London 2012- Inspired a generation and more

It would be an understatement to suggest that the London 2012 Olympics were a resounding success. Inspired a generation? You bet it did. Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Tom Daley, Usain Bolt, the list goes on and on. These athletes didn't just inspire one generation but all.

The Olympics brought a buzz do the whole of Great Britain. People were smiling. Post Boxes were turning gold. The country was glued to the fantastic BBC coverage. These athletes presented exceptional role models to everyone and many contrasted them to the pampered overpaid modern footballers. Everywhere you looked there were stories to be told, such as the first Saudi Arabian female competitor to personal stories such as Tom Daley's strength to take bronze after losing his dad in 2011. London 2012 offered so many incredible moments that means it is incredibly difficult to single out favourites. I asked the question on Twitter and it seems other people feel the same way. Tom McMinigal stated, "The most amazing thing about the games for me is that from our perspective there's been so many amazing individual stories".

Insidethegames.biz

Hannah Dunnett (@dunzel123) suggested that her top three moments included, Tom Daley diving to win bronze, Federer's dignity in defeat versus Murray and also when a boy from the crowd asked for a hug from Andy Murray. Jo Hopewell (@lilHopewell) said her favourite moments also included Tom Daley, the many rowing medals and Mo Farah's golds. Each of these moments and many more are drenched in a glitter that has captivated the eyes of the public. Moments of magic that have inspired a nation to participate in sport.

"The Olympic Spirit is neither the property of one race nor of one age." Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the Modern Olympic Games

Nonetheless, the athletes were not the only winners at the 2012 Olympics. London was showcased unbelievably through the various venues. The opening ceremony and track and field events created iconic moments that will go down in history. The Beach volleyball in the historic horseguards parade, races finishing on infront of Buckingham Palace, horses galloping through luscious British gardens and of course the phenomenal Olympic park.  This was a phenomenal advertisement for London and Britain.

View of beach volleyball from the London Eye

Here is a selection of my favourite moments of the London 2012 Olympics:

Jessica Ennis

The poster girl of the Olympics overcomes the pressure of the nation upon her and takes gold in style in the women's heptathlon.

ITV

Mo Farah

An incredible story that shows the wonderful modern multicultural Britain. Farah grabs two golds to ensure everyone is doing the Mobot.

Telegraph.co.uk

David Rudisha

Kenyan, Rudisha, smashes the world record in the 800m in style. Also seems like an incredibly nice guy when interviewed.

comrz.com

Tom Daley

The 18 year old, Plymouth diver, holds his nerve to secure a phenomenal bronze and celebrates with his team by jumping in the pool.

guardian.co.uk

Gemma Gibbons

The moment she qualified for her Judo semi-final was goosebump making. The crowd roared as Gemma looked up to the sky and mouthed "I love you Mum", who sadly passed away when Gemma was a teenager.

Usain Bolt

This guy personifies coolness and confirmed his legend status with three gold medals. Entertaining whenever the cameras are on him. Bolt has done wonders to inspire youngsters into running. 

Telegraph.co.uk

Katherine Grainger

After three successive silvers in previous Olympic games, Grainger finally secured that Gold she had been after for so long. This was followed by an emotional hug with Olympic legend, Sir Steve Redgrave.

Dailyrecord.co.uk

I could go on and on with the individual stories, Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins, Laura Trott, Victoria Pendleton, Louis Smith, Beth Tweddle, Greg Rutherford, the rowers, the kayaker's  and Andy Murray all provided moments to smile, be proud, inspire and motivate. Everyone was tuning into sports they had never watched before, became experts on dressage, tweeted messages to athletes. This was the social media games with more than 150 million tweets being recorded during the games. The public became citizen journalists in the heart of the action, uploading images and stories to Facebook, tweeting messages and 'instagramming' moments they'll remember forever.

"When our time came, we did it right. Britain, thank you."

