Musings on the week: A north-south social media divide?

David Terrar 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Directly relevant to the discussion, and going on today:

http://www.niace.org.uk/campaigns-events/events/digital-participation

“Ofcom’s Stewart Purvis will set the scene and outline the overall aim, priorities and strategy for the Consortium to promote the three pillars of digital participation – digital inclusion, digital life skills and digital media literacy.

Representatives from the Office of the Champion for Digital Inclusion, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and the BBC will outline their strategies for promoting the pillars of inclusion, skills and media literacy.”

Follow the Amplified team of @warriorgrrl @hannahnicklin @brian_condon & @amandagore on Twitter with #digifuture and #amp09 today. ... See all content Hide content

Reply

Louise Bolotin 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Apols for all the typos in the above response. I’m flu-ridden and the brain’s not fully compo.

Reply

Matt Waring 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Businesses, yes probably understand the power, or potential of social media in all its many guieses, but individules? Think thats where the drafty hall in Northumberland comes in – Think the huge benifit of being online comes with the understanding of your own brand value as you do with your business…

Am about to hook my 74 year old mum into the net, I’ll set her up a gmail account and Twitter account (which she gets) – but in doing so she can now talk free to my brother (based in Singapore), see pics and videos of her 6 grandchildren, get instant results about the future of her eyesight (macular degeneration), check local bus services without waiting needlessly for hours at a drafty bus stop, purchase stuff on line without the need to battle busy and confusing shops, etc, etc – I think that is very empowering.

And she lives just outside of Reading, the UKs centre of our own Silicon Valley… ... See all content Hide content

Reply

foodiesarah 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

even more great contributions in overnight on my blog post re inclusion. thank you, never had such a passionate response http://bit.ly/H66Id

Reply

rosieniven 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

My blog on conferences, unconferences and social media: http://tinyurl.com/y8wrfoy

Reply

MrRickWaghorn 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

@elegantintros et al.. V good discussion on North-South divide, etc, etc by @FoodieSarah http://tinyurl.com/ygmdo2u Read Lyndsey, Cumbria...

Reply

william perrin 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

hi sarah – on first reading i thought you had just hit on the latest variant of the Hoxton Tw*t problem that plagues every wave of the media industry.

persevering past the word ‘musings’ which normally spells doom i read david’s and matt’s replies and they have it about right – it is a pretty plain fluffy marketing/new toy versus getting tough things done divide. I only set up a blog because to amplify the social action i was engaged in in Kings Cross long before the lovely Guardian landed there. not becuase i intrinscially wanted one.

Now with talk about local we are taking unfashionable tools such as hosted blogging platfroms that create ugly sites into communities where they can make use of them for social change. it’s fab and I am grateful to 4IP, SWM and AWM for funding it.

see people in birmingham’s highgate (very different from london’s highgate) talk about it here

http://www.youtube.com/user/TalkAboutLocal

working out of birmingham and stoke illustrates to me the more effective combination there of new technology skills and a commitment to civic purpose. indeed much of what these cities brought were famous for in the C19th. ... See all content Hide content

Reply

foodiesarah 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

@marthalanefox wondering whether you've any advice for people contributing to this blog debate about inclusion/access http://bit.ly/H66Id

Reply

Lindsey Annison 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Thanks to @johnpopham for the heads up about this post in the Grassroots Digital Britain wave.

Is it North/South? Maybe it is just more urban/rural. If I talk about a blog in my local pub here in deepest Cumbria, half the locals (that’s about 8 people) would look at me completely blankly.

Many people in my village haven’t got broadband. They either can’t, or won’t . It’s changing as new people move in who are used to such desperately new-fangled technologies like the computer, but the reality is that if they decide to dip their toe into the internet, utter confusion reigns.

Who do you ask for advice about which ISP, which tariff, what exactly do you need to do this ‘getting online’ thing? If you are older, and don’t have a car, even getting to the library to ask there is a problem. And they know very little about the Net in there beyond the fact they have a computer in the corner you can ‘go on’. The nearest CAB is 20 miles away. There is no ITDirect equivalent of NHSDirect to ring for advice.

