It has been depressing news in the nationals recently, and for some the removal (self-appointed) of John Sargeant on Strictly Come Dancing could be included.

On Wednesday the news that he would voluntarily leave the show made the front pages of many nationals and not just the red tops.  John was in The Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times.  And this was no mention look at page 21-22 – it was half pages.  Add blog traffic, broadcast media and a government minister wading in and you have a lot of coverage.

The campaign, vaguely reminiscent of Rickrolling, to keep John despite his lack of any talent has shown the power of viral campaigns.  It has also shown and will show for John’s career, the power of celebrity.

A reality show has given John’s career, his earning power and pull a greater vitality than at any time in his political broadcast career, something he was talented at.

We will see John used as an advertising tool for some time to come.  With so many offers pouring in, the difficulty will be where he chooses to use his new found fame and power.

John pictured dragging his dance partner across the floor, with all the grace of a farmer dragging  a sack of potatoes.

I have just swapped ISPs from Pipex to O2.

It took mission impossible: getting through to their call centre to cancel.  You can get through to pay, but not to cancel.  Either it is busy and call back later or you have to put your phone number in to register and it is invalid; funny it is accepted if you want to pay.

Anyway had to complain by Internet Service Provider Association to get to speak to someone other than a call centre worker in the wrong dept reading from a script.

Very helpful when a trouble shooter from Pipex called: she gave me an illegal MAC code.

Second attempt got a legal one!

So I have left and gone to super efficient Pipex.  Not quite.  I have been informed I am still being debited.

You have been warned….

Thank you, it’s almost over.  Two years and we have just a few hours, but we have another 77 days before we see whether Barack Obama can deliver change (providing he wins and surely he must).  It’s going to be a tall order with the budget deficit and two wars.

This election has been fought over tooth and nail.  I have to say the Democratic Party and their supporters in large measure fight it on optimism and the desire for “change.”  That word, “change” could seem very hollow if Barack doesn’t deliver.  The Republican fold seemed to fight on fear and there was a fair amount of smears as well.

What is interesting from a UK perspective is that the media is so biased.  Yes we have “The Sun wot won it” and The Guardian and Independent partisan in the other direction, but the US media, or at least broadcast media is astonishing.

Fox news “gives two sides of the story: the president’s and the vice president’s” as quoted by satirist Stephen Colbert.  (It calls itself the home of election coverage but Barack Obama won’t go it because it is so skewered).  It is not the only one.

I heard Scott Ritter explain this poor quality because the news is relegated to the bottom of the pile.  It does not make as much as entertainment or sport and so resource is not provided. The media is simply the tool of who owns it.  I am not getting smug because this is a worldwide affliction but it seems the US suffers more than most other democracies.

Have you seen Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin being interviewed?  It is toe curling.

This inexperienced and basically ignorant woman could be as they say “a heart beat away from the most powerful job in the world” in a few months.  She can shoot a moose though – personally I would prefer a moose in power.  At least a moose will not know what to do with nuclear codes.

Anyway Tina Faye has taken off on Saturday Night Live.  It is a very funny satircal piece, but for some inexplicable reason it is banned on YouTube!  One example.

Why?  It is satire.  It is not particularly offensive, and so what if Republicans might not like it?  It is a free country? MMMM.

What gives the right for YouTube to block quite legitimate content but it is quite alright to have neo-Nazis operating as reported here before?

Have a look at the real clip here and the satirical one here courtesy of someone I respect more.  If you can bear it and do not mind being frightened by the prospect of Sarah Palin coming to power watch this as well.

I hope YouTube have a valid reason.

This week saw Business Desk establish its presence on the right side, well west side of the Pennines.

In a time when a number of NW business magazines have been axed it is uplifting to see new channels emerge.  (Since I started writing my blog I have reported on at least  four business titles going for one reason or another just in the North West).

Some of the new publications such as Crain’s seem to have invested as much if not more of their resource into ensuring their online output is as comprehensive and reaches the business audience it intends to communicate with.  The Manchester Evening News also ensures the majority of its content is available online although it does not allow track backs as does How-Do, which certainly has relationship building with readers as a key part of its strategy.

But there are still many trade and business publications that are lagging behind – perhaps disinterested, unaware or simply do not have the resource.

This is a shame.  In a competitive market, where content is often freely available and advertising revenues are going to be scarce surely it is time to make the online world a priority.

Thought provoking?

The Circle Club in Manchester has decided to use this sophisticated title to sell its debate into whether PR is humbug.

Subjects that will result in a slanging match are:

How did PR get a bad reputation in the first place?
Is PR worth the money?
What should a good PR company really be doing?
What are the benefits of PR?
Should businesses risk doing it for themselves?
How can you tell a good PR agency from a bad one?
Are people just attracted into the PR industry by the lifestyle?The last one is interesting as I do not hob nob with the cast of Holly Oakes or do I getting treated to champagne hospitality for the Monaco Gran Prix. Yes sitting at a computer typing press releases is glamorous.

Anyway if like me you have not been invited by Manchester City’s new owners to dine with them on Tuesday 9th at 6.30pm you might want to go along.

This one is from our kid.

I have some more from Vince Holt of 11 out of 10.

The value, what do we learn about our media, profession etc?  Not much, but I hope you find it funny.

It is good to hear the insights of what makes journalists tick / giggle /show disgust / show appreciation, and simply use material.

I like Michael Taylor of NW Business Insider revealing a release that made him chuckle:

A local floor resin company making a vital contribution to health and safety at sea with a floor surface that does not erode when oil workers are buffeted while relieving themselves.

How BP must be putting the supplier on their Christmas card list, if not giving them some shares.

But Michael, did you use it that is what we really want to know?

I came across quite a creative holding / perhaps contents page for a digital marketing agency called Arc Creative in London.

Their opening page has CCTVs pointing at all the teams, and with different shots being exchanged.

Actually I think they have a number of cameras and they just swap them around, whether they are related to the account or not.  But still its a different idea, albeit slightly disconcerting.  Would I work more effectively if my clients could spy on me, actually one conducts surveillance, so I can put work back their way.

The Culture, Media and Sport select committee has stated that a new industry body should be set up to protect children from harmful content on YouTube.

This misses the point for me.

Firstly, you can find quite horrible content all over the Internet.  So if an under age individual wants to find pornographic, drugs related or Manchester United content, it is there unless blocked.  And even if blocked it can surely be found one way or another.

For me on YouTube it is not the video as much as the comments that need to be looked at.  The countless racist, bigoted, hate filled diatribes are not well policed by YouTube.  And there are links back to the YouTube pages of the authors of the quotes.  Well, if you want to hook up with a neo-Nazi it is not too hard.

Some of the YouTube pages for users are truly shocking and frightening and if in print form in the UK would surely be flagged up and dealt with, or you would hope so.

While “saving the children”, why not just save everyone from individuals exploiting YouTube’s blind spot?