Lord Sebastian Coe at the Opening Ceremony 

London 2012 was a celebration of positivity and peace. As the Olympic charter states that the aim of the games is, “using non-discriminatory sport to educate the globe’s citizens on values of peace, justice, mutual understanding and international friendship”. I think it's fair to say it achieved this aim. Sport provided a vehicle to bring people together as well as inspiring generations. A legacy left for a bright future. 

If only the Olympics could be a yearly thing. 

What were your favourite moments of the games? Tell me by leaving a comment below.

Podcasts- who needs the music?

For those who don't know what podcasts are, they are pretty much radio without the music. They are perfect to listen to in the car, sat on the train or just lying in bed. Some make you laugh, some teach you things you didn't know and some are awful. I've compiled a list of my favourite podcasts that are definitely worth a listen.

Desert Island Discs

The Desert Island Discs podcast archives are simply brilliant. Years of well known people choosing their eight favourite songs, a book and a luxury item. It is fascinating to hear the songs chosen by celebrities. For instance, Simon Cowell believes Bobby Darin's 'Mack the Knife' is one of the greatest songs ever sung and Jewish comedian, Jackie Mason was captivated by Susan Boyle's 'I dreamed a dream'. These podcasts play little snippets of the songs due to legal reasons but that's perfect, especially if you don't like the song. Kirsty Young is fantastic interviewer and brings out the incredibly interesting stories of the castaways. James Corden, Emma Thompson, Alan Ahlberg, Whoopi Goldberg and Betty Driver are just a few of the exceptional podcasts. One learns about depression, troubled childhoods and heartwarming stories. My Dad even adapted the Desert Island Discs format into a dinner party, where people choose their eight favourite songs. These are then put on in the background and people can discuss the songs if they wish. These podcasts invite you into the lives of the rich and famous, intriguing and interesting. Download a few of your favourite celebs and see what they like to listen to.

Photo from Times Literary Supplement

Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio

I think Frank Skinner to be one of the funniest and quickest comedians there is. Skinner is part of trio that makes for a hilarious twice-weekly podcast. Emily Dean joins Skinner and provides a snobbish but often humorous outlook on life. Describing her obscure crushes, such as the son of John Darwin, the canoe man who faked his death or comedian, Miles Jupp. The final cog in the trio is comedian, Alun Cochrane. I've seen him do stand up several times and he's very funny so I was thrilled when he joined the show. Providing grumpy observations, Cochrane is great addition to the show. The three of them discuss their experiences in the week, what's annoying them and what's happening on TV. Full of puns, sharp wit and often brutally honest chat, I always look forward to its release.

Podcast Directory

Scott Mills Daily

I often find it hard to keep up with these podcast as they are release on every weekday but they are always worth a listen. Scott Mills is for me the best dj on Radio One and works well with his sidekick Beccy and Chris. Regular interviews with popstars, funny games and silly chat can see time pass away very quickly. The game Innuendo Bingo is also great fun, where listeners send in innuendo from TV and radio. Chris and Beccy have to fill their mouths with water and try not to laugh at the innuendos. Great fun and easy to listen to.

Radio Four News Quiz

Host Sandi Toksvig chairs are topical news quiz with some of the best comedians around. Jeremy Hardy and Andy Hamilton are regulars, who provide arguably a radio version of 'Have I Got News For You'. Only half an hour long, this provides a brilliant witty view of the weeks news.

BBC Podcasts

Social Media and Newspapers- A twist on a tale

Newspapers have certain stigmas attached to them. The Daily Mail perceived to be bemoaning everything wrong with Britain. The Sun renowned for page 3. The News of the World obviously destroyed its reputation with the phone hacking scandal. Murdoch subsequently launched The Sun on Sunday but this could arguably be perceived as a rebranding of The News of the World, and thus have a negative stigma still attached. I was watching the TV the other day and was intrigued by the new Guardian advert. Incredibly peculiar but also very clever, this is an advert that shows off the various facets of a modern day  Guardian newspaper. An invitation for the public to interact with the news.



