New Statesman New Media Awards ceremony

2gether08 hosted the presentation ceremony for the 10th New Statesman New Media Awards and, thanks to the video setup that we had for feeds to other rooms and webcasting, were able to get a top-quality recording.

Here you’ll see New Statesman publisher Spencer Neal making the introductions,  Channel 4’s technology correspondent Ben Cohen making the presentations, and technology writer Bill Thompson standing in for Minister Tom Watson - who had to vote in the Commons. New Statesman website editor Ben Davies wrapped up proceedings with a well-deserved vote of thanks to awards organiser Charlotte Eisenhart.

You can find the full list of winners here on the New Statesman’s site, chosen from this set of finalists..

Can we communik8?

Bold Creative came to 2gether08 with the aim of using video to bridge one gap of understanding: between young people and older people, as Creative Director Greg Villalobos explained in this earlier interview. (read more...).

How Richard provided the webcasts

Richard Jolly from David Wilcox on Vimeo.

One of the great communication successes at 2gether08 has been our ability to webcast main sessions to people interested but unable to be here. That’s down to Richard Jolly, who joined us from Northern Ireland at very short notice, bringing his kit in a few large suitcases. He was able both to use his own cameras and mixers, and also to tie in with the team providing a feed from the main room to monitors elsewhere. Here he explains how that was possible

You can reach Richard at http://richardjolly.tv >

Borrowing Ben from Channel 4 to interview Umair

Umair Haque - who I wrote about earlier - ran a session at 2gether08 today about the need for a different, less destructive capitalism. I was just lining up an interview when Ben Cohen, technology correspondent for Channel 4 News came over, so I asked a TV professional to ask the questions.

It led to some create discussion of Umair’s ideas, including suggestions that UK charities should be more entrepreneurial, coupled with an offer to help develop their business models.

We also talked about how reporting using a mobile phone, as I was here, might bring some changes to the way that reporters like Ben work in future..

Minister Tom Watson asks us to show Government a better way

Tom Watson, who is a blogging MP and Minister for transformational government in the Cabinet Office, came to 2gether08 the day after he launched a competition: Show Us a Better Way. As the BBC reported:

The UK government has launched a competition to find innovative ways of using the masses of data it collects.

It is hoping to find new uses for public information in the areas of criminal justice, health and education.

The Power of Information Taskforce - headed by cabinet office minister Tom Watson - is offering a £20,000 prize fund for the best ideas.

Before speaking at 2gether08 he explained how he believes the competition, and the principles of co-design, can help create better services..

Amazing ice cream on the roof

Paul A Young is selling his amazing ice cream on the roof of Rochelle School, at the 2gether08 festival. I went along to investigate and got the full explanation from Paul of how it is put together. Wish I could give you a taste!

More here about Paul from the New York Times

Paul’s ice cream stall was part of an experiment run by Lea Simpson and Rob Hinchcliffe, who I interviewed here. Yesterday standard ice cream was on sale - today we are running a micro experimenting promoting Paul’s to see how small enteprises with excellent products can compete by using digital media..

The social entrepreneur landscape

The social entrepreneur landscape from David Wilcox on Vimeo.

At one of yesterday’s sessions Cliff Prior, chief executive of Unltd, and Nick Temple, from the School for Social Entrepreneurs, invited people to help develop a map of the social entrepreneur landscape, and then consider what impact and opportunities the arrival of digital services may bring. Here they offer a guided tour of the map, and summary of the session..

Should you be embarrassed if you don’t understand?

Bill Thompson at 2gether08 from David Wilcox on Vimeo.

Technology writer Bill Thompson chaired the opening session at 2gether08, and dropped in to some others. I asked him for his impressions - and he explain in characteristically forthright style that he thought it was time “non-techies” caught up. (read more...).

Follow 2gether08 live

We are streaming some sessions live from 2gether08.

• One feed is from the theatre, where main presentations are running >
  
• The other is showing video from The Gym >
  

The webacting is organised by Richard Jolly, using Mogulus, where you will find feeds directly here > and here >. (read more...)>

Wanted: creative volunteers to work with young people

Bold Creative from David Wilcox on Vimeo.

One of the most challenging and interesting sessions at 2gether08 will be “You’re fired, innit” run by Bold Creative. That’s provided you join in. The schedule gives a hint:

A group of young people and a group of older people will develop digital content about what they see as the solutions to youth social problems. Both films will be screened on Day Two.

Here Greg Villalobos, creative director, explains that he will be looking for some creative volunteers tomorrow..