In praise of Rhubarb Radio
May 19, 2009
Paul Hadley nominates Rhubarb Radio for the Digital Innovation award.
Rhubarb Radio, based at the heart of Birmingham’s creative cluster at the Custard Factory, is run entirely by volunteers from local creative industries and on-line communications specialists.
The work of the station proves daily how innovation, technology applications, multi-platform digital broadcasting and audience interaction drives engagement and delivers an immediate response to a local and international audience.
The issue: In 2008, following increasing criticism from Birmingham residents, businesses and visitors about the lack of ‘localness’ in traditional BBC and commercial radio station content, a small group of active bloggers, online journalists and social media participants pooled their resources and skills to form Rhubarb Radio.
Innovative solutions: Following consultation with many online communities and individuals, new technology, youth culture, mobile phone platforms and developing social media trends and users were key deciding factors contributing to the successful development of the station. They continue to be at the forefront of Rhubarb’s approach.
Tools & technology: www.rhubarbradio.com broadcasts, through live and Listen Again Facilities, via all standalone internet radio devices. The technology, platforms and formats used to date are: Adobe Audition, Logic, I-phone apps, Shoutcast, Winamp, 3G, Nokia apps, Ubuntu, WMS, Wordpress, Byron, and Skype amongst others.
However, by far the most significant ‘tool’ is the ‘We Share All’ philosophy held by members, audience and participants.
Ongoing impact: Rhubarb Radio continually works alongside social media participants and the development of links with the local and international online social media communities is the undoubted highlight to date.
During the first month’s broadcasting in November 2008, Rhubarb Radio supported the Gigbeth festival, providing more live simultaneous content than BBC Radio 1’s coverage of Glastonbury.
Live outside broadcasts for ‘WxWM’, organised by local social media participants, linked social media experts with the vast SxSW event in Texas. With 870 interactive participants, the event was a significant development for the online community and digital media future for Birmingham, recognised by Digital Britain, Screen WM, Advantage West Midlands, Birmingham City Council and Digital Birmingham. It also featured twice in the Top 10 Trends on Twitter.
Development continues: To date, the station has engaged with over 80,000 listeners, and 260,000 unique visitors, showing the need for a local service delivered on a truly international platform.
Alongside scheduled shows, coverage of live events - including live gigs and broadcasting conferences – positions the station as the voice for a plethora of activity in the city.
Rhubarb has engaged with young people from Birmingham’s 10 wards, and has provided content delivery with, for and by 13 nationalities, generating listeners from 62 countries and showing an increased international awareness of current happenings in Birmingham.
Rhubarb Radio has also recently been nominated in Channel 4’s 10 recommended Internet Radio Stations.
Rhubarb Radio’s independent nature is evident in its spirit: the open and welcoming attitude of those that run Rhubarb allow those with a real passion for radio to get involved.
With listeners actively encouraged to engage with the station through the blog and through social network sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, it broaches a variety of communication channels and openly encourages inclusion.
Twitter Updates for 2009-05-19
May 19, 2009
- Birmingham’s very own Rhubarb Radio nominated for the Digital Innovation award. http://digitalpressawards.co.uk/?p=71 #
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Talk of the town
May 12, 2009
Birmingham’s Big City Talk has been nominated for the People’s Choice Award.
Website: http://www.bigcitytalk.org.uk
Social media consultant Jon Bounds wrote:
Big City Talk was a volunteer-created online consultation for Birmingham City Council’s Big City Plan — work called “constructive activism” and praised as an example by the Cabinet Office.
There wasn’t an online version of the plan consultation that worked in a good and social way — which lead myself and a group of bloggers to spend huge amounts of our once free time creating a comment-able version of the document that also used plain English.
The Big City Talk site (still live although comments are closed) collected comments and passed them through the official channels, and managed to work without unduly antagonising the Council — whose work it tried to help.
The Big City Talk site collected 274 (out of a total of 1,864 on the consultation as a whole)comments, helpful, considered, and intelligent.
There was also clear evidence of commenters building on the work of others, and better ideas forming. It is also very possible (and I’ve seen from anecdotal evidence) that people were using the plain English version of the site to inform their comments put though the “official channels”.
Twitter Updates for 2009-05-12
May 12, 2009
- Big City Talk has been nominated for the People’s Choice Award. Have you entered yet? http://www.digitalawards.co.uk #
- Oops…that should of course be http://digitalpressawards.co.uk #
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Twitter Updates for 2009-05-11
May 11, 2009
- Bcc have joined forces with Midlands Media Awards to reward the work of the new media Brummies nominate here http://bit.ly/HdQUy #
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Twitter Updates for 2009-05-09
May 9, 2009
- Already had our first entrant for the digital awards, looking forward to yours too! Http://www.digitalawards.co.uk #
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Twitter Updates for 2009-05-09
May 9, 2009
- Already had our first entrant for the digital awards, looking forward to yours too! Http://www.digitalawards.co.uk #
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Quick off the mark
May 8, 2009
The Lesbian & Gay Birmingham Facebook Group is the first entrant for our Online Campaign - People’s Choice Award.
The administrator wrote:
I feel that my group, or myself, should be up for an award. I work tiredlessly to keep the lesbian and gay people of Birmingham informed about what’s happening on the gay scene here.
It’s a big job, and I do all the hard work myself, and I feel it would be wonderful to gain some sort of recognition for my hard work.
Take a look at the site yourself, and see what you think!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.p
Twitter Updates for 2009-05-08
May 8, 2009
- Are you leading on digital communications and social media? Midlands Media Awards - with 2 new dig med categories http://bit.ly/HdQUy #
- @edjames we are live for nominations! http://bit.ly/HdQUy #
- @marcreeves All updated and ready to go! http://bit.ly/HdQUy in reply to marcreeves #
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The Changing face of Midlands media
May 7, 2009
Birmingham City Council has joined forces with organisers of the Midlands Media Awards to recognise the growing new media sector across the region.
Bloggers, citizen journalists and all-round Web 2.0 specialists – a growing band of people are now embracing the technology that is changing the face of 21st century communications.
Two new awards have been added for 2009:
Birmingham City Council Digital Innovation Award
Online Campaign – People’s Choice Award
So what are you waiting for? The closing date for entries is 5pm on Monday June 1.
Click here for the entry form.
This year’s awards dinner will take place on Thursday June 18 at the New Bingley Hall, Hockley. The compere this year is 100.7 Heart FM’s Ed James with the Awards hosted by ITV Central’s Bob Warman and Llewela Bailey. Click here for details on how to buy tickets and tables.