This advert highlights the mutli-scalar brand of the Guardian but it does this through the use of a well known children's story. The advert depicts the "Three Little Pigs' as if their plight is a news story. Not only is this quite funny and clever but it is very different. Created by BBH London, this invites the audience into a familiar childhood story but told in a modern setting. Nonetheless, it doesn't simply raise a smile, it educates its audience and urges them to get involved. Open journalism.

Newspaper Headline

There is no doubt that technology has completely revolutionised the way we see the news. Social media and smartphones have created the notion of citizenship journalism, allowing normal members of the public to get involved. The Guardian advert takes the audience on a journey of a news story. Starting with  the police raiding the pig's house whilst shouting, "Little pig, little pig let us in", this creates an incredibly surreal scene and thus immediately grabs the viewers attention. The advert then cuts to a woman in her home watching the news story unfold on her laptop. Subsequently, this illuminates the ability to access news online through The Guardian website. Newspapers aren't just something that are delivered every morning.

The woman then interacts with the news story using the comments page found at the bottom of most articles but also other people's voices are then heard. This shows that any member of the public can have their say on the matter, also advocating the use of twitter, using the tag #opennews.  French and American voices are heard commenting on this news story, suggesting that this open journalism is a international matter as well. This cacophony of voices illustrates how the Guardian interacts with so many people, it's a two way relationship between the newspaper and the public. Text graphics continue to show the public's opinions and there is even reference to a poll. 

The Three Little Pigs

This emphasis on sites such as Youtube and Twitter show how important social media has become in the world of news and the Guardian are recognising this. The advert then twists the traditional three little pigs story suggesting they framed the wolf. Video simulations of the Guardian website suggest the big bad wold had asthma and thus couldn't blow the houses down. Not only is there an education on how viewers can interact with the news but the advert creates a plot that is different and thus intrigues viewers. It then arguably relates this back to the modern day credit crunch stating that the pigs framed the wolf to get insurance money as they were in debt.

Pig arrested

I have read that some believe that this parody is patronising and not serious. I would challenge this, it is different and they've used a familiar tale to relate to the everyday person, including those who are not Guardian readers. So often adverts are too serious, they don't engage with the audience. Humour can so often be a great way to make an advert memorable. Simply look at McCann Manchester's Aldi tea advert, winning various advertising awards.

 Clever, different and funny, the Guardian advert shows the important relationship between the news and social media nowadays and how easy it is for the public to interact. The website, an iPad, Twitter, Youtube and the newspaper itself, all displayed, to show how The Guardian provides, in their words, the "whole picture'.

Blackburn Rovers-A club ripped apart?

Last night walking to Ewood Park I stopped to look at the Jack Walker statue. Blackburn Rovers is a club steeped in tradition and heritage. A football league founder. Only one of four winners of the current Premier League. However, it now is a club ripped apart. A sinking if not lilting ship. Bought by Indian chicken farmers in 2010, Blackburn Rovers has changed so much, and not for the better.

Nouse.co.uk

When Venkys bought Blackburn Rovers fans were excited with all the promises of big name players and the talk of Champions League Football. Nonetheless, it became apparent over time that this wasn't a realistic target with the new owners in charge. They ridiculously disposed of Sam Allardyce as they wanted a better brand of football. Granted Allardyce's tactics aren't the most attractive but Rovers could always bank of him keeping them up and getting results when it mattered. Some Rovers fan greeted the dismissal with excitement on which manager would take over. Step forward, Steve Kean. The first team coach at the club got promoted to temporary manager and then permanent. Seems a bit odd, replacing a respected and solid manager with a rookie who had arguably failed as Chris Coleman's number two. Rovers fans were willing to give Kean a chance and they certainly did, despite the media thinking otherwise.

