In February, I wrote about what some French newspapers are doing with blogs – Le Monde with its reader blogs and Libération with its journalists’ blogs. Last month, there was news that VNU France launched a consumer blog portal, following its launch of blogs for its journalists across Europe. Tech publisher 01Net also launched a […]
Category: Europe
Blair and Prescott take to the web in election campaign
With election campaigning now in earnest as the UK general election on 5 May fast approaches, I’m not surprised to learn how the Labour Party is now using its website as an active element in campaign communication. Prime Minister Tony Blair has a dedicated area on the Labour Party website called Tony Blair’s Campaign Diary. […]
The thirst for knowledge in Europe
So this time next weekend, I’ll be in Paris for the Les Blogs one-day conference on 25 April organized by Loic Le Meur of Six Apart. That event is a sell out, with 257 participants signed up. It’s interesting to see where people are coming from – Loic has a breakdown which shows that people […]
It’s all happening in France – Part 2
Just about to unplug the PC from the net so I can get going. Off to Paris on the Thalys where I’ll be participating in Les Blogs, the one-day conference about social networks, blogging, nanopublishing and where it’s all heading which takes place at the French Senate on Monday. I’ll be one of 257 participants […]
Les Blogs kicks off
It’s about 10:10 in Paris as I write this from the conference room at the French Senate where Le Blogs is taking place today. Started a little late – lots and lots of people to enter the Senate and all the security, etc – but we’re now well underway. Currently, Joi Ito is presenting about […]
Les Blogs quotes
I’m sitting next to Fredrik Wacka here at Les Blogs. Back row in the room, closest place to a power connection and a wireless access point. I’ve known Fredrik for about six months, but today’s the first time we’ve actually met face to face. That’s the nature of the new trust model – you don’t […]
Les Blogs afternoon
This afternoon at Les Blogs has had many of the characteristics you see in almost any kind of conference. You know, it’s after lunch, after the time you’ve spent meeting new people, seeing people you already know, chatting, etc. So everyone’s just a bit jaded and a little tired. Now it’s nearly 6:30pm and things […]
High speed travel
I’m on the Thalys high-speed train back to Amsterdam following an extremely worthwhile three days in Paris. I was at Les Blogs, about which I blogged a bit yesterday and about which I’ll start writing a more complete personal view while I’m on the train which I’ll post tomorrow. No network connection on this train […]
‘Social’ goes hand in hand with ‘network’
This morning, I was looking at some of the photos uploaded to Flickr by many of the 257 people who participated in Les Blogs. Some great photos, and a pleasure to view them. It isn’t so much the photos themselves that’s caught my attention, though. What did that is an amazing number – 1,200. That’s […]
French blogger arrested then sued
I’ve said before (twice) that it’s all happening in France. What I meant was the way in which so many people and businesses have embraced new media tools like blogs. What I certainly didn’t mean was attempts to silence a blogger because he posts comment and opinion that are critical of the mayor of the […]
Blog stats for Japan – now what about Europe?
Nearly all the available statistics about how many blogs and bloggers there are estimated to be relate to the US. We have Technorati‘s estimate of about 10.3 million blogs. PubSub has a similar number. During Les Blogs in Paris last month, one of the presentations I saw (can’t recall which one) talked about there being […]
Who understands the EU constitution?
So the French voted ‘non’ yesterday to the proposed European Union constitution. That shouldn’t be a surprise, really, given the broad lack of general understanding in Europe about what the constitution means and what all its effects would be. You can’t say there’s not plenty of information about the constitution – take a look at […]
First the foundation, then the PR
What next for European unity, following the rejection of the idea of a European constitution by voters in France and The Netherlands? Stuart Mudie wonders if Europe needs better PR: […] As far as I can tell, many people feel simply that they didn’t understand what they were being asked to vote on and decided […]
It’s all happening in France – Part 3
Business Week, 11 July edition: […] Turns out, smoke-filled cafés aren’t the only places where the French like to spend hours in existential debate. France has become a nation of bloggers. An estimated 5% of residents have set up blogs, a far greater percentage than in most other countries, including the U.S., where an estimated […]
Way to go, London!
Just arrived in London for a meeting later today to be greeted with the news everywhere that the 2012 Olympic Games will be held in London. As I write this in my hotel room near Hyde Park, some air force jets have just flown over trailing red, white and blue smoke. Terrific! So London beat […]
Fox journalist says ‘Terrorism ok in Paris’
The London bombings yesterday are fresh in everyone’s minds. Now, 38 dead and over 700 seriously injured. The death toll will probably rise. You wouldn’t wish that on any other city, would you? Paris, for example? Yet that is a growing reaction to John Gibson, a Fox News journalist in the US, and what he […]
We’re not afraid
I had an email overnight from Pete Quily in Canada telling me about We’re Not Afraid, a blog set up last week following the London bombings that publishes photos from people around the world who aren’t afraid: […] By saying we are not afraid, we are really saying that although we have lost people, friends, […]
Two minutes silence throughout Europe today
As a mark of respect for the victims of the London bombings a week ago, two minutes’ silence will be observed throughout the European Union today at midday UK time, 1pm Central EuropeanTime (11am GMT). (Photo courtesy of gallery 55 at WereNotAfraid.com) Technorati tag: London Bombings
Police appeal for photos of London bombings
More bombings in London today, as media worldwide is reporting. Minor this time and, thankfully, no deaths reported. As with the 7 July bombings in London, people directly caught up in events record and publish those events with cameras, camera phones and whatever means of communication they have available. So direct appeals by the police […]
Does Europe need an EFF?
If we don’t let the politicians know what we’re worried about, we’ll inevitably end up stripped of the rights we presently have, says Nicole Simon. Prompted by a call for support for a UK-based tech/civil liberties organization by Cory Doctorow, Nicole has just launched a pledge to garner support for establishing such an organization at […]