Hello Everybody

Here are the details for the upcoming Social Media Clubs over the coming months – please note the dates in your diary, I hope that you can make it along!

Please register yourself online at Social Media Club Events (hopefully the link glitches to the Eventbrite registration pages will be re-connected over the next day or so)

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Thursday 20 September – 1800-2000

Publicis Consultants, 23 Howland Street, London, W1A 4XA (venue to be confirmed)

Wisdom of crowds versus cult of the amateur?

According to Richard Stacy, a Director at Publicis Consultants, there is no doubt that the rise of social media represents a revolutionary shift - as power and influence moves away from the traditional “cultural gatekeepers” into the hands of individuals. Some people see this as dangerously threatening to the fabric of society (notably Andrew Keen in his recent book “The Cult of the Amateur“). Others see it as representing a positive challenge to established interests, favouring the view that collectively “we” can do a better job of informing, engaging and entertaining “us” than the old establishment could, often citing the concept of the Wisdom of Crowds as proposed by James Surowieki in his book of that name.

Wherever you sit in this debate - it is clear that this is an important debate to have - because even if you don’t agree with Andrew Keen, that doesn’t mean that there is room for complacency. There are things we need to do or be aware of in order to ensure that the Wisdom of Crowds prevails.

This session will be a discussion on this - starting with a short summary of the views from both camps - and hopefully resulting in some thoughts and ideas that we can take forward.

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Thursday 18 Sep_tember – 1800-2000

British Academy of Film and Television Arts, 195 Piccadilly, London W1J 9LN (venue to be confirmed)

David and Goliath : How do you create an online ‘niche’ community?

Roger Press poses this question as part of a wider discussion of a sector that should be able to get it right if any can – the music industry. With artists from Bono to the boy-next-door uploading their compositions, recordings, and profiles onto MySpace, plus high-spending corporates - mobile phone operators to coffee shops – muscling in on the action and offering subsidised or free services, what competitive advantage or disadvantage does the specialist supplier have?

The CEO of Classical.com, and past principle consultant focusing on the entertainment, media and telecoms industries at Pricewaterhouse Coopers, is also interested in hearing our views as he develops further his online community, Hum, where budding classical musicians of all levels can share their recordings with the community, and provide them with a forum for sharing not just music but information, resources, and encouragements. And perhaps providing podcasters with a source of creative commons music?

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Thursday 15 November - 1800-2000

Venue to be confirmed

Applications or suggestions for a topic or speaker are welcome!

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Thursday 6 December – 1800-Whenever

Venue to be confirmed

Ideas for a festive get-together are welcome!

Regards, Ronna Porter