The Guardian

It was January 2011 that Blackburn Rovers became a laughing stock within football. Venkys attempting to sign Ronaldinho and David Beckham, whilst Rovers started to creep towards the relegation zone. Signings in the January included Mauro Formica from Argentina and Ruben Rochina from Barcelona. Not exactly players you'd need in a relegation dogfight. Jermaine Jones was signed from Schalke a proved pivotal in the scrap but Roque Santa Cruz never managed to recreate the form he found in his first spell at Rovers. If it wasn't for the points Allardyce gained in the earlier part of the season, Rovers would most likely have gone down. It went down to the final day of the season and Rovers saved themselves from the drop. They shouldn't have been dicing with relegation in the first place but Rovers fans looked forward to the summer in the hope of seeing the Indian owners spend big.

The Guardian

Steve Kean said Blackburn Rovers have had the biggest transfer budget they have ever had and were ready to spend. Instead they sold Phil Jones to Manchester United for over 16 million. At the end of the transfer window Rovers had spent less than they had sold. Kean's promises of spending big never materialised. Bruno Ribeiro was bought, a player whom Kean compared to Dennis Irwin, but has never ever played for the first team. Dundee United player David Goodwillie arrived with Kean saying he is a young Wayne Rooney. Again, he has hardly featured. Early results in August were not great and fans became agitated after all the broken promises and Kean's cringing comments. Nonetheless, Kean asked Rovers fans to judge him aftertransfer deadline day. The fans did. It didn't look good. March has seen Kean's team keep two clean sheets and win two games in a row. This lead to some journalists suggesting he should win manager of the season. Bemused? I am. This man has taken Rovers into two relegation fights. He promised Rovers' fans on the summer transfer deadline day that Hoilett was on the verge of signing a new contract. It's March and fans are still waiting for Hoilett to sign. As far as fans are concerned, Kean is part of Venkys, he's part of their disastrous regime and until they both leave, there will always be unrest between fans and the club.

Metro.co.uk

Social Media- educator on current affairs?

Many people would assume that social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter are primarily for social interactions with other people. Spending hours looking at your friends' latest photos and scrolling through a feed of mundane statuses. Nonetheless, social media now provides the perfect platform for news organisations to present their articles to a new audience.

Retro Facebook

Facebook has seen a boom in news applications with online newspaper sites such as 'The Guardian' and the 'Washington Post' realising they can reach Facebook users. Personal Facebook feeds are filled with articles your friends have been reading. They install the application, read the articles and these then appear on you profile and other people's feeds. People then see these interesting articles and click on the link themselves. This means that so many people get to a greater grasp of current affairs. Facebook is arguably the 'go-to' site for procrastination and people spend so much time on social media, news has integrated itself brilliantly with various platforms. The articles range in topic and seriousness,  for instance, looking at my Facebook feed, one friend is reading 'Ten illegal baby names' and another "How one man escaped from a North Korean Prison'. Perhaps this can be seen a positive procrastination, so much time can be wasted trawling Facebook but now news applications educate users on current affairs. 

There is no doubt Twitter provides a similar platform, one can follow news organisations, journalists, celebrities and friends. These Twitter users tweet articles or simply statuses updating one on issues including politics, sports and showbiz. Additionally, smartphones mean one is never disconnected from this news stream.

Retro Twitter

Pinterest could also signal the next social media platform to educate on current affairs. Pinners can pin images or videos that represent or link to news events. BBC news now has a Pinterest account, although they are yet to pin, the visual eye catching twitter can draw in users to interesting articles and thus educate them on current affairs.

People may see social media as a waste of time, a distraction, but it has the ability to educate its users on current affairs. Whether this is through Facebook applications, a pin on Pinterest or a tweet, social media provides a new way to see the news.

Pinterest- A passing fad or here to stay?

It started with MySpace and Bebo. Facebook then arrived. Twitter flew in, followed by various other social media sites. Nonetheless, Pinterest seems to be the new form of social media that is grabbing people's interests, literally.

