The Geneva-based IEC have a new community website in beta format : Wattwatt – to share ideas and exchange views on electrical energy efficiency and the environment.
This is also an interesting example of how international organisations are using a web 2.0 approach in their communications – something we’ve written and spoken about before on this blog.
Glenn
Melcrum Publishing have launched a Communicator’s Network aimed at communication professionals. Having used the network for a couple of weeks, I’m impressed by the quality of discussions so far. It’s free of charge to join and some 1000 of communicators are already members.
Glenn
Network sketch by swarmsketch.
From fall, our much beloved World Radio Geneva will no longer exist – instead we will have World Radio Switzerland which will be broadcast digitially across Switzerland (in Geneva and Lausanne, you will still be able to pick up the signal with a normal radio).
Read more about the developments here >>
Glenn
The International Association of Business Communicators in Switzerland have a new blog about their events and other activities. Welcome online!
Glenn
Tom Watson is undertaking a study into the priorities for research in public relations and would like input from communicators via his blog.
If you go there, you’ll find a posting title, “What are the priorities for future public relations research” It asks you to nominate up to 10 topics from a list of 24 (and to add others if you consider there are gaps). The aims of this study, which includes academics, practitioners and the leaders of PR professional and industry bodies around the world, are to:
1. Identify the gaps between academic research and the industry’s needs
2. Identify current and new trends in research from theorist and practitioner perspectives.
3. Map out the best way for knowledge to be exchanged.
4. Define the research areas for which funding can be sought.
This is the first step of a project to consider ideas on how best to promote knowledge exchange between academics and practitioners. Please do participate!
Glenn
During the First Geneva Communicators Breakfast, we spoke about the validity of blogs and other social media and the possibility that they will replace more traditional media.
I mentioned a forthcoming book on this subject, written by a journalist (the most threatened species by social media it seems), which you can read about further in this article, the invasion of the web amateurs.
Glenn
DELIVERING THE BEEF
IABC members from the Europe/Middle East region took part in EuroBlog 2007, the second pan-European survey conducted by Euprera (European Public Relations Education and Research Organisation) to explore the use of blogs in professional communications.
Eighty-five percent of the respondents are convinced that blogs and social software are changing dramatically the way in which we communicate, while eighty-nine percent agree that blogs and wikis are becoming main-stream communication platforms to the same extent as websites.
Doubts, however, still exist about the monetary impact of social media on the bottom line and companies are finding it difficult to recruit people with new media skills. To quote the survey, they have not yet found an answer to the question: “Where is the beef and who can deliver it to me?”
The results were presented at the International EuroBlog Research Symposium in mid March in Ghent, Belgium.
View the full results here (pdf)>>
Thanks to the newsletter of IABC Europe/Middle East for this item.
Glenn
As one of the authors of this blog, I was invited to make a presentation at the Factiva Expert Series in Geneva. For all those interested, here is my presentation:
Blogs and Social Media -Opportunities or Risks for Corporate Communications? (pdf – 2mb)
During the presentation, I mentioned this excellent guide (pdf) which explains social media (wiki, blog, podcast, social bookmarking, etc.) and its relevance for communications / PR.
Glenn
If you are a communicator working in the luxury sector, then you might be interested in this new association set up in Geneva “Association des professionnels de la communications dan le domaine du luxe”. They aim to encourage an exchange of experiences and information through conferences and events for communicators working in the luxury sector. Further information is found on their website (in French)>>
Glenn
Vivendi sees more value in media than mobiles
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/01/07/business/viv.phpPARIS: With a portfolio of companies from mobile phone operators to record labels, the French company Vivendi may uniquely straddle the converging worlds of media and communications.
But unlike many investors who are pouring funds into mobile telecommunications, the Vivendi chief executive sees the future of the company more closely tied to the media side of the equation.
“In telecoms, the opportunities are rare, and there are no real cross-border advantages,” the executive, Jean-Bernard Lévy, said during a meeting last week with journalists. “You find the limits are quickly reached on a national level.”