NOTE: Sent to VANOC {mediarelations@vancouver2010.com, pressoperations@vancouver2010.com} Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008.
Cross-posted at: raincitystudios.com, 2010.dailyvancouver.com, nowpublic.com, etc.
Hello VANOC Media Relations and Press Operations,
I am writing today on behalf of Raincity Studios, a Vancouver-based social media company who owns and publishes a suite of media properties. We had hoped to talk about social media (blogs, podcasts, twitter, wikis etc.) at the World Press Briefing this week, however we did not receive any response from the applications we submitted to the participate in the event. So, as per Mr. Furlong's suggestion at the Vancouver Board of trade meeting last week, we are liaising with VANOC.
In brief, we'd like to have a conversation about how to allow fans and amateur media makers to document their Olympic experience while keeping out of the way of the IOC IP lawyers. As a company and as individuals, we've produced extensive, non-accredited coverage of Beijing 2008, Torino 2006, SLC 2002, and Nagano 1998. With the next games literally in our neighborhood, we'll be hosting an independent, international media centre at our Gastown loft office. As part of this, we'll organize events like photo walks and aggregate fan-made content for the enjoyment of a worldwide audience. We'd like to work with you to do this for mutual benefit.
As you likely know, Vancouver is a hub of innovative journalism with companies like ourselves, Now Public, and others plus renowned conferences like Northern Voice. Raincity Studios/Bryght are also an "official weblog service provider." My colleagues Robert Scales and Kris Krug were published in the academic paper "Pathway: Critiques and Discourse In Olympic Research," participated in the 9th International Symposium on Olympic Studies in Beijing and will be presenting about the experiences at the noted SXSW Interactive conference in 2009.
Between my colleagues and myself, we've posted thousands of photos, dozens of audio and video podcasts along with hundreds of blog posts, updates etc. from several Olympics. Additionally, we've cooperated with mainstream media and published Olympic-related coverage in the LA Times, BBC online, plus outlets in Poland, Brazil, Shanghai, and so on.
In Torino, Scales and Krug (and others) tested cutting edge equipment for Comvu and produced a cross-ocean symposium "Athletes and Social media" between Turin and Vancouver. In Beijing, they tested camera for Qik and contributed to many mainstream media outlets. Our own media properties include DailyVancouver.com, UrbanVancouver.com, Hockeynw.com, plus dozens of other presences, and we are allied with dozens of other media properties in BC and around the world.
Mr. Scales is China desk editor for Now Public and has presented to numerous international business groups about Olympics and business. Mr. Krug is ranked #4 on Vancouver Sun's "Internet Most Visible in Vancouver" list, both Krug and Scales were included on Tech Vibes "Vancouver Digital Media People to Watch 2008" list and appear on various other "best of" lists.
As for myself, I've produced extensive photo essays of event venues and published interviews with Canadian athletes like Duff Gibson, Ross Rebagliati and Crispin Lipscomb and written magazine articles about Olympians. I also appear on CBC Radio One discussing sports culture and new media as the producer/host of the Canucks Outsider podcast.
Bear in mind, aside form the occasional stipend, we do this work for no pay.
We are aware of your obligations to media rights holders and are seeking to provide an entirely different sort of coverage than the accredited media provide. We are not looking to cover events per se but are instead interested in covering the cultural stories, athletes' families' stories, and stories from fans who saved and traveled from around the world for this experience. In other words, we plan to encourage and aggregate fan coverage of the individual's "on the street" experience of the Games. We are locals who have watched (and helped pay for) the development of the Games since before the Plebiscite - as a result, we are tuned in to the issues and excitement surrounding the Games.
To begin our liaison relationship, we would like to attend the media briefing portion of the Worldwide Press Briefing on Thursday. We'd also schedule a follow-up conversation with the appropriate point of contact to discuss how we as a weblog vendor company, and as individuals, can be involved in providing amateur coverage of Vancouver/Whistler 2010.
With Best Regards,
daveo (and Robert Scales and Kris Krug)
--
Dave Olson
Community Evangelist
Raincitystudios.com
In the beginning, happyfrog.ca was created to help green-minded citizens find businesses and organizations which fit their values and displayed the results sorted by proximity to conserve transportation resources.
Then, happyfrog invited the public to add reviews to the thousands of listings, as well as engage in a community Q&A project to share tips and solve problems.