Pinterest

So what is Pinterest? Put simply, it is a online series of pin boards. You can virtually pin your favourite photos or videos to categorised pin boards. For instance, say you like a film that you've just seen, you can search for a photo or video of it online and using the special pin it button,  put it on your board. You can also add a caption to it to help describe to other pinners what it is. Arguably, it is like a picture/video version of Twitter, people can repin, like and comment on your pins. It is really easy to do and simple to navigate. Here is a picture of my Pinterest below:

You can then follow other people's boards, looking at their pictures. You might see a recipe you like, a film you want to see or a book you've never heard of but now want to read. The visual aspect is very good and incredibly addictive. Nonetheless, I've had Pinterest for a while now and at first it was like playing with a new toy, pinning everything in sight. Now I don't pin as much but still use it, to use a cliché, a picture tells a thousand words, and thus it is very eye catching, spending ages scrolling looking at all the different pins.

A repin on my Pinterest

A new side to Pinterest allows you to "Pin A Quote", highlighting any text on the internet you like the look of and it turns it into an image for your pin board. This is a great function as it allows you to see some of the best quotes from everyone using Pinterest. Like Twitter has trends, Pinterest has popular pins and of course there is a smartphone app. Is it another way for businesses to interact with consumers? Perhaps it could be. New products could be pinned. Companies could pin their new advertising campaigns. For instance, Universal have been pinning scenes from their hit movies, reminding people like me to watch films or buy products. 

Pinterest Logo

Arguably, it is Twitter for pictures but it is easy to use and you do see so many pictures that make you laugh, offer helpful advice, leave you in awe and inspire you to watch a film or pick up a book. Surely, these are not bad things, its a tool to show people what makes you happy? For businesses to visually show their products and campaigns. Whether it is will stay only time will tell but for now I'm having great fun pinning and viewing all the photos, videos and quotes from around world.

Social Media's Power- Kony 2012

If you have been on any form of social media today it is likely that you would have heard the word, "KONY". A film created by invisible children that aids to make Joseph Kony, a Uganadan guerrilla group leader, has spread across various social media platforms, dominating Facebook news feeds and Twitter updates. Social media shows its power to educate, inform and hopefully liberate.

"Joseph Kony has remained an elusive and terrifying figure casting a spell over first Uganda, then Sudan and the Central African Republic, and now the Democratic Republic of Congo" 

The Deadly Cult of Joseph Kony

The 30 minute film attempts to make Joseph Kony famous, not as a celebrity but to create awareness for the horrors he has committed and hopefully lead to his arrest. It's been suggested that as many as 20,000 children have been abducted from their homes and have been forced to commit horrendous crimes. Leader of the Lord's Resistance Army he has claimed he will use the ten commandments to liberate Uganda, as one girl who had been captured by the LRA suggests his followers see him as a "supernatural being. He has a power over them." Kony is seen to be one of the most hated and wanted men on earth, the power of social media has arguably increased this status. Before today I would ask how many people knew about Kony's atrocities? Social Media has educated us on such an important subject. People need to know  what this man and his army are doing, social media is providing the ideal platform to inform the public. 

Joseph Kony

Some may criticise social media, saying it is a waste of time but Twitter, Facebook, Youtube and a whole host of other platforms have demonstrated the positive change communication can make. With figures like Kony, awareness is key, social media reaches out to millions in seconds, you're just one click away from learning about the dreadful acts of Kony and his followers. Lets hope that the power of social media can raise awareness acting as a catalyst for Kony's arrest but also be used a tool for other similar situations across the world.

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Citizenship Journalism- Everyone can be a journalist

In the 21st century everyone can be a journalist. iPhones. iPads. Twitter. Facebook. The everyday person as the ability to communicate easily. A photo, a tweet, a status update, the public using these as if adopting the role of a news reporter. This notion has been coined Citizenship journalism, where spontaneous actions of members of the public, in the middle of news worthy events, feel compelled to become the news reporter. The growth of smartphones and tablets mean it is so easy to communicate anything, pretty much anywhere. Is this what the future holds for journalism? The public scooping some of the best stories because they were in the right place at the right time and could tweet a photo of the event?

