A License to Inform…

CMCI Director Dr Richard Howells has been interviewed by Finnish national public service broadcasting service YLE. Like the BBC, YLE is funded by a license fee and carries no advertising.

Appropriately, Richard’s interview was about the license fee system in the UK, which is a topical issue in Finland due to proposed changes in the system over there. Richard is a strong supporter of independent, public service broadcasting.

YLE runs four national television channels and six radio channels, together with 25 regional radio operations.

The interview was conducted in English, but as YLE broadcasts in Finnish and Swedish (together with some Sámi) translation is afoot before the feature is broadcast in Finland.

Manga scanlation interview

CMCI’s Dr Hye-Kyung Lee recently gave an interview to a Japanese news agency about the scanlation of manga (comic books), on which she has been doing some research. Scanlation is defined by Wikipedia as ‘the unauthorised scanning, translation, editing and distribution of comics from a foreign language into the language of the distributors’. An article based on Dr Lee’s interview appears in the Japan Times online.

In the Loop

CMCI academics Dr Richard Howells and Dr Harvey Cohen enjoyed a preview screening of “In the Loop”, the Anglo-American political comedy-satire directed by Armando Iannucci and starring (among others) James Gandolfini.

There’s a lot of (hugely enjoyable) high calibre swearing combined with razor-sharp personal insults, and there has been much speculation on how much basis this film has on real people and real events.

But Drs Howells and Cohen warn that this is a satire and not a documentary (despite its deceptively authentic fly on the wall style). But you can’t help wondering…. And the timing is perfect.

“In the Loop” goes on general release April 17th.

Goody Goody

CMCI Director Dr Richard Howells was a live guest on Sky Television News following the furore over Sir Michael Parkinson’s remarks about Jade Goody in next week’s Radio Times.

Parkinson, the veteran journalist and former chat show host, said that reality TV star Goody, who died recently of cancer aged 27, represented “all that’s paltry and wretched about Britain”. He continued: “Her death is as sad as the death of any young person but it’s not the passing of a martyr or a saint or, God help us, Princess Di”.

Goody was “barely educated, ignorant and puerile”, wrote Parkinson. “Then she was projected to celebrity by Big Brother and, from that point on, became a media chattel to be manipulated and exploited till the day she died”.

Howells told host Matt Smith that while he –and many viewers- actually agreed with much of what Sir Michael had said, he disagreed on one important point. Jade Goody was not an innocent victim of media exploitation: the exploitation had been entirely mutual. By actively inviting the public into her private life, she had known exactly what she was doing and why.

Our director went on sociologically to explain the Jade Goody phenomenon and argued that she had already –quite literally- become a “text book case” whose academic existence might actually (and ironically) outlive her celebrity persona.

The power of cultural learning

Lost in CCI readers might be interested in a public debate taking place at the Royal Society of the Arts later this month, to launch the first report of the Culture and Learning Consortium.

The keynote Speaker is Maggie Atkinson, group director for Learning and Children, Gateshead Council, and President of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services. The panel discussion is chaired by Paul Roberts OBE, Chair, Creativity, Culture and Education. Panellists are to include: Vikki Heywood, executive director, Royal Shakespeare Company and Julia Peyton-Jones OBE, director, Serpentine Gallery.

The event starts at 18:15 on 27th Apr 2009. Further information here.

Watch the Birdie (hourly paid)

A friend of ours tells us that the Photographers’ Gallery is looking for gallery assistants/invigilation staff for two forthcoming shows beginning in late April. There are a couple of months work to be had; 24 April – 14 June 2009, Tuesdays to Sundays. There are half or full day shifts throughout the week and/or weekends. The pay is £8.90 an hour, plus free access
to all talks and events at The Photographers’ Gallery during this period and discounts in the gallery café.

For further information or to express an interest, contact the curator, Clare Grafik, at clare.grafik@photonet.org.uk

The gallery is in Central London and the job could suit a current MA CCI student.

Obama visit: BBC interview

This morning CMCI lecturer Dr. Harvey G. Cohen appeared on the BBC World News TV channel with presenter Jonathan Charles, and offered commentary before and after Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Barack Obama’s press conference at the Foreign Office. Cohen discussed the historical and political importance of the G20 summit, and the significance of Obama’s first major overseas trip as President.

Unfortunately, one cannot view the BBC World News station from inside the UK, so we have no web video to direct you to, but it was broadcast all over the world live and outdoors from the 5th floor balcony of the BBC’s Milbank studio, with Westminster Abbey and Big Ben in the background and security helicopters hovering overhead.

Luckily, no anarchist protesters took exception to Cohen’s views or wardrobe during the broadcast, and he has returned to his office relatively unscathed.

Job opportunity with the British Music Experience at the O2

A friend of Lost in CCI tells us that The 02 complex in Greenwich are looking for a “Learning Officer” for the British Music Experience exhibit. It’s a permanent, full time position with a salary of £20,000. You’ll have to be quick, though: the closing date is Monday 6th of April at 5pm.

According to the job advertisement: “The British Music Experience, a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of popular music in Britain is looking for a dedicated, enthusiastic and talented individual to join the team as Learning officer.

With a passion for music and extensive experience of presenting educational material to a wide range of audiences you will assist the Learning Manager to develop and deliver a programme of activities and materials to support the content of the exhibition. Through the learning programme, you will use the story of popular music to engage students in subjects across the curriculum for Key Stage 2, 3 and 4, and for the qualifications aimed at young people aged 14 to 19.”

To apply and for more information, you need to contact recruitment manager Martin Warner at Martin.Warner@aegworldwide.co.uk

Recent MA CCI graduates might be particularly interested.