How Glasgow Airport inspires me* (*sort of)

I am sitting in Glasgow Airport, pondering the relevancy of social networks for close-knit communities. You can't get more Rock and Roll than that!

Why prey tell, Webber, have you plummeted to this depth? Well, it's actually very interesting.

I am on my way to the Celtic Media Festival in Stornoway to give a talk tomorrow. It's title is Social NetWORKING - which implies the great-and-the-good of Celtic media still haven't cracked the genre.

I think there are two things that they haven't cracked social networks or don't get. The first is, why should anyone that lives ina close bricks-and-mortar community that you normally find in a Celtic country want to use a social network. Secondly, I sense none of them are making money out of social networking and they want to find out how.

I get the second point - and I hope to answer it tomorrow.

But the first point is an easy one to crack. Having a tighter real-life community actually makes digital social networks MORE important to those people in that the conversations they are likely to have are of a higher quality than someone who has no strong physical community.

The inane chit-chat about washing up is likely to be held down the pub or the church or the community hall with these communities, as opposed to littering Twitter. So they are more likely to use digital social networks to expand their horizons or deepen their interest.

That's nowhere more evident than in TV and Radio output. More and more of them are likely to be looking for a deep conversation about a programme on a social network, whether that be a mass-market show like Coronation Street, or something smaller like an offering from S4C or BBC Alba.

I give you Evidence A -the day S4C blasted Antiques Roadshow out of the Twittersphere. Can I Gymru trending ahead of the BBC1 show on Twitter - who'd have thunk it!

Now, an esteemed co-Tweeter @marshallmedia  pointed out to me the reason why so many people were tweeting about Can I Gymru was because it was s**t! He may be right - but the fact was people WERE tweeting in their droves about an S4C show - and that should be cheered from the highest ground.

And that will be my second point to the throng that may gather for my session tomorrow. Don't be afraid of criticism - embrace the conversations on social networks, because it will only make you stronger.

You don't have to agree with them, you don't have to respond to all of them. But listen to what they are saying and make them feel you are listening without controlling them, and you will see a huge benefit.


There are 1700 people on Facebook in Stornoway (that's 20 percent of the town's population). There are 500 tweets in the Welsh Language every day - these people are already using social networks..why aren't you?

If you are in Stornoway tomorrow, please do pop in. Bring some muffins - I like muffins!