Originally published on birminghampost.net
Last night and into this morning the Council, presumably under the inspired guidance of Director of Public Affairs and Communications Debra Davies, set up a simple but effective live video stream of the election results hosted by Adrian Goldberg aka The Stirrer. When this project was announced there were the usual cries expecting it to be a car crash of classic proportions but whatever way it swung this was going to be pretty unmissable.
What was interesting for those of us who find this sort of thing interesting was that for the first time the Council was providing what you could call “the online community” with material for them to discuss. There wasn’t a feedback loop direct to Adrian and his team (next time maybe) but given that it was being broadcast over the internet those communities that gather online were able to converse about it on their own terms.
Naturally The Stirrer board had a lively thread and there may well have been other blogs and forums following proceedings (links in the comments please!) but I was over on Twitter, the microblogging text-based social networking thingy Editor Marc talked about the other week. There’s a few hundred of us in Birmingham using Twitter in varying degrees from the harcore digerati/nerds (delete according to your prejudice) to perfectly normal folks and a few of them stayed up to keep a record of Adrian’s show. Which was handy as it doesn’t look like it’s being archived anywhere yet. (Tip: whack it on Google Video or something – this is historic stuff which needs to be preserved.)
I’m going to reproduce the whole transcript here so that it’s on the record and because I can. But first, a brief explanation of some of the terms as like all online environments Twitter has it’s own language to a certain extent.
Firstly, this is in reverse chronological order. New posts appear at the top of the page and, frankly, it’s 3am and I really can’t be bothered to cut and past each sentence. (If you know of a way to automagically do this please let me know!) So go to the end and work your way up.
We were using a system called “hashtags” to seperate our election coverage from the rest of our Twittering nonsense. This meant it could be tracked by other services and enabled me to grab this transcript with ease. The tag we used was #brumcc and you can follow that tag here or here both on the web and by RSS. It was used in the run-up to the election and will no doubt be used to discuss the aftermath.
The @ symbol is used to indicate a reply to someone. For example, “@bounder I agree!” is a reply to a previous tweet by Bounder.
Bear in mind this is a conversation. Its analogous to a bunch of people sitting around the telly watching election coverage, only we weren’t in the same room. To be honest I doubt most people would bother having an election party for the locals but this meant folk could drop in and out as they wished. While some saw the whole thing through others only chipped in a few times. That’s actually quite important as it allows people to participate in a discussion about the democratic process without having to interrupt their lives too much.
But yeah, it’s a conversation about a live event so unless you’ve got the video playing alongside it’s not going to make a lot of sense. It wasn’t intended to be published in this form.
Right, here goes. Remember, start at the bottom and work your way back up to here.
== ==
livebrum: @thestirrer Cheers Adrian, enjoyed that
podnosh: @bounder Good job.
peteashton: Night night Adrian. That was actually really good! Much more interesting that national coverage.
podnosh: Nite Adrian.
peteashton: What are the odds DD has had a drink?
peteashton: I must say, Adrian has gone way up in my estimations. He’s carving a very nice niche here. Nice one.
bounder: and that’s a wrap – is there any way we can export this conversation to Word so the council can read it?
star_one: it’s been fun, but ultimately all credit & thanks are due to the people who’ve worked so hard to bring us tonight’s coverage.
peteashton: Neville the florist is on.
bounder: Neville _has_ had a drink. Not seen Martin at all
peteashton: Hang on, did Martin appear on camera at all?
podnosh: always plan your exit.
peteashton: Hughes wants to see what people thought of the stream. Best email him the Tweets then!
bounder: who’s going to send them the hashtag transcript?
podnosh: Springfield Lib ~Dem hold
bounder: who’s that in the pink suit? cute. “Morning Stephen”
star_one: @bounder well, just about…
peteashton: No disrespect to Ray but Birmingham really needs a cultural ambassador. He can run it but someone else needs to talk about it.
livebrum: @bounder you think?
bounder: Ray looks sober
star_one: @peteashton – yep, one of the stirrerorati
peteashton: Sparkbrook Respect gain. 3rd seat for them.
bounder: Rudge Tory, or Whig?
podnosh: John O’Shea “losing never good”. Tories resurgent, mid term govt, and I’ve got a shiny rosette (stil)
peteashton: http://politicalhackuk.blogspot.com/ is on. He’s a Stirrer message board regular I think.
graphiquillan: ‘owt from Bournville, yet? Or, have I been particularly pap at observing ?
peteashton: Alan Rudge: future past future past future future. Huh?
podnosh: minority of people who work for Birmingham are confused. Phew!
peteashton: The Progressive Partnership. Are the details of the agreement available anywhere? What’s the history of this?
peteashton: For the record, this map when streamed is hilariously useless. http://snurl.com/26q2d
star_one: syrup alert !
bounder: @graphiquillan it’s purely the scale that worries me – or worries walsall
peteashton: I’d like to see some coverage of what informed some of the votes, ie the Mullaney stuff.
