My media
Sunday, January 6, 2008 A number of bloggers have been contributing to a My Week In Media meme. (No, I didn't know what a meme was either until I looked it up HERE.) To be honest, I can't imagine anything more self-indulgent. However, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, so ...
What I’ve read
For work, I should read all the papers. In practise, I read the Telegraph and Mail in depth and flick through the others for items of specific interest. If I miss something it is usually picked up by a colleague or our press cutting agency, which also keeps tabs on the regional press.
Forest subscribes to two news agencies - Meltwater and DeHaviland. Meltwater provides the newsfeed for our website so every day I check the latest stories and select those that are most relevant. Having made my choice, they then appear on the newsfeed. DeHaviland offer a comprehensive information service that keeps us up-to-date with everything that is happening in parliament.
I am currently proof-reading a forthcoming Forest publication, Forty Lashes: Smoking, Sin and Science by Mat Coward. This is a rare example of an unsolicited manuscript that is a delight to read. Fingers crossed, we are hoping to publish it next month.
I usually have one or two books on the go, which I mostly read on the train into London. Last year my favourite book, which I read on holiday, was Fatty Batter by Michael Simpkins. That was (loosely) about cricket. I am currently reading two football-related books - You Win Nothing With Kids: Fathers, Sons and Football by Jim White (sports writer with the Daily Telegraph), and the award-winning Provided You Don't Kiss Me: 20 Years With Brian Clough by Duncan Hamilton.
Magazine-wise, I always buy The Spectator and Private Eye, but largely out of habit. I've been reading them for 30 years but neither tickle my fancy these days. The Spectator, in particular, has very little substance. The New Statesman is a better political magazine, although I loathe its politics.
Other magazines I have bought in the past month include iCreate, MacFormat, What Laptop, What Car, Top Gear Test Drive Directory, What Plasma & LCD TV, What Hi-Fi, Digital Video and Digital Camera Buyer. I liken all this to the little boy with his nose pressed hard against the toy shop window. He hasn't got the money to buy anything, but he likes to look (and dream).
What I’ve watched
Apart from the news, the only programmes I make a genuine effort to watch are Top Gear, Have I Got News For You and Match of the Day. Re-runs of Frasier on Paramount2 are also a must. I missed Extras when it was shown on Boxing Day because I was at the National Theatre watching War Horse but I caught up with it when it was repeated on BBC2. Like the two series, I was disappointed. It meandered along and only came alive in the last 15 minutes. Unlike The Office, I didn't really care about the characters because none of them had sufficient depth. The Christmas edition of Doctor Who also failed to live up to the hype.
Over Christmas I have been watching Life On Mars (series one) on DVD. I have also been watching Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? (the complete box set). This was a present to my 13-year-old son who loves it as much as I do.
What I’ve listened to
I listen mostly to Five Live. Nicky Campbell, Simon Mayo and Peter Allen are all marvellous broadcasters. What I can't stand are the phone-ins and ridiculous emails they insist on reading out. Why do we have to listen to people mouthing off about subjects they clearly know nothing about? Can't they write a blog instead?
I rarely listen to music at home these days. Instead, if I'm not listening to the radio, I use my iPod (set to random play) when driving. Thanks to my son I am listening, almost for the first time, to Led Zeppelin. And Jimmy Hendrix. I have drawn the line, however, at AC/DC and Guns N' Roses.
Where I’ve surfed
My kids have just discovered Bebo so I've been checking it out to see what they're getting into and whether I should be worried. Meanwhile, I keep getting asked to join various groups or become someone's friend on Facebook. Yesterday I was invited to join the group "Jeremy Clarkson should be prime minister" which has more than 267,000 members. I'll think about it.
Blog-wise, my daily reads include Iain Dale's Diary. On its day IDD is essential reading. Am I alone, however, in thinking that Iain is sounding just a trifle smug these days?
For work, I monitor The Publican and a variety of smoking-related sites at home and abroad. Personally, I believe the smoking/anti-ban lobby would be far more effective if there were fewer sites and greater cooperation/coordination. Unfortunately, there are too many egos involved and - human nature being what it is - most people prefer to be big fish in small ponds. C'est la vie.
PS. Feel free to add your own week/month in media lists in the Comments section.
Reader Comments (3)
On the subject of greater co-operation/co-ordination between anti-ban groups: Clearly the greater number of people combined under one group would be likely to have greater impact, and I don't think that the true number of anti-ban people has even registered in the governments' peripheral vision yet (whether they'd choose to see it if it was right under their nose is another question). However, since Forest has ties to the tobacco industry, and can be dismissed as such by ASH and the government, I think it is crucial that there is another group that has no such ties, and that speaks only for the people on the street (such as F2C, Forces etc).
One question is - why don't the grassroots movements combine under one umbrella? The other question is, how can these grassroots groups co-operate or co-ordinate with a group like Forest, without being tarred with the tobacco industry brush? I can't see how the latter is possible.
It is a shame though, because no doubt Forest has a great many contacts and has learned of a great many pathways that would be enormously helpful to the grassroots movement. I wonder if Forest would be prepared, if asked, to lend such 'benign' support to the grassroots groups, unconditionally(?)
I think it's important to remember that the anti-ban movement is doing so without the massive funding the anti-smoking lobby enjoys. Given that situation a number of smaller groups is the natural state of effects; the bigger an organisation the more resources are required just to manage it (taking resources away from getting the message out).
What these groups DO need to do is start linking to each other in a more overt fashion, but that is beginning to happen F2C and Forces for example enjoy pretty close ties.
That's a great point, Rob, and I'm encouraged by what you say. Thanks :)