Twitter

The emergence of the internet has speeded up the ability to be a citizen journalist and social media makes it easier to communicate to lots of people. Take for instance, the Iran elections in 2009, in which traditional news corporations were blocked by the authorities. Subsequently, it was down to to the public to be the journalists, display the pictures the world would see, through Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms. Obviously, this can show how the public can be the news reporters but it can also put them in dangerous position. The Arab Spring has also been an example of where the public can take pictures and tweet to show the real event. For example,  Al-Jazeera’s citizen media service received 1,000 camera-phone videos. The head of the the Al-Jazeera service said that “Now our main stories are driven by images captured by citizens on the street, it’s no longer just a supporting image. In most cases citizens capture the breaking news moments first". It is incredible how smartphones have revolutionised news reporting, citizens can inform and educate the media and the public. A report in the Guardian also suggested they are looking for, "open vision for journalism", whereby laypeople, who may not have any formal expertise, will be allowed key to the media group’s future"(Guardian pins digital future on citizen journalism). The fact that a historic newspaper, like The Guardian, can see the opportunities in promoting citizenship journalism through using smartphones and tablets, demonstrates that this is a concept not to be ignored. I've compiled several news stories that have been deeply influenced by "laypeople" clicking buttons on their smartphones and becoming "news reporters".

‘… when major events occur, the public can offer us as much new information as we are able to broadcast to them. From now on, news coverage is a partnership.’

Citizenship Journalism and the BBC 

Japanese Earthquake

The Japanese people filmed and took pictures of the horrific earthquake and following Tsunami. This allowed the world to see the dramatic scenes and carnage from a perspective of those right in the middle of the tragedy.

London Riots


The London Riots of Summer 2011 shocked the globe, with visions of burning buildings etched in the audience's mind. Members of the public film the rioters breaking into shops, looting goods but also the heavy police presence. These videos not only inform the world through social media on the event but also can aid police investigations.

Lady ranting of tram


Perhaps one of the most shocking examples of Citizenship Journalism, in which someone on a tram secretly films a woman who is being racist. The tram had a diverse set of people on it and she directs the torrent of abuse towards them, making generalisations and showing how the spontaneous citizenship journalism can do good, to root this dreadful sort of thing out of society. This video meant police could find her, arrest her and she was subsequently charged.

 The Telegraph- Woman Charged with Racist Rant on Tram

The Hudson Landing

In early 2009 US Airways flight 1549 was flying from La Guardia Airport to Charlotte, in North Carolina when it hit a flock of Canadian Geese. Subsequenlty, it crash landed in the Hudson River next to Manhattan, meaning lots of members of the public saw it and thus a lot of the first pictures were from these "laypeople. For instance, the picture below was a tweeted picture by a man who was catching the ferry at the time the plane crashed. 

Janis Crums- tweeter of this photo

London Bombings

Members of the pubic turned news reporters on the 7th July 2005 when the city of London was rocked by suicide bombers on its transport network. The first ever citizen journalism award was given to a photo that was taken during this event. The mere fact that there are now awards for this type of journalism echoes the need to respect it as an important form of news. The winning picture shows the moments after the number 30 bus was bombed in Tavistock Square. A powerful reminder of how citizenship journalist can capture the most raw moments.

Citizen Journalists get rewarded

This addiction to smartphones, the obsession of tweeting, uploading photos and updating statuses means we are living in society where so much can be captured without professional journalists having to be there. Social media's accessibility allows normal people to capture events that could otherwise be unseen, they inform, educate and illuminate. As the use of smart phones and social media grows, one would  assume the growth of citizenship journalism will as well.