As mentioned, UN Broadband Commission argues that expenditure on broadband technology is a key way to deliver on the UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals.
If so, we can assume relevance of big events discussing Internet and online development for our discussion.
One of them will happen in December in Paris. It is LeWeb 2010.
What is important right now is that they seek suggestions from bloggers worldwide for official bloggers of the event.
"This year, we're looking to be proactive and in addition to letting bloggers apply individually for accreditations, we are going to reach out to the most interesting, savvy, literate, and influential bloggers from your country or language group. For that, we need your help." Here is (simple) online form.
As we come from so diverse countries and originally speak so many languages, and above all know many great bloggers, I think we can give good contribution.
Last year one of the speakers was Queen Rania of Jordan (I wrote about her) who spoke about Web as agent for social change.
This seems both bizarre and ingenious on their part. I would assume that an “official” blogger would be paid by the organizers, but in my quick read they don’t seem to be offering anything. It looks like it could be some sort of uber press credential, but they don’t explain how it would be different than a regular press credential. Plus, how could someone with the title of “official blogger” maintain any credibility as an independent observer? Odd. Very odd. You give away your credibility for nothing.
Still, they (you) got me to look, so the strategy worked - in part, anyway. I had a look, but soon I began to feel that I had been tricked.
Hi,
Well, yes, official bloggers do not get paid, but they also don’t pay participation fee, which is very high. So, this can be an opportunity to listen, write, record, maybe for some networking.
As for the content, there is certainly no limitation in what people will write. How would that even function?
Working journalists never pay fees for conferences. They apply for credentials that allow them free access. After all, they shouldn’t have to pay to do their work, and generally conference organizers understand this.
If you were a real “official blogger,” hired by the organizers, you would be producing content for them and receiving compensation. If I were to see an “official blogger” title somewhere, I would assume that to be the relationship. The title diminishes your credibility even though you aren’t getting paid.
Ok, I see your point. As for me, if this was some shady business, I would have problem to be an official blogger. But for an event like this, no.
@larisa and bill - i think that organisations are still trying to work out how to best work with bloggers. i think this is a decent attempt at that. I know what you mean about being called ‘official blogger’ - why not just ‘blogger’? But seems a good event and a good chance for bloggers to raise their profile!
I agree with Bill. It’s very tricky. I also have been excited while I read the post and then nothing. However I meet with some events that you have to pay fee. It is not so rare.
It’s interesting to see different reactions to this initiative, one more opportunity to learn that what sounds as a good initiative to some, could be interpreted in different light by others. Any ideas what should have been done differently in this case, or what similar events could do to promote bloggers and to encourage different communities to give recognition to popular bloggers?
I think that blogging already had been regonised as an important tool in marketing of the project. I had the offert once to write a blog as a 40-years-old man, Italian for some film… I think it is quite common to use social media in this way.