This is an archived blog from when I ran Conscious Public Relations Inc. from 2008-2018. Excuse the potential outdated-ness!
Two events that change the game
I could have been on assignment to blog for Hello Vancity on TEDx this year, but I wanted to just sit (not even tweet) and absorb this year’s TEDx Vancouver from the speakers. And absorb I did on October 18th.
It was as if the event was made for me: an additional crowd of 1000+ attendees (as compared to 2012) to test my patience; varying mixed media art installations that I hadn’t ever seen; and a thread of talks about the state of news today.
Coleen Christie set the tone by talking about how mainstream media has been shaken up, but that its value is determined largely by the consumers, 50% of which say they trust it. Media pore over facts and which stories make it to air (or online/print) and anchors like her cannot give their opinions because they cannot appear bias (which I would argue, still comes through anyway). She asked us to consume as much diverse news content as possible so that we aren’t biased to the news outlets (and hosts/writers) we like. It’s why you see crazy cat videos making it to major news broadcasts. This wasn’t what the news was originally for, right? It made me think that I should also add Global News Hour to my daily routine, as if I wasn’t already consuming enough news.
Chip Wilson really shook things up when he talked about his lack of faith in media and echoed Coleen’s sentiment that much of media has been turned into entertainment. I am really looking forward to seeing this again online if it becomes available, because something he said about PR companies and practitioners really set me off. It wasn’t positive, but I want to believe that it wasn’t completely ignorant or a sweeping statement. I wonder if he had said what he did if he had met me and learned what it is I am trying to do with my company in this sea of media giants who I would agree are largely driven by the stories that make the most money.
Who did provide some comic relief at the end of the event was Graham Clark, who mocked Vancouver for its ridiculous front page stories and our #1 rated “Bible Store” right in my old East Van hood of Fraser & Kingsway. I enjoyed that.
TEDx’s theme, TILT, did just that, even if the event left me unsettled about my profession. Kudos to them for taking risks, enraging and inspiring attendees simultaneously, and an overall successful event.
(Side tribute to The Pampered Goddess for trying to help me feel better via Twitter!)
2. Changecamp 2014
Happening this Saturday October 25 at The Hive, Changecamp is about people sharing their ideas, from a support strategy for recent immigrants to who has better ice cream on Robson Street. New elements will include session facilitation with group process models, tools, and volunteers. Check it out at vanchangecamp.ca. I won’t be attending this year due to much needed rest for a campaign launching next week, but do send me your feedback if you go.
