KENT TV UNREGULATED ?

It seems that Kent is awash with the new media publishers, perhaps if you have nothing better to do you may have taken a gander at Kent County council's Internet television station and similarly you have probably also taken a look at your Kent Tv Product from the publishers of Kent on Sunday, and various new local newspapers imaginatively called your (local area name), for now I'll concentrate on the taxpayer funded broadcasting.

Now obviously it is a little unfair at this early stage, to comment on these products, but certainly in the case of the local taxpayer funded Kent TV product, fairness does not come into it, since Kent Council have overstepped in my opinion the line between impartial provision of public services and reckless self promotion at our expense.

As I say it is early days, but just one item which is indicative of Kent councils sloppy handling of this issue is the fact that although Kent TV is already broadcasting, according to their own website they have yet to appoint a regulatory board.

Already as I've said, Kent TV is broadcasting, Bob Geldof thinks it " pretty cool", Paul Carter Kent Council leader thinks " we are ahead of the game" and I think, it's outrageous that's the board of governors who are meant to create and develop editorial specification (?), monitor performance, ensure fairness and impartiality, and arbitrate on complaints haven't even been appointed or sorted out.

I seriously, think that ordinary members of the Kent taxpaying community, you and I, ought to be invited to take part in the regulatory board for this broadcaster, since its our money being used, this could be achieved by asking, members of the public to apply to be on the governing body of the Kent TV channel, and maybe be having a lottery to select interested persons. Of course this won't happen because local government, it is full of people, with little to do.

Maybe it's time in that Peter Gilroy, as chief executive of KCC, and Kent's most senior impartial employee or is it officer (I've never been too good on etiquette), explain why it is taken so long to arrange some sort of regulation for this controversial broadcast experiment.

I wrote to Peter Gilroy back in May sometime, and received a very pleasant if somewhat inconclusive reply, well it's now four months later, and this issue has yet to be resolved, and despite the frequent reminders from the Kent establishment, of just how marvelous Kent Council is and its multibillion turnover, impartiality is a fundamental part of government and local government, so can we now have this matter resolved.

Just as a sort of side issue, a week or so back, Kent TV were asking for possible news items, I suggested that maybe they could investigate, the fact that I understand KCC have blocked access to you tube from their computers and whether they were showing impartiality by also blocking Kent TV. I wonder when they will reply!

Kent Council have a new toy to play with and like a spoilt child, responsible ownership isn't a top priority, you can just imagine how Kent's Tory councilors, and Kent's government functionaries are congratulating themselves on this New Enterprise.

Anyway if you're Bob Geldof, Paul Carter, Peter Gilroy, or just one of the Muggles funding this enterprise feel free to comment, since Bignews Margate have yet to appoint a board of governors to regulate things it's just me and Mr. Puss (and he sleeps most of the time).

Thanet Times and local MP discover traffic chaos

Looking at yesterday's Thanet Times, I'm reminded why occasionally I feel it necessary, to express my opinions and or blog. First off, it seems rather remarkable that one of your local newspaper takes six months, before they report on the possible traffic mayhem, which will be more than likely once the Thanet college plonks itself, into Thanet's new soulless centre at Westwood.

Now far be it for me to make insinuations, but back in April I suggested (at the time Of Thanet Council's approval of the Westwood Housing scheme), that nobody had mentioned the impact on traffic, that the colleges move would have, and as far as I can recollect, not one of our esteemed local journalists thought it significant until yesterday's front page story from Thom Morris (well done), it's just the timing of that bothers me. I just wonder, why our local media held off on this particular development, for so long, is it that they don't wish to upset the local government establishment, who also happened to be advertisers.

Anyway plans have now been sent to the Government Of The Southeast (Unelected overpaid civil servants) since a new college at Westwood, is not part of the local plan, which as we know thanet council adhere to rigorously except when it suits them.

Just for local journalists Thanet Council's latest, grand scheme for Margate, the new master plan which involves diverting traffic around the back of Dreamland site, will if it goes ahead create hideous traffic jams around Eaton Road Margate and the clock tower, presumably our local hacks will not report on this untill it's a done a deal and their stuck in traffic.

Finally as the possibility of an election starts to loom, also mentioned in Thom's report is the fact that Stephen Ladyman is raising concerns about traffic conjestion around Thanet, it's a pity he didn't show more interest, in Thanet's creaking road infrastructure when he was at the Ministry Of Transport. Well one things for sure when the brilliant minds that control local planning have created total gridlock throughout the area in five years time hopefully you will still be able to read it first here.

