King's Cross , Islington as locality #crossmedia2013 Guardian, @UniArtsLondon

Thinking about next week I realise that real space is not just an exhibition site. There is space around the area. Living in Exeter I have some sense of how the city fits together. You can walk across most of the middle bit in half an hour or so.  

Mentioned previously on this blog or linked from other ones is the idea of following the canal from King's Cross to the Olympic site and then the river Lea to ExCel. In theory this connects Cross Media and IPEX in space ( the time is only a few months, not much in the history of publishing ) but I now realise it is too great a distance for one visit. Also the last bit of the river Lea has not been much cared for. Open House revealed a walk through back streets that sort of works but anyway this is going off topic.

There is a tunnel under Islington Green so the walk from King's Cross can be followed. From the Guardian building, King's Place , the canal continues east and there is a footpath going up in the same direction. You should find Islington Green ok. 

Much going on at King's Cross that relates to Cross Media. The Guardian has put "digital first" and this may mean less print. I think the Education and Media pages are getting closer to the point where they may not continue. Will print just be for Saturday? The British Library practice content marketing to promote their publishing. A blog about "mapping paradise" has enough graphics to tempt anyone.

I don't know when the LCC Futures conference is this year but it probably overlaps with Crossmedia. In a conversation around tweets it may not matter much which month it is. The University of the Arts London has a site in King's Cross so people there could visit the event and/or discuss any web content in suitable rooms.   

So I hope to have time to explore a bit. Futurelearn has a real existence but Camden is the wrong direction.  

I still have no mental map of where ExCel is, but IPEX online is taking shape. 

More on "positioning" , blog source from Futurelearn brands course

Week one coming to an end and a quick reread has found a better source on "positioning" . 

Previously I wrote about Will Hutton's article about university funding and I suggested he was doing some "positioning".  The universites not much involved in MOOCs etc. are presented as if they either don't need to be or else have a better situation carrying on as normal. Digital courses presented as low quality option for those who can't afford something better. 

Now I have found that some of the Brands course is based on a blog so it must be ok to link and quote. 

1) Abolish positioning. Think purpose.

Don’t try to manufacture a place in the world. Don’t obsess about the competition and differentiating from them. Instead, as with all good design, start with the question ‘why?’. Why do we exist? Why would anybody need us? Why is what we do useful? Why would people pay (in time or money or whatever) for it? Why is it valuable (in all the senses of that word)? In other words, define a sense of purpose – the difference you want to make, socially and commercially.

Think, for example, how powerful GE’s sense of purpose – imagination at work – has been in creating growth. Or how Google’s greatest inventions have come from its commitment and encouragement of experimental behaviour among its employees. The high-growth businesses of the future will all be, at heart, purposeful. And purpose is the source of value-creativity.

This seems a good explanation for what "positioning" means. Course is useful in backing up ideas and suggesting links. 

I think there will be several changes in how online learning is regarded and it may take many different forms. Next week OUP Community Manager at Cross Media. Should be interesting.

@Ipexia2014 @Kexino Giraffe at RAMM, Exeter Museum

My recent tweet was a bit mysterious so this post may explain. Started with Ipexia suggesting that AR and QR stand for quite ridiculous and absolutely ridiculous. (Next week Cross Media show will doubtless feature technology for adding content to a mobile device ) 

I saw a demo of a pop up dinosaur at BETT so suggested to RAMM that something similar could work with a giraffe. In Exeter, The Royal Albert Memorial Museum ( to at leasat explain what RAMM means) used to have a giraffe in a central position with a balcony above. Since the improvements there is now a cafe in this space and the giraffe is out at the back.  

Surely you could take a suitable device to the balcony and when you looked down the giraffe would reappear just as it used to be? Depending on a sign in the tray or on a mug or a cloud database of previous views? 

We have discussed this on the Wild Show, Phonic FM Thursdays but so far can't explain well enough to get RAMM interest. I will report back any new info.

Info on similar applications that already work would help. 

@Ipexia2014 more on radio, Wild Show next week

There is now a clip from yesterday on Soundcloud which may explain something. We need help promoting #13SWMA for the South West Music Awards. I will ask about this at Cross Media. 

Main thing about radio is that sound has moved around copyright and content marketing in a direction that print may follow. More next week.

Some of Wild Show 17th Oct , my rave about #13SWMA (South West Music Awards) and the Cross Media Show where I will be away next week. Topics may include how radio is moving into digital, often not live or on radio as such.

@Ipexia2014 Radio show at Cross Media, some delay

This blog post is to expand on the Tweets so far. Ipexia seems to think that Cross Media involves a radio show for Daily Mail readers. I think there is more to it than that. I feel she should be concerned because Cross Media next week may have more about avatars and radio than the IPEX event next year. I could be wrong of course but I guess the emphasis on print could return as IPEX gets closer. 

Couple of links that fit in. David Hepworth in the Guardian ( some people read this and not the Daily Mail by the way)  thinks that the people who actually listen to radio are often over 50. The young find mp3 by various means. But according to the Cross Media blog not only did video fail to kill the radio star but both continue happily as digital media.

Myself I help with the Wild Show on Phonic FM most Thursday mornings 10 -12. It is live on FM in Exeter then some bits appear online later. Next week I may phone in from the Cross Media event. Or I may be so busy and interested that some recording will appear later. Or the interviews may not be that interesting so someone will decide to play music or talk about something else. 

Any suggestions welcome. Links to other sounds especially if creative commons or otherwise ok for broadcast. Top question for me is how to get clarity that content marketing implies permission for reuse. Maybe more than intended but some clarity would help. My assumption is that any sound at a trade show is public.