Now, all the "frogs" can auto-magically share their green favourites with the public with Myhappyfrog with a unique address to share with friends.
Members can now see all the reviews, questions & answers, and blog posts they've submitted so far via a personal address which looks something like this: http://happyfrog.ca/user/daveo
Share favourite green bizes and orgs
Members can add any listing as a "favourite" to share their preferred coffee shop, yoga studio, or organic market with the public and then add a badge to their blog or site to let people know about their happyfrog page.
Into the thick of the Olympic sporting competition, Canada is rolling in a litany of 5th, 6th, 7th places ... but with track and field, rowing finals and trampolining yet to come, the Canucks still have a chance to visit the podium.
As Tod Maffintwitter'ed: "Maybe Beijing will at least give us a courtesy Participaction pin?(Dont understand this? Ask a Canadian over 30.)" (ed note: or view this Participaction toque).
In the social media production department, Scales continues to create video at an epic pace despite losing his co-hort Kris who was repatriated to Vancouver in time for a glorious summer weekend. Scales is staying busy by picking up more tickets for varied events at the incredible new venues including the whitewater kayak run (plus visits to the Danish hospitality house).
I'm heading to the hills with tent and beverages so here's a few highlights to enjoy with your weekend viewing:
Background: Raincity Studios CEO/Founder Robert Scales and Pres/Ambassador Kris Krug are on the ground in Beijing to document and study the 2008 edition of the Olympic Games. They are publishing dispatches to a variety of news outlets including the venerable BBC. Here's Scales' first installment of his Olympic diary.
Raincity Studios Sino-Away-Squad of Scales and KK, are on the ground in Beijing to cover and participate in the Olympic experience as citizen journalism, technology experts, social pundits and cultural ambassadors.
The Glimmer Twins' tasks are diverse and their methods varied so here's a preview:
Where: Tradeworks Training Society, Downtown Vancouver
Why: Get a blog up and running in one day with personal instruction in small classes. This workshop covers blog basics like:
* what a blog can and can’t do for you
* how to post podcasts, video, audio, images, and text in your blog
* basic copyright law and accepted practices
* solving basic technical problems, where to find help
* privacy and the internet
Who: raincoaster media ltd, in partnership with Tradeworks Training Society.
Contact bloggingclasses AT gmail DOT com or 778-235-0592.
How(much)? $125 tuition, or $100 in combination with any other half-day class. Please pre-register to ensure your reservation.
With class size limited to 8, this will be a program of personalized, hands-on learning. During the class you will create your own blog, tweak the design, publish your first few posts, add a YouTube video, and even some music. You will leave with a functional, personalized blog and the skills you need to run it.
Why: Now that you’ve got a blog, why toil in obscurity? This course will teach you effective blog promotion techniques to reliably increase your readership. Each course is limited to 8 students, and covers blog basics like:
· what a blog can and can’t do for you, famewise, and how to get there
· professional vs personal profiles, privacy and promotion
· community netiquette and joining the blogosphere at large
· what the world wants to hear vs what you have to say
Who: raincoaster media ltd, in partnership with Tradeworks Training Society.
How(much)? $125 tuition prepaid only, or $100 if registered along with any other half-day social media course from raincoaster media.
Reservation guaranteed only upon acceptance of payment. Please email ahead and let us know what kind of blog you're working with (Drupal, Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr, etc).
For one of my day-job projects, I am rallying together a rag-tag team of social media makers to create a tasty batch of social media at the EPIC Sustainabile Living Expo next weekend. Bloggers, podcasters, photographers, and vid-makers are all invited to participate in making compelling content while hanging out with an eclectic variety of citizen journalists at a really entertaining event at Canada Place.
See below for the relevant details including how to get in touch.
Some may know that Urban Vancouver is run by Bryght and that I am one of the founders of Bryght. I am happy to announce that Bryght was acquired by Raincity Studios who we have partnered closely with over many years. What does this mean for Urban Vancouver? Nothing! Business as usual.
What does this mean for Gastown? Well we're hiring :-) !
With great enthusiasm, we are pleased to announce that Raincity Studios has acquired the (almost-legendary) Drupal pioneer company, Bryght. The companies have enjoyed a longtime collaboration offering complementary services as they've grown professionally together. Our cultures and personalities are a great match and everyone around here is eager to see what we can create together.
