Posts filed under 'Media'
BBC Radio Kent interview
We were back on the radio again early this morning on BBC Radio Kent, talking about how Slum Survivor went. If you’re interested in listening, using iPlayer, click here and fastforward to 1:18:05.
Add comment May 30, 2010
Vicars and the Media
The last few weeks seems to have had a number of stories in the press of slightly off the wall statements by vicars and ministers. Whilst some of their comments have been controversial a lot of them have been taken out of context.
For example Bishop Stephen Venner, who I knew as Bishop of Dover working together with Kent Children’s Trust, now Bishop to the Armed Forces. He was quoted in The Telegraph as saying that the Taliban “can perhaps be admired for their conviction to their faith and sense of loyalty to each other”. His comments sparked great debate on what it is to admire something in your enemy. But more importantly highlighted the issue of a comment being pulled out of context. Supposedly his comments were from a profile interview done over 12 weeks ago, which wasn’t fully published, and the journalist then used one answer to spark an entire article in a very different context.
Secondly, Father Tim Jones from York, whom the BBC News and many others have reported that he said people should steal from big chains rather than small businesses. He said society’s attitude to those in need “leaves some people little option but crime”.
I think he was on the line but was he out of order – difficult to say. Read his full sermon here, don’t just let yourself be influenced by a media soundbite.
To me there are lessons for clergy to learn in how they work with the media, but there are also lessons for us to learn in what do we take as truth from our media.
Add comment December 23, 2009
10 commandments of public speaking
Ministry Best Practices posted about how much they love TED, and included their version of the 10 Commandments to speaking at their event. Really helpful:
- Thou shalt not simply trot out thy usual shtick.
- Thou shalt dream a great dream, or show forth a wondrous new thing, or share something thou hast never shared before.
- Thou shalt reveal thy curiosity and thy passion.
- Thou shalt tell a story.
- Thou shalt freely comment on the utterances of other speakers for the sake of blessed connection and exquisite controversy.
- Thou shalt not flaunt thine ego. Be thou vulnerable. Speak of thy failure as well as thy success.
- Thou shalt not sell from the stage: neither thy company, thy goods, thy writings, nor thy desperate need for funding; lest thou be cast aside into outer darkness.
- Thou shalt remember all the while: laughter is good.
- Thou shalt not read thy speech.
- Thou shalt not steal the time of them that follow thee.
1 comment June 23, 2009
Chris Moyles talks up church
I’ve seen this youtube clip around the web (first on a whole load of facebook profiles) which shows Chris Moyles on his Breakfast BBC Radio Show talking about church.
On Pentecost Sunday he saw a clip of a service from Kingsgate Community Church (Peterborough) singing ‘Oh Happy Day’ by Tim Hughes whilst baptisting loads of people.
Some really positive comments, and most interestingly he keeps on coming back to it, even when the conversation has moved on. It does highlight how when we say authentic but relevant people are interested. My hope is that someone, somewhere has the right opportunity to follow this up with Chris more specifically, be it inviting him to church or taking him on something like an Alpha course.
2 comments June 18, 2009
Facebook: From 100 to 200 Million Users in 8 Months
Facebook is growing massively. In August they signed up their 100 millionth user. It has gone from 100 million to 200 million in less than 8 months. For anyone to get 100% growth in only a few months is pretty good, but do that when you’re talking millions is seriously amazing.
Add comment April 8, 2009
Bus adverts
The bus adverts continue – Christian organisations try to respond – it all seems a bit over the top.
Add comment February 6, 2009
The Church and Youtube
Nice to hear that the Pope now has a youtube channel, following on from Archbishop Rowan Williams who joined last year. It’s good to see the church trying to use media to engage with different generations.
Add comment January 26, 2009
Liverpool Street Station Dance ad by T-Mobile
I saw this on TV last night and loved it – someone very clever came up with this ad:
4 comments January 20, 2009
Christian refuses to drive atheist “No God” bus
The British Humanist Association has been running a month-long campaign with advertising on the side of buses: “There’s probably no God – enjoy life”. Ron Heather, a Christian driver, has objected to driving buses with that slogan on the side.
The bus company, First Bus said it would do everything it could to ensure that he did not have to drive the offending buses. After meetings with First Bus managers on Monday, he has agreed to return to work.
2 comments January 16, 2009
Funny stories from around the world
Some of the random stories and headlines from the BBC over the last couple of weeks:
- Slice of royal wedding cake sold: A large slice of cake made for the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and Prince Charles has been sold at auction.
- Driver smashes into supermarket: A supermarket shopper drives through a store window after losing control of his car while parking.
- West Wing writer tackles Facebook: Aaron Sorkin, who created The West Wing and wrote Charlie Wilson’s War, is making a film about Facebook.
- Tesco checks out wording change: Tesco is to change the wording of signs on its fast-track checkouts to avoid any linguistic dispute, one that I’m sure Hannah, my wife, will appreciate.
- MoD discusses bearskin hat plans: The Ministry of Defence meets animal activists to discuss ethical alternatives to the bearskin hats worn by Buckingham Palace guards.
