordon will be the UK’s next Prime Minister!
16 May 2007 17:43
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Writing about web page http://www.foxnews.com/tonysnow/
Fox News was the recruiting ground that President Bush chose to find his next White House Press Secretary opting for the conservative political commentator, Tony Snow.
I still don't fully understand why Scot McClellan resigned from the post maybe he just got fed up of trying to defend his boss amid falling ratings or is there something else like maybe he found out Bush knew more about certain CIA and Iraq secret information leaks and is not prepared to lie to media about Bush's role in them. The timing of Lewis Libby saying Bush may have had a role in leaks does seem to be a bit of a coincidence.
So will Tony Snow bring with him the notorious inaccuracies and biased of Fox news. I guess thats what President Bush is hoping for as apart from a few policy disagreements Tony Snow is as much a Bushite, as Alistair Campbell is a Blairite and add 2 l's after u in Bushite and you have what he will talk about most of the time.
Seems quite a clever move to hire a journalist to do the job though, an insider from the white house press core seeing as they were his colleagues he's likely to get on with them well and already know them a bit. Is Bush setting a precedence by getting a journalist to do the job though instead of the usual PR men and women?
27 Apr 2006 05:32
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Writing about web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4748022.stm
On my daily trawl through the BBC news website I came across this article about the commercial radio stations claiming the BBC is a threat to them and that the increase in license fee could force them out of business. Ok, they have a right to complain, its in there interest to, but some of the claims in the report make it sound like by increasing the license fee there killing off the creativity and variety of UK radio.
Come on they must be having a laugh. Most commercial radio stations play the same old dribble piped down to them from GCap media, apart from the idents and adverts its hard to tell the difference between some stations and to be fair if mercia fm packed up shop tomorrow becuse of it, I wouldn't miss tham there still be The Bear.h
I don't see ITV and Channel 4 complaining as much as this about the TV market, I mean after all competition is good for the listener and maybe it will help get rid/improve some of the local commercial radio's content instead of just playing the same old network songs from Gcap media. Also, I didn't see the BBC complain when capital radio group merged with GWR last year.
27 Feb 2006 17:36
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Tags: BBC Broadcasting Commerical Media Radio
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Follow-up to The power of podcast and the Ricky Gervais show from The Blog of Craig
At the start of the week, the Ricky Gervais show announced they were going to do a 2nd series of podcasts but they were going to charge for them and although its only $6.95 for at least 4 episodes of the great comedy show, it got me thinking about the advent of subscription radio and podcasts.
Sirius & XM satellite radio started broadcasting in 2001 in the US and offer subscription radio starting at $12.95/month and they have literally become the Sky of radio with Sirius offering exclusive live commentary of all NFL games and having give Howard Stern, the Chris Moyles of US radio, a $500 million contract they are really starting to gain a foothold on the radio market especially with the technology getting cheaper.
Satellite radio is more free from regulations which suits the colorful language of Howard Stern very well, allowing him to swear on air as they can have 'adult channels' due to the fact they can control who listens and has subscriptions to his station. I suppose this can be seen as an advantage and I expect soon there will be adult sex talk radio stations if theres not already broadcasting on the medium. Also, in terms of sound quality apprently its far better which would be expected I suppose.
Satellite radio hasn't really happened anywhere else in the world yet and I can't see it happening in the UK anytime soon really due to the small size of the UK not making it that viable, saying that though it would only take Sky TV to branch into the area and make it happen.
Its weird really that satellite tv came before satellite radio its a bit like reversing evolution with radio origianlly coming before television and my Dad always says that if radio had originally came after TV it would be more popular. Although I somehow doubt that, it does seem subscription radio and audio is in the future whether thats a good thing or not, I don't know but when Sky began broadcasting in 1989 it certainly shuck up the UK TV market and maybe the same will happen to UK radio around the next corner.
25 Feb 2006 02:34
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Podcast seem to really kick off in 2005 and the worlds most listened to podcast is the Ricky Gervias show which now has over a quarter a million people downloading it a week which is phenomenol when you think that many people are actively clicking a button and downloading it although it should be more as its just so brilliant. It is just the funniest stuff I heard in ages and I can't wait to here it each week and I'm going to be as sad as though it is a tv series when the series of 12 comes to an end in 4 weeks.