People are sold dongles so they can get online with the laptop they have just bought, but no-one seems to mention that that won’t work here. Those with broadband moan constantly that it is ‘better than before, but so slow”.

We have social exchanges in our village and the neigbouring one once a month, where there is an internet specialist to help you read your email, answer questions etc. Minor problem – the dongle they brought with them to the first one last month doesn’t work, so as yet, no-one here with a problem relating to the internet has been ’shown’ the answer online.

As for trying to talk to small businesses about social media marketing, etc – no chance. Many spend so many hours a day battling to do business online, submit annual returns and so on, they haven’t got time to even think about trying something new that they have never even heard of. What little information they have is from the TV or radio – Twitter is a complete waste of time and for twits, and facebook is for schoolkids. Uphill struggle really.

Finding like-minded people in your area – bloody impossible to tell the truth, unless you happen to stumble upon them online. Push a bigger organisation like the District Council to set up something novel to ACHIEVE something, and you face all the old stumbling blocks. The councillors etc have never heard of the brave new world of Ning; there is no funding to run an internet marketing course at the Online Centre and in any case, who would be interested? ARGGGggggggggggggggggggg ;o) ... See all content Hide content

Reply

deejackson 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

Thanks @MrRIckWaghorn for flagging this thoughtful post #£1.4conf post by @foodiesarah - we need more of this debate! http://bit.ly/H66Id

Reply

Matt Waring 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Deepest Dalston, London, E8 – these guys are doing a pretty decent job of very local reporting – http://www.dalstonpeople.co.uk but being part of Associated means there are a load of hurdles to get over to stand a chance of galvanising them into acting on the ideas highlighted here (for example) – reckon places like Wigan, Stoke-on-Trent, etc would be more open to experimenting with surgeries (although I don’t like that term, too clinical?!)? ... See all content Hide content

Reply

Matt Waring 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Just to follow up on Johns and Davids feedback (and of course thank you) – we, Addiply, would happily look to work with local media in organising a coffee morning to introduce local charities, the media, organisations, potential bloggers, etc to the WWW, – doesn’t need to be a big deal, just a drop-in, say hello and don’t be afraid to ask type affair…

Doesn’t need a Twitter Fall, live blogging, or keynote speakers – just an inviting environment, some local publicity (local print?), bits of kit, and 3/4 specialists – who would like to be involved, and I guess how do we make this happen? ... See all content Hide content

Reply

mattwaring 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

Made a comment http://ow.ly/CHoZ @foodiesarah

Reply

Connective intelligence on politics and news at #1pound40 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

[...] Dominic Campbell and others Ipadio – £1.40 Conference Round-Up Sarah Hartley – Musings on the week: A north-south social media divide? Bag of Spoons – #1pound40 Alex Hughes – Pictures in “#1pound40 – 11th Nov [...]

Reply

Is social media booming in the South only? « Bristol Editor 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

[...] 15, 2009 According to Sarah Hartley’s experiences here, that may well be the case. Great [...]

Reply

sarahhartley 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

You’re probably right – perhaps less a north/south divide and more a London and not-London one. (not so easy for a headline tho!) And your question about why everything has to happen in London is one I seem to continually be asking – and something I’ll continue to work on in whatever small way I can. We haz the technology……………………… .. ... See all content Hide content

Reply

johnpopham 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

You may be wondering why I have called you all here tonight…..

Reply

Nick Booth 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Sorry – I know most places have both doing and talking going on!

Reply

johnpopham 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

Nice post Sarah

Not sure I agree that there is a north-south divide in the use of Social Media, rather I think that the two events you reference were for very different audiences.

The #1pound40 event was about bringing together some of the cognoscenti in the social media world to share what they know and explore how they can collaborate to take it all to the next stage. The Leeds Social Media Surgery was about volunteers with some knowledge of social media passing on that knowledge to those just beginning to dip their toes in the water.