- Nigerian man to divorce 82 wives: A Nigerian religious leader with 86 wives accepts an Islamic decree ordering him to divorce all but four, local authorities say.
- Elephant cured of drug addiction: An Asian elephant who became addicted to heroin is to return home after undergoing a detox programme.
- £280,000 for burnt Hendrix guitar: The first guitar burned on stage by 60s superstar Jimi Hendrix is sold at a London auction for £280,000.
- Declaring love boosts sex appeal: Telling someone you really like them could make him or her find you more attractive, research suggests
- Bald-head adverts for NZ airline: New Zealand’s national airline is looking for bald passengers to head up a new advertising campaign.
- Wife number 25 brings contentment: A Nepalese man finally finds happiness after marrying for the 25th time.
- Edmonds begins TV licence boycott: Presenter Noel Edmonds stops paying his TV licence, saying the BBC is overly “threatening” to those who evade the fee.
- Taxi drivers ‘have brain sat-nav’: Scientists find evidence for an inbuilt “sat-nav” system in the brains of London taxi drivers.
- Pet bunny’s ears prompt 999 call: A woman dials 999 because the rabbit she bought via a newspaper advert did not have floppy ears, police say.
- DNA to be used in dog mess fight: Officials in an Israeli city plan to use a database of doggie DNA to identify owners who allow pets to foul the streets.
- Lovelorn couple finally marrying: A man who was banned from seeing his pregnant childhood sweetheart 40 years ago is finally to marry her.
- Uganda seeking miniskirt ban: Uganda’s integrity minister says miniskirts should be banned because they distract drivers and cause accidents.
- Wrong home gutted when owner away: A council say sorry after a woman returns from a holiday to find her new home has been gutted by contractors due to a clerical error.
- US judge rejects saggy jeans law: A law in a Florida town banning sagging jeans that expose underwear is unconstitutional, a judge has decided.
- Berlin Wall slab sold at auction: A Berlin auction house says it has sold one of the few remaining sections of the Berlin Wall for more than 7,800 euros (£6,150).
- US ‘musical road’ hits bum note: A California road that plays the William Tell Overture to drivers will be paved over after complaints from local residents.
- Dig pinpoints Stonehenge origins: The first accurate carbon dating of Stonehenge reveals the monument was built in 2300 BC, some 300 years later than previously thought.
Add comment September 22, 2008
The Truth About Teen Girls
Here’s a great article from Time Magazine:
There are lots of reasons to worry about adolescent girls having sex too early, ranging from serious health risks to the likelihood that they are seeking it for the wrong reasons to the impact it may have on their ability to maintain healthy future relationships. But is it the sex we’re worried about or the sexiness? Is it what they do or how they look? And whose problem is this anyway?
Thanks to Jon for pointing it out.
Add comment September 21, 2008
Children’s and Youth Work round up
News from around the world of Children’s & Youth work:
Charities come under fire for heavy child trafficking focus: Charities are increasingly focusing on child trafficking at the expense of migrant children’s needs, an academic has claimed.
BT Yahoo! donates to Childline: Telecoms giant BT is to donate cash generated from online searches to children’s helpline ChildLine.
Young to get say on foreign affairs: The influence of young people from the UK on foreign affairs is to be given a boost with the launch of the Young UK Ambassadors programme.
Students “face uncertainty” in allowances delay: The government has confirmed some students are experiencing delays in getting their Education Maintenance Allowances (EMAs).
New ATL president ‘ashamed’ at child poverty: The new president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) has labelled child poverty “the scourge of our society”.
Young ambassadors to combat negative images in charity drive: The Prince’s Trust has recruited 200 young people to spearhead a three-month campaign aimed at addressing negative perceptions of youth.
Youth support service needs clarity: National-level support for youth work in England is confusing and must be better co-ordinated, the government has been told.
Data on children’s activity levels exaggerated: The true level of physical activity among children in the UK is probably around six times lower than national data suggests, new research has claimed.
Ofsted guidance poses threat to adventurous play, London Play warns: Ofsted guidance is out of step with government efforts to curb the health and safety culture that discourages risky play, London Play warned this week.
Voluntary workforce faces overhaul: The voluntary youth workforce is facing radical reforms as part of a strategy to improve youth services in England.
Add comment September 10, 2008
The Youth Specialties podcast is back…
The Youth Specialties podcast is back…
What do I have to do? Click here to go directly to the YS Podcast iTunes page. Once there, click “subscribe” and you’re good to go. From now on when we release a new episode it will automatically download for you. While you’re there go ahead and post a review to let others know what you think about it.
If you’ve missed our new podcast format, take a few minutes to watch the first three videos now.
1 comment September 4, 2008
Detractors speak against ‘Make me a Christian’
A lap dancer, a lesbian, and a lapsed Christian with a pregnant girlfriend are among the participants on the U.K.’s newest reality show, Make Me a Christian, where Christian leaders attempt to bring a group of unlikely candidates to the faith. The show’s premise is to find out if Christianity can help repair the moral fabric of British society. ‘I was pleased at first to hear the producers were trying to make Christianity accessible to people who might not usually watch religious programming,’ said Charis Gibson, senior press officer for the Evangelical Alliance. After watching the first two episodes, however, she said, ‘I’m starting to think I would prefer spending my Sunday nights being bashed repeatedly in the face with a large, leather-bound King James Version.’”
