I was a bit dismissive of Local TV services when I first heard the idea at the Royal Television Society Conference last year. It was difficult to see what the business model was, and there seems to be plenty of television for people to watch already (average viewing in the UK is at a record…

There are many schools of management theory. My very first experience of being managed was when I first started in a buying department and was told by my boss that I needed to be in before she was, and couldn’t leave until she did (even if that was 10pm). I’ve been managed by managers that…

Metallica is one of the big four bands of Thrash Metal.  They are a worldwide phenomenon.  In the US alone they’ve sold over 50 million albums.  Their eponymously titled 1991 album sold over 20 million worldwide. Their new album, a collaboration with Lou Reed, is out this autumn.  I know one person who has heard…

Facebook has signed up to the AA ‘childhood’ review panel. Last year’s report from Ofcom indicated that nearly one in five 8 – 12 year olds has a Facebook profile despite the minimum user age set on the website. A worldwide report from America’s Consumer Reports claims that there are over 7 million under 13s…

People are starting to call Twitter the 5th Estate. The “Estates” are the forces of power in our nation.  Traditionally, dating right back to medieval notions of status and hierarchy, the first 3 estates of the nation are clergy, noblemen and the commons.  In the eighteenth century, as printing technology became mass market relatively, the…

AA Gill, a journalist who likes to give the appearance of courting controversy whenever he possibly can, has been to Denmark and looked into the resurgent fur trade.  His article in June 26th’s Sunday Times Magazine is not suitable for the sensitive animal lover.  Gill isn’t fond of mink as a creature and is somewhat…

The other day I was in a scheduled 2 hour meeting when the organisers spent the first 10 minutes sorting out the room and the technology. Then the Highest Paid Person in the Organisation (the Hippo) gave a 15 minute introduction which could have taken 2 minutes. That’s 23 minutes wasted out of 120 –…

I didn’t miss my annual trip to the swanky Grove hotel (just outside glamorous Watford) this year after all. Earlier this month I attended a really interesting meeting at the Founders Forum with Microsoft. The main reason everyone was there was to watch internet millionaires gather together to look at new technology and businesses pitching…

Just how “beautiful” is the “beautiful game” of football these days?  Is the game still beautiful when it pretty much tolerates diving and penalty baiting and requires huge amounts of cash to pacify morally questionable prima donnas?  Most fans would probably still say “yes it is”, especially following Barcelona’s performance last week – arguably the…

Book lovers are polarised on the Kindle, ipad and e-readers generally. Some authors I know have taken a violent dislike to the concept. Partly because I think they have a love of the physicality of books which is a reason they started writing in the first place. Partly because of a fear of losing control…

May 15 marks the start of Google’s annual Zeitgeist event when the great and the good of the world gather at an exclusive hotel just outside Watford to hear brilliant speakers and to network. I’ve been to the previous two events, and indeed blogged about them here. Sadly I’m not invited this year. I’ve asked…

The line-up for the Capital Radio Summer Time Ball has just been announced, to considerable excitement amongst some people I know. Wireless is in the diary, and we’ve got tickets too for Feis this year. (Formerly known as Fleadh I have no idea how you pronounce either, but its in Finsbury Park, handy for the…