There is a wider issue here, which is; why do all the big, high-profile events HAVE to happen in London? Well they don’t, not ALL of them, but enough of them to annoy those of us who happen to have a perspective beyond the capital. ... See all content Hide content

Reply

mattwaring 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

@MrRickWaghorn: Just added a comment... http://bit.ly/3KWA7L RT 4 @FoodieSarah @Harry_Harrold @Mike_Rawlins @NorthEastTweets @Addiply

Reply

MrRickWaghorn 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

Just added a comment... http://bit.ly/3KWA7L

Reply

amcewen 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

RT @fresh_squeezed: ...all saying the same thing... the digerati in full flow – agreeing with one another http://is.gd/4UxQ6 (@foodiesarah)

Reply

Lee Hicken 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

I know what you are saying. I had a similar conversation with someone in the digital field yesterday. It sometimes feels like we can get too wrapped up in the social media inner circle and spend too much time talking about how great twitter is.

I was also a surgeon at the social media surgery in Leeds and it was refreshing to help someone just get a basic understanding of what is available to them online and some of the first steps that might be taken. I came away with a much nicer feeling from the social media surgery then some of the other events I had been to recently. ... See all content Hide content

Reply

sarahhartley 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

@ourman, @almostwitty and @robinbrown thanks for your comments – it’s interesting that you’ve all picked up on a theme that came out from doing a quick survey at a recent Manchester Social Media Cafe where a lot of people feel they should be utilising social media tools for something greater than general chit chat or meet-ups. But where is that talent and enthusiasm best channelled? I think it’s a fascinating area and one where, hopefully, we’ll see some creative responses and action going forward. ... See all content Hide content

Reply

progressschool 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

Leeds Social Media Surgery put into context - http://bit.ly/H66Id by @foodiesarah You should check out #Leeds Progress School Sarah!

Reply

sarahhartley 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

lol

Reply

goldsbrough 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

"a north-south divide in how social media is used"? http://bit.ly/3mEpK8

Reply

cyberdoyle 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

I have a foot in both camps. I also think the North is getting IT faster than the South. The northerners don’t waste as much time talking about IT, they tend to see the potential and use anything useful they find. The southerners want to spread the knowledge of the potential far and wide.

The idea of meetups to discuss social media means like minded people can meet in real life and explore new ways. I am sure many learned a lot at the conf even if you didn’t, and as you pointed out you put names to avatars and made new friends and acquaintances. Well worth a day to find just one new friend, one can never have enough.

I also agree that the social media surgeries are a fantastic opportunity to help people achieve things and also to make new friends, so the jury is still out…

… thoughtful post. Well done.

I live in an area of the North West which has vast swathes of land with no broadband at all. There is no point in trying to promote social media here, and I am glad you mentioned that in your post. Hopefully some of the meeja professionals you mentioned will clock that fact! There is no point in talking about the brave new world until we all have access to it. I don’t think anyone in the south realises how difficult it is up here to get a connection… and mobile sucks too.

thanks for taking the trouble to speak out

chris ... See all content Hide content

Reply

Xxnapoleonsolo 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Wordpress

That is spot on – some People who use Twitter assume everyone else is as social media savvy as them & then base all their thinking around that assumption. Leads to an arrogant tone at times, which puts people off as what they are discussing seems a closed shop

Reply

carlmorris 2 months, 3 weeks ago on Twitter

"What do the views of a bunch of always-on wired meeja pros in London have to do with..." http://bit.ly/1cMAxN

Reply

almost witty 2 months, 4 weeks ago on Wordpress

Isn’t that true of Twitter, and indeed, the entire Internet as a whole?

Part of the reason that social media cliques huddle with each other and agree with each other is that it’s a self-protection thing. Outside, in the real world, they have to convince their bosses etc. of the worth of social media, which isn’t exactly an easy task.

Reply

watfordgap 2 months, 4 weeks ago on Twitter

Very very very good blog post! http://bit.ly/1JOOqx what are we all doing this for? Why talk when action gets it done! Bring on hudd sms!

Reply