The person who makes the podcast so funny is not Ricky Gervais or Stephen Merchant but the funny man that is Karl Pilkington (see photo).
His little tales of utter nonsense are so funny from his monkey news to his diary from Gran Canaria. Check it out!
24 Jan 2006 00:09
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Writing about web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4500094.stm
As the BBC and other news sources reported today music radio licensing for podcasts has finally begun admittedly mainly only indie music, the notoriously slow PRS and MCPS will probably soon follow suit.
I reckon this will change the face of online radio with people able to download their favourite shows and become their own program controller and compile their own schedule. Up until now podcasts have only been allowed to include non-copyrighted music.
I find it quite funny AIM (assoc. of independent music) who are offering this new online music license don't have an up to date website, although saying that while have been writing this post they have just updated their website but apparently this license for "bedroom" podcasters (whihc surely student radio can be classed as) for 6 months is going to be a couple of hundred and commercial much more which doesn't sound too bad although it depends on what actual record labels are included in this deal which could mean its a rip-off
Another interesting thing I have just realised is that does this mark the change for UK licensing by the record labels actually controlling it instead of mainly one company like PRS, which would surely create a headache in terms of sorting out licenses for radio stations and may see some restricted to set genres of music depending on what licenses they buy.
Any way just my thoughts, back to writing this lab report then I guess
06 Dec 2005 00:21
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Writing about RaW Nominated for Student Radio Awards from RaW Newsblog
Just like to say well done to all the people who produced and are starring on the entries for the RaW SRA (Student Radio Awards) entries that got nominated on Saturday. A nice selection of nominations in the SRA's (Student Radio Awards), hopefuly those nominations can be turned into fully fledged wins in November.
Must admit a bit at shock horror at RaW not getting nominated for best station likewise Surge's entry which was quite good with the judges choosing an interesting mix for this one although I beleive Royal Holloways Insanity have on best station in the past. Obviously I don't know as much as I thought about what makes a best station entry but C'est la vie theres always next year!
Also, like to say well done to Alex one of my best friends from home in getting nominated for best male as its a tough catergory and after listening back to his entry for it today its definitely well deserved and even though he is part of a competing station, I hope he does well and picks up a nice shiny medal in November. Maybe one year I will have the time and guts to produce an entry for best male. Your going far my boy!
25 Oct 2005 03:16
| Tags: News Nominations Radio RaW Sra Student Radio Awards
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Yes, I have finally started putting some pictures of my time in america online, admittedly so far only the ones that mainly don't have me in them due to actually getting photos off of people seems to be quite hard but there are a few with me in them.
They are HERE!!!
on Flikr which I did like until today when I realised you can only have a maximum of three sets without paying, will have to find another hosting system. Would use blogs, but can't be bothered zipping stuff and interface is less good.
Apparantly theres some photos floating around of me completely pissed with a bottle of vodka in one hand givind a speech last Saturday. I must get hold of those and destroy them plus they would be handy for me to have as due to excess alcohol I'm having trouble actually remembering anything that happened after 11pm on Saturday. The vodka was free though.
A couple of quick sport messages
(which you can guess who I'm on about if your bored),
GO BADGERS YOU CAN BEAT THE BOILMAKERS!!!!
And
GO URRRRRRRRZ YOU CAN BEAT THE POTTERS!!
22 Oct 2005 04:05
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As AOL put it I am one of the privilaged few to hear her Shakira's hit 'Don't Bother' which doesn't even hit the US radio stations until tomorrow, and I feel privilaged as its good.
The Shakira style, fresh and spiced up is probably the best i can describe and it feature some good changes in pace throught the song in true Shakira style but they actually seem to gel together better than normal.
Its off her album 'Fijación Oral 2 and the single in cd form are not out until November 29th in the US but I believe its going to be availiable to download later this month and I would advise having a listen to it if you get a chance.
On other news, its cold and winter is on its way now :( so next weekend will probably be my last chance to go kayaking/canoing.
10 Oct 2005 05:37
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An eclectic blog about music, media, engineering & new technology
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