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According to a report released by computer giant HP, trending topics on Twitter are not determined by the number of followers or level of activity a user has on the social network.  It turns out that mainstream media coverage is the driving force, even then it’s only a handful of news organisations that are determining the agenda.
HP researchers studied a sample of 16.32 million tweets during  Q4 2010 and discovered that only 22 users are the source of most trending topics.
Of these 22 influential twitter feeds, 17 are  run by …

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In watching last week’s BBC documentary on social class the irony of seeing the head of a top British public relations agency Modus  Publicity get raked over the coals by reporter Richard Bilton did not escape those of us in the business.
According to PR Week, Julian Vogel, Modus’ director ‘inadvertently played a starring role’ in the documentary.  In it, the PR pro was forced to admit that his firm employed up to 20 staff working as unpaid interns at any one time.
You’d think the head of a top PR agency …

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I certainly enjoyed my trip to Austen’s South By Southwest Interactive festival where thousands of social media and Web 2.0 enthusiasts gathered for five days to share ideas and information.  Oh and have fun. And, we mere mortals get to brush shoulders with some of the industry’s biggest names.
I’ve written a long column on the British Digital Mission that will run in next week’s Isle of Man Examiner, but here I wanted to highlight one of the sessions I attended.
It was a lecture on video journalism given by David Dunkley …

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Here’s my pick for the week:
1. Jeremy Shoemaker explains why and how he uses Twitter.
2. On his Influential Marketing Blog Rohit Bhargava explains why people are starting to use virtual environments, like Second Life, for meetings.  Makes sense.
3. Craig is growing cynical about online social networks.  I wonder if this is the start of a trend?
4. It’s not too often you’ll find the guys at the Bad Pitch Blog lost for words but this pitch beggars belief.  Someone is trying to flacka product on the back of the terrible events …

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The Independent on Sunday’s Ian Burrell has written an excellent analysis of the UK’s TV news offerings in light of Ms Kaplinsky’s move from the BBC to Five. It’s clear that management of ‘Natasha the celebrity’ has underpinned the successful management of ‘Natasha the journalist’. Ian asks if ‘personality’ is essential in TV news. His answer is both yes and no:
Yes…

Newscasting is no longer simply about being able to read a clever script off an autocue
If we just want the headlines we can …

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Enigma, the Young Achievement Young Enterprise company of Ramsey Grammar School students are getting noticed.  Click here to see the BBC story about the TT souvenir playing cards that these bright kids are bringing to market. 

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The BBC is planning a bunch of new Web 2.0 innovations to be rolled out next year.  There will be more personalisation features for BBC News Online, additional live statistics trackers and maybe even wiki style pages that would let users contribute to compilations of information. Cool!
More info at Press Gazette.  
Other Strive Notes about the BBC you might enjoy:

Get smart talks about a BBC show on building mental agility.
Non news from Fife talks about the BBC’s sometimes heavy-handed approach to reporting.
You can’t make this stuff up…remember the time the BBC put a job applicant …

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Have you seen the BBC’s Paper Monitor blog? It’s a daily blog that pokes a little fun at the UK print media.  Highlights from this week include a look at coverage of the new Conservative logo, wall charts, Chris Tarrant and more.  I’ve added it to my faves list.  You might want to too!

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If there was ever any doubt that Second Life is going mainstream, there is none now.  BBC Breakfast did a spot on the virtual world this morning, including conducting an interview in Second Life.  Duran Duran’s Second Life concert, shoe shopping and stop at BBC Radio 1′s second life presence are all highlighted.  Check out the video too.
BTW…My second life name is ‘PRGirl Thewphaingarm’.  See you all there!  
Other Strive Notes about Second Life that you might enjoy include:

Duran Duran in Second Life

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I’ve only just found the Magazine Monitor on BBC Online.  Part of it is a round up some of the week’s “fluffier” stories, 10 things we didn’t know last week.  It’s a nice light read for a rainy Saturday morning.  Enjoy!
Thanks go to Graham for pushing the link.