Read the full story. I’ve not seen any of the episodes. Is anyone else able to comment on this?
Add comment September 1, 2008
Teachers warn children are bullied over brand
The Guardian has reported on research that shows what we all know – but is nevertheless a very worrying trend:
Children who cannot afford to buy the latest brands and fashions face bullying and ridicule by their peers, teachers warned … Research from the teaching union, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, says children are under heavy pressure to buy certain brands and products to fit in with their peer group.
Almost half of the teachers questioned in the research said young people who cannot afford the fashionable items owned by their friends have been isolated or bullied as a result. The research also warned of a “significant” rise in the influence of advertising and marketing on children.
Dr Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary said: “Advertising and marketing have made our society increasingly image-conscious and our children are suffering the consequences. Schools and colleges should be places where all children feel equal, but it is virtually impossible for schools to protect their pupils from the harsher aspects of these commercial influences.”
The poll found more than eight in 10 teachers (85% of those questioned) believe possession of fashionable goods is important to their pupils, with 93% saying brands are the top influence on what children buy, followed by friends and logos.
Add comment August 15, 2008
Can a disabled model make it in fashion?
Interesting article at the BBC on Can a disabled model make it in fashion? Are we still too superficial in the UK, or is it an area that will develop – how does it affect the young people we work with who have disabilities – that they have so few role models to look up to?
Add comment July 30, 2008
10 reasons to cheer our teenagers
Mark Easton writing for the BBC helpfully says:
Reading the great British press, one might be forgiven for thinking that all our teenagers are binge-drinking, drug-addled, knife-wielding thugs ready to leap out and stab a granny for a fiver.
There is a real problem with knife-crime in some parts of the UK, let’s not pretend otherwise. And there are many other problems concerning young people in this country.
But I thought it might be timely to remind ourselves that youth doesn’t necessarily mean yob.
So here are ten reasons to cheer our teenagers:1. Teenagers are more likely to do voluntary work than people from any other generation. In fact, they are 10 times more likely to be volunteering in our communities than regularly being antisocial in them.
2. More teenagers than ever before are staying on at school after 16 to study.
3. And more than ever are going on to further and higher education.
4. Despite the vilification, young people are far more likely to say England is a good place to grow up in (90%) than adults ( 71%).
5. And yet it is young people who are the most likely to be victims of crime.
6. They work hard at school – a record 62% of teenagers achieved 5 GCSEs grades A-C last year compared with 44% a decade earlier and 26% ten years before that.
7. Nearly two-thirds of 10-to-15-year-olds have helped raise money for charity.
8. According to English schools inspectors, bad behaviour in comprehensives is at its lowest level for at least a decade.
9. 175,000 under 18-year-olds are unpaid carers in the UK with some 13,000 providing more care than a full-time job (50+ hours).
10. In a recent survey more than nine out of ten young people said they thought their schoolwork was important and more than three-quarters enjoyed going to school.
This list doesn’t mean teenagers are all little angels. They aren’t and they never have been. But it would be a shame to demonise a social group that is actually happier, achieving at a higher level, with better health and more opportunity for travel, sport and cultural activities than any previous generation in our history.
Add comment July 27, 2008
Funny stories from around the world
Continuing my series of funny stories from around the world:
Schoolboy first to ‘name’ iceberg: An enormous Antarctic iceberg will be known as “Melting Bob” after being named by Max Dolan, aged six, from Winchester, who won the Scott Polar Research Institute competition. Melting Bob is three times the size of Greater London with a surface area of 1,985sq miles (5,141sq km) and had been referred to by a codename – C19A. Organisers said it is the first time an iceberg has been known other than by its numeric codename and co-ordinates.
Toilet trouble for space station: Astronauts on the International Space Station await the arrival of the shuttle Discovery – and a new pump for their broken toilet. [And then later it is fixed]
Car firms clash over Bond credentials: A genteel disagreement about whether James Bond prefers Bentleys to Aston Martin has raised eyebrows in the world of luxurious cars.
Indonesian drops cash from plane : An Indonesian businessman scatters banknotes from a plane to promote his new motivational book.
Hostel chef wins £2.6m on lottery : A former homeless man who now works as a chef at the hostel that took him in has won £2.6m on the lottery.
German tabloid mocks UK tourists: Germany’s tabloid newspaper, Bild, has printed a list of holiday resorts to avoid – those dominated by the British.
Venice in fountain drinking drive : Tourists visiting Venice are to be encouraged to drink the water in a bid to help clean up the famous city.
Gold cup auction sale for £50,000: A 2,500 year-old gold cup handed down by a rag-and-bone man fetches £50,000 at auction.
Britain’s oldest man reaches 112: Britain’s oldest man, thought to be one of three UK survivors from World War I, celebrates his 112th birthday.
Add comment June 8, 2008
