I have this morning asked a question in the long video of the day, which is what people might want of the videos I am now creating.
The video creation exercise has proved to be a successful, if expensive, exercise. In just three months, we have increased YouTube followers to 13,000, an increase from 8,000. Meanwhile, TikTok followers have reached 9,000 from a standing start just three months ago. For reasons we don't understand, Instagram has not yet taken off. We are now working on that.
More importantly, YouTube views exceed 335,000 in the last month, and TikTok has more. The video traffic now easily exceeds that on this blog. That is something I did not expect so soon. The message is getting out there. It is also reaching a younger age range.
As you will also have noted, blog output has not fallen either, although posting the video transcripts seems to help that, and that does, in fact, seem to be the way that most readers of this blog do use the video material: the number switching from here to YouTube is really quite low and the audio files only average about 100 listens a day. It's my plan that blog output will not fall.
That said, that is only possible because I am employing my son part-time on the project. That's still quite expensive, and so far, we have spent more than £8,000 on equipment for the project, which may well reach £12,000 by the time we complete the set-up, not least because a second camera would make sense and, with lenses, the one we're using cost more than £4,000. It's a cost I have decided to incur, believing it will have a long-term benefit, but in the future we may look at ways to raise contributions towards running costs without putting up paywalls.
One way to do this might be to seek contributions towards specific series of videos that it might now make sense to make. An example is a series that might well start this week, for which I have nearly thirty titles listed already. This will be on the almost costless changes to the law that Labour could make to deliver real change in society for the benefit of everyone.
Such changes have long been a feature of Labour governments (abortion reform, legalising homosexuality, and the minimum wage are obvious examples). I am not suggesting all the changes I will propose are as big as that, but the idea of a video series does make sense. The aim is to hook people in and get them to binge-watch video after video.
So, my question is, are there video series that people would like me to make? I offer these as examples, but I am looking for suggestions as well. You can vote for four, just so that we get some idea of priorities.
What video series would you like?
- Economic myths (18%, 131 Votes)
- How the economy works (16%, 116 Votes)
- What Labour could do for (almost) nothing (15%, 108 Votes)
- How to relieve poverty (12%, 85 Votes)
- How to create economic justice (11%, 82 Votes)
- Taxing wealth (9%, 68 Votes)
- What is the Green New Deal (8%, 62 Votes)
- Making companies accountable (8%, 59 Votes)
- Understanding the .... (a glossary series) (3%, 24 Votes)
Total Voters: 210
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Personally I wanted to vote for the Green new deal, but feel that can’t be achieved without economic justice. However, I also feel that anything referring to economics is a turn off for many. Perhaps we should be talking about social justice instead
But economics underpins everything…
Agreed, at some point economics has to become part of general discussion. One thing that irritates me is the number if people who are willing to pontificate on which party is best for the economy without having even a rudimentary grasp of the subject.
Hence the need to educate
“But economics underpins everything… ”
Perhaps the most important point to get across.
So Political (orSocial) Economics?
Political economy
“But economics underpins everything… ”
It does, but economics turns off people.
So call kit “social justice” as that’s what economics does, and it’s more appealing.
I admit to not being convinced…because a lot of it is not social justice when being described in a shortish video
In which case, describe a video by explaining how someone will benefit, then mention the economics that will benefit them.
Noted
I tried to vote under STV…
Personally, I read the transcripts only.
Crowdfunder to help with the costs?
We may look at a crowdfunder
Murphy&Son Productions!
Love it – a mighty new Indy production company sets forth.
Good luck and wish you fair winds.
When it comes to the new social media and how that works – perhaps find out how that wannabe mad scientist type, Cummings used it in the North East over recent years… advertising revenue obviously the easiest way of monetising popularity. As long as you don’t fall foul of the gatekeepers as many independents have found.
I prefer written word. Though a good talking head video/ podcast can sometimes keep me enthralled. I like to look back and reread certain sentences and facts given.
Gave up TV six years ago and don’t miss it at all! Decent Sport aside.
You ask, so I offer suggestions :-
more geopolitics,
anti war,
anti neolib/con global narratives,
Generally – It will be no surprise to any who know my opinions – what is desperately needed and not provided adequately by the stenographers of the mainstream is a counter to the fascist NWO and their anti human plans for the future. Such as the WEF Golden Billion propaganda and their neo-religious button pushing terrorism. Fake Holy Cows that infantilise the collective western mind set into a smug superiority, of our safe Garden against the majority of humanity as the unsafe Jungle – that we have to be Tarzan’s over forever.
Thanks
All noted
Bizarrely – we have found a use for AI
It is summarising all the feedback on this…
But I am also reading everything here, as usual
I would like you to hold Labour’s feet to the fire and offer tangible alternatives to Reeves torylite neoliberal orthodoxy. It would be fantastic if the videos were longer and more indepth giving proper time to explore serious topics.
But generally people do not like them
“As you will also have noted, blog output has not fallen either, although posting the video transcripts seems to help that, and that does, in fact, seem to be the way that most readers of this blog do use the video material”
@Richard,
Please keep posing EVERYTHING on this blog. I want everything in one place so I may access at my convenience from my desktop computer with a glass of wine in one hand plus a pencil for *note taking in the other and not be concerned about data usage. I hate “apps” and make an effort to download as few “apps” as possible to my phone. My iPhone battery seems to hate “apps” too!
*Being a Yank, I have to take notes and research to follow many of the conversations on the more complex threads.
I will…
If you do the Myths one, please don’t say what the myth is because research shows that if you mention a myth then refute or explain it, people still only remember the myth.
So do economic truths?
As an example, many people believe that the carbon used to construct a tree when it grows is extracted from the soil, whereas it is actually extracted from the atmosphere. The roots provide water and some micro nutrients.
In experiments comparing teaching methods it was found that if you give a lecture that mentions the myth and then shows in detail why it is wrong then more people believe the myth after the lecture than did before.
If I remember correctly this is called the primacy effect.
May I suggest something to educate the general public on how Govt investment in public services drives the whole economy, the ‘multiplier effect’? Easily understood by the lay reader, and so little mentioned in public discourse. Can easily be proven from the economic history of 1945 to 1970. Is the simplest, most powerful answer to the endless, barren “how will you pay for it” canard is “It pays for itself”?
It will be done…