Its been a manic past couple of weeks. Three new media presentations (with a fourth in the pipeline), our first project (we're providing the Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature with social media support on a pro bono basis), a 500 word piece on Twitter for Media Week Middle East (coming out next week) and loads of regular account work for my existing clients. And this is the so-called 'downturn'.
If anything's clear in this blur we call 2009, its that new and emerging media is the way to go and, refreshingly, clients are starting to realise that. Just this morning I presented to the mar-coms team of a leading consumer electronics company (sorry, no names!) who were very receptive to the idea of closing their communications loop with an online programme. The other two presentations were to a food and beverage company and a non-profit organisation. Whether or not fee-earning projects emerge from these presentations isn't the be all and end all of what I'm doing (though it would be nice to see the $$$s come in). I'm just glad that business and organisations across the Middle East are open to the idea of doing something, anything, online.
And that is why I haven't posted anything for the past three weeks (a bit long winded for an excuse but its true...honestly!).
Showing posts with label New media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New media. Show all posts
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
Social media and global conflict
I distinctly remember Operation Enduring Freedom when the media was abuzz with 'embedded' journalists reporting from the front line, which was then considering a near revolution in conflict reporting.
A couple of posts ago I had mentioned, very briefly, the role Twitter played when Bombay was being held hostage. Another year, another conflict and social media is playing an even bigger role in getting stories out from a war zone.
CNN yesterday interviewed Palestinian blogger Fida Qishta (who has overnight become a a spokesperson for her people). The broadcaster's iReport website, which allows citizen journalists the opportunity to upload their opinions and news stories, has more than 450 short video clips voicing opinions about the conflict.
Significantly both sides are maximizing the use of social media to win the online propaganda war.
The Israelis have set up a YouTube channel, the IDF spokesperson maintains a blog and Twitter feed, and the Israeli consulate in New York recently held a news conference on Twitter.
Not to be outdone, individual Palestinians and the Electronic Intifada have taken on the well-oiled digital might of the Israelis with live blog posts, gruesome images and news updates to share the tragedy with the rest of the world.
Al Jazeera's new media team launched a live Twitter feed with breaking news from Gaza, joining what is already a huge online conversation where opinions are voiced and news is broken in 140 characters or less. #Gaza is the most talked about subject on Twitter as I write this post.
If anything, this use of social media is revolutionary and may just set the standards for communicating in times of crises. The last few months have seen Social Media move from the sidelines (a marketing tool used to communicate with youngsters, geeks, superfans and other assorted target audiences) to a far more mainstream role (presidential elections and war). This is perhaps just one of many signs of things to come.
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A couple of posts ago I had mentioned, very briefly, the role Twitter played when Bombay was being held hostage. Another year, another conflict and social media is playing an even bigger role in getting stories out from a war zone.
CNN yesterday interviewed Palestinian blogger Fida Qishta (who has overnight become a a spokesperson for her people). The broadcaster's iReport website, which allows citizen journalists the opportunity to upload their opinions and news stories, has more than 450 short video clips voicing opinions about the conflict.
Significantly both sides are maximizing the use of social media to win the online propaganda war.
The Israelis have set up a YouTube channel, the IDF spokesperson maintains a blog and Twitter feed, and the Israeli consulate in New York recently held a news conference on Twitter.
Not to be outdone, individual Palestinians and the Electronic Intifada have taken on the well-oiled digital might of the Israelis with live blog posts, gruesome images and news updates to share the tragedy with the rest of the world.
Al Jazeera's new media team launched a live Twitter feed with breaking news from Gaza, joining what is already a huge online conversation where opinions are voiced and news is broken in 140 characters or less. #Gaza is the most talked about subject on Twitter as I write this post.
If anything, this use of social media is revolutionary and may just set the standards for communicating in times of crises. The last few months have seen Social Media move from the sidelines (a marketing tool used to communicate with youngsters, geeks, superfans and other assorted target audiences) to a far more mainstream role (presidential elections and war). This is perhaps just one of many signs of things to come.
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