Archive
Year: 2009
-
Now, what’s the definition of dialogue?
February 4, 2009
Kudos to the EPP group for their new website - DialogueTV. It features a centrally placed, embedded video player and an easy channel-selection feature, allowing one to watch videos sorted into the areas of Climate Change, Demographic Change, A Prosperous Europe, A Safer Europe and Europe in the World. It looks and feels a lot like the EPP-ED tv site, coincidentally. The Welcome to DialogueTV (Winter Introduction) video says, "Please do send us your questions...
-
EUtube watch continues
January 28, 2009
It's been five days and we almost missed the new fun EU Tube video. While it's no Chemical Party or Romanticism in European Films, it is a well done clip. The challenge this time again is to identify all the film references. Resident film expert Rob completed this task in about 15 seconds... scroll down for his answers. [youtube=http://uk.youtube.com/profile?v=Nptn2WEmp3I&user=eutube] Also, it's starting to become pathetic how eagerly I look forward to the next EU Tube...
-
A two-way street
January 28, 2009
It's good to see that the PSE group is not just streaming video from its website, but using it as a two-way street for communication. According to an announcement yesterday, the Young European Dream conference will be webcast, and those young Europeans not in Brussels will not only be able to watch, but also submit questions via email and the live blog. This is what makes the 'digital' communications so much better than watching something...
-
The merciless internet
January 26, 2009
As we mentioned last week, public affairs in Brussels is still happily puttering along in the non-digital way. But it seems that the power of the internet is reaching deeper, shaking and dismantling practices as established as lobbying. Here is a list of things that the internet has mercilessly stalked: The encyclopedia The newspaper Press conferences And now, the book tour: "People now latch on to a Web presence the way they once did with...
-
Everyone a Loser in Ukraine-Russia Dispute – Except EU Energy Policy
January 25, 2009
The gas is flowing again. The deal signed between Ukraine’s prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Moscow on January 21 should at last provide some respite for all those who have suffered severe hardship from the suspension of gas supplier in recent weeks. In the short term everyone has been a loser from this dispute. Neither Ukraine nor Russia emerge with any credit. The economic strength of many countries in south east...
-
What happened at 12:01pm yesterday?
January 21, 2009
The first blog post appeared at the White House blog on the Obama administration's www.whitehouse.gov. Impressive. I wonder who drew the short straw and had to stay back in the office to throw the huge lever that changed the websites?...
-
Reminder, start a blog today
January 19, 2009
EurActiv, everyone's favourite news source, interviewed Helen Dunnett, eCommunications Manager at the European Crop Protection Association, blogger and former interviewee on this blog. She continues to proselytize for digital communications, saying that "Communications in Brussels still tends to be one-directional, with a stoic resistance to using online tools to enrich press conferences, releases and events." She has many other wise comments, and you should read the full interview. Helen discusses the hesitancy to move towards...
-
Troubled Year Ahead for the Euro?
January 19, 2009
On January 16 the euro replaced the koruna as the official currency of Slovakia, bringing to sixteen the number of countries of the eurozone. It was the first country in the former Soviet bloc to adopt the single currency – and just 20 years after the Fall of the Wall. What a great way to mark the tenth anniversary of the launch of Europe’s new money! But watch out! Maybe this milestone in the history...
-
Russia – Ukraine Gas Dispute: Business or Politics?
January 6, 2009
Is it business or politics? The official EU line is that the confrontation between Russia and the Ukraine on gas supplies is a commercial dispute which does not call for political intervention. This is far removed from the accusations of “pipeline politics” directed at Russia during the 2006 dispute. Requests by the parties for the EU to act as honest broker have been refused, although the increasing impact on member countries led to a brief...