Sound Communication

Sound photographer Steve Morgan’s pictures of the Drax power station (above and below) help place today’s Guardian story about the government’s ‘confusing’ climate change policy in some proper context.

Seems that, on the one hand, the Government is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050. All well and good.

Yet at the same time, Business Secretary John Hutton, seems to be a fan of coal-fired power stations. ”There’s a belief that coal-fired power stations undermine the UK’s leadership position on climate change,” says Mr Hutton, MP for Barrow. “In fact, the opposite is true.”

We will leave you, and in particular residents living in the shadow of coal-fired power stations like Drax, to be the judge of that. Though all of us are affected by the damage caused to our environment.

We would only suggest that some clearer communication from the government about their climate change policy might be seriously in order?

Tags: Corporate Social Responsibility (Sound behaviour) by Matthew Finnegan
No Comments »

A NEW online network for social entrepreneurs has just been launched – and was attracting considerable attention at the Voice 08 conference in Liverpool this week.

UnLtdWorld aims to provide a network to bring together social entrepreneurs from all over the globe.

They can share on-line conversations, interests and values – and make connections around specific projects or work.

UnLtdWorld is for people who are passionate about change and who want to make a difference.

It is the internet answer to those amongst us – Sound Communication included – who have often wondered why social enterprises don’t work together more collaboratively. The sum of the parts, etc….

Already UnLtdWorld has more than 1500 members – we have just joined – and is hopefully set to grow and become a worthy but never remotely dull alternative to Facebook and MySpace. 

And the Guardian appears to like it too!

Tags: Digital communications by Matthew Finnegan
No Comments »

A LOT of nonsense is talked about ’spin’ and so-called ’spin doctors’.
But now, thanks to the beloved Guardian, you can see for yourself what all the fuss is about.
Step Inside the Spin Room at the New Hampshire primary in America, earlier this year.
It was the development of these ’spin rooms’ in US Presidential TV debates which first gave rise to the term ’spin doctor’.
Supporters would gather to give their own, usually intensely loyal, verdict on their favoured candidate’s TV performance.
The phenomenon grew out of the demands of the mass media – and has now become a household term of abuse.

Notice the number of journalists gathered in the ‘Spin Room’.
No revolt against ’spin’ here – rather the journalists appear to be hanging on every word that is uttered.
Every cough and splutter is taken down. Every soundbite recorded. Every muttered aside captured.

[Read more →]

Tags: Media relations by Matthew Finnegan
No Comments »