Perspective

Some things that start as enjoyable diversions can become obsessive, takeing over your life, blogging might well fall into that catergory.

Last week I found myself on holiday, sitting in the back of a bike hire shop which also doubled as an Internet Cafe, adding yet another post, now although I get bored easy, surely I could have spent more time on the beach.



I always have plenty to say, but since returning on Saturday afternoon I have made a conscious decision to put this (blogging) on the back burner (sometimes two hours a day cannot be healthy unless your earning from it).



One experience from last week, occurred when walking down a busy street in a Majorcan resort, mid-day I felt ice cold despite the heat, it took a second or two for me to realise why. I had just walked passed the bar which a couple of years previously, I'd seen the first reports on the London bombings on the telly.



This week saw the sixth anniversary of Bin Laden's, attack on America, and when you see how one man's sick and twisted vision of politics and religion, results in the death of thousands and a lasting fear for millions it makes you think.



Seeing Bin Laden's image in the media this week, it's difficult for me not to blog, apart from being a sick twisted individual, looking at him with his dyed hair & beard, you cannot help think that despite the fact, he is a cold blooded murderer, as a man he also must be complete tit.



At some point Bin Laden didn't have the depth of charactor to realise, when his beliefs past those limits where humanity was more important than obsession. I shall not be adding much to this blog if anything this week.

Kent Council TV update

I see that since my posting on Monday, that KCC announced later in the day, seven kent based production companies would be producing content for their Kent TV (the Rate payer funded TV channel).

Now a question that comes immediatly to mind, is what is the role of Ten Alps, the company that has been awarded the 1.2 million pounds contract for the next 2 years. Assuming that the money for these additional production companies is coming from the same pot, then I suppose one cannot complain to much, except if you care to take a look and the location of these production companies, 5 of which are located in the centre of Kent around Maidstone and Ashford, with just a couple in perhaps more social deprived areas (Sittingbourne and Faversham).

It would be interesting to see whether Ten Alps thought to contact local video makers such as er... myself or ECR, well I can answer for myself and the answer is no, and I´m willing to bet that no effort was made to recruit ECR either, which begs the question, just what community are KCC & Ten Alps serveing.

Anyway given the likely content, I doubt anyone could produce something worth wathching, choke on this lot "greener lifestyles", "local helath issues", "kent volunteers".

If you´d like the full facts from the KCC press release click here, incidently at this point things are still a little confused as to the start date, mention has been made of 21st September "formal launch" at its studios. I get the feeling that things are probably not too well though out, as far as this enterprise is concern, the original announcement appeared rushed and poorly though out as I think will be the product.

London to Paris 2 hours 39

Wow what a fantastic acheivement you can travel, by train, from Paris to London in just an hour longer than it takes passengers from Margate to creak into London-Victoria.

I wonder in what year it will be possible for residents of Margate to travel at even half the speed of the Eurostar trains, it will probably never happen.

It says something for this country, that it is incapable of building a high speed railway without French and Japanese technology.

Even from Ramsgate we are informed that despite the fact that many of the highspeed trains will be maintained in the town, journey times will not significantly be improved, what a pity that Thanet South MP, Steve Ladyman could not have used his influence to have the track upgraded to allow for a proper highspeed service from the coast, when he was Transport supremo.

Anyway I´m pleased for the people of Paris who will now, be just 3 hours from civilisation.





See BBC Story

WHAT EVER HAPPEND TO ?

A few months back, news came from Kent council, that they had decided that spending 1.2 milliion pounds, would be a sensible use of public funds, there were comments from the great and the good Peter Gilroy ( one of the top earners in the country) his boss Paul Carter and most likely Bob Geldoff in support.

On the same day not having 1.2 million to squander, I though it were better to put my 1.2 mill under the matteress, and use my nokia phone with its attached camera and lauch Tony Flaig´s Kent TV ( Part of the Bignews Media empire) via the free You tube which KCC have blocked on their own computers.

That said, we have seen some odd little publicity stuff from Kent council and Ten Alps and in the meantime KOS Media has jumped on the internet TV bandwagon( at no cost to Taxpayers).

Now I justed checked out the Web site in question Kent Tv and low and behold despite all the nonsence of a September lauch there is todate "jack" detailing the big lauch, I suppose they meant September 2008.

To grossly distort Bob Geldoffs famous remarks " Give us our F******* money back!" or better still maybe put that money back in to care services for those who need the money.

Kent TV website