graphiquillan: @bounder is it shaped like a pork pie? Does it have horns?
podnosh: we appear to be the most popular hashtag from what I can see.
podnosh: Patrick on the gogglebox Adrian on the googlebox
peteashton: A thought. Talk has only been about parties. Nothing about the actual candidates and uber-local issues. That’s a shame.
star_one: adrian’s flagging – somebody give him a banana !
bounder: scary drawing pin takes Walsall
peteashton: Albert Bore not what I’d imagined. I thought he’d be a gruff balding fat trade union type.
star_one: national labour decline blah blah bollox suralbert…
podnosh: Albert : Tories win when Labour voters don’t vote Labour.
peteashton: Albert Bore “Not only a poor night, it’s been a bad night” Turnout down in Con gains. Lab vote stayed home.
bounder: Pete Smallbone beating Caroline badley – that’s the pun i’ve waited 2 hours for
bounder: @peteashton overall majority i think
peteashton: Ooh, a graph: http://snurl.com/26pzd What does the bar say?
podnosh: John Denham “proud of the last ten years”. Blaming the banks and oil prices.
peteashton: @bounder ROLFCOPTER! Stop it!
bounder: @podnosh perhaps he’s live streaming
star_one: “we’ll have the latest results for you just as the next ones come in” – class !
podnosh: I do hope AG doesn’t need to finish an interrupted no2
peteashton: “We may have swings and… um..” He so wanted to say roundabouts!
podnosh: @bounder Thats you jon.
peteashton: Best way I’ve found to track this stuff is http://summize.com/search?q=brumcc Thanks @anamilgram
bounder: is it me or are they flirting?
bounder: poor Adrian, where are all the short politicians? even mistress LOL was taller
peteashton: Whitby started well but descended into the usual style where I switch off. Nice try.
bounder: where can you get rosettes these days?
podnosh: “faux pas” – pronounced well. Local politics gets highbrow.
peteashton: Whitby: “Remarkable results” due to engaging with young people. Whu? Where did that come from?
bounder: Whitby thinks he’s appealing to young people – any young people care to comment?
podnosh: Longbridge tory gain.
bounder: “if you’ve just tuned in this is”… you couldn’t exactly stumble on this accidently
peteashton: Adrian hopes we’re engaging with the stream. I think we are!
anamilgram: Well it’s been an interesting experience watching BCC results on live streaming and #brumcc on Summize, but now I’m off to bed, have fun
peteashton: Lib Dems may have won more seats than Labour. Is there a pie / bar chart somewhere?
star_one: is it just me or has twitter on da web crashed ?
peteashton: Aston had a turnout of 38%. That seems comparatively very high.
bounder: i think adrian might have gone for a poo
peteashton: My god, have you seen the HTML for the results page? http://snurl.com/26pwm
podnosh: looks like AG is in indulging in a pre-bed number 2 – or praps he’s popped out for a kebab.
podnosh: ooh – 2cameras?
bounder: you know what we haven’t seen enough of @paulthewlis? that “Brilliance” film
bounder: that’s quite a swing in Weoly AG off for a slash
peteashton: Tory winning Bournville does not mean he might win Selly Oak. Bournville is not a transferable place. ;)
bounder: about 10 results left by my calculations?
peteashton: Adrian proud that he’s streaming on BCCs OWN website (rather than a site with some actual functionality…)
peteashton: Khalid: “All those things need to be brought back to the front” Though I must say I’m liking him.
peteashton: “Back to the basics!” Yay Khalid!
bounder: @podnosh he has! dopey fucker
podnosh: Khalid almost said “back to basics”
podnosh: BBC graphics clearly designed by a cowboy.
podnosh: Tories gain Stockland Green. Cath Grundy hangs onto Kingstanding for Labour and stripy tights
peteashton: Adrian is holding back the results. Kingstanding was announced on the website at least 10 mins ago.
peteashton: “If it’s one vote, it’s a victory”. Yes, indeed.
petelewis: “britain for the british party” ?!?? f**k off
podnosh: BBC says BNP gain 2 seats in Nuneaton and Bedworth – is George Eliot grave spinning?
bounder: fairly close in Mo
podnosh: Mullaney safe
petelewis: elections website keen to point out HTML standard compliance, but using .wmv streaming. grrrr…
podnosh: “two cheers” political bingo
bounder: Caroline has done Badley in Quinton, go on AG some puns please
peteashton: Checking some of the low turnouts. Ladywood 16.7% Kingstanding 22% Nechells 22.6% Shard End 23.3% Be interesting to map these.
graphiquillan: but can Deirdre plumb?
podnosh: AG says BNP and respectable in same sentence.
livebrum: Just realised what that side/back/looking-up view of AG reminds me of…. Penfold from Dangermouse!
peteashton: Geezer-less Stuart. Love it.
bounder: it’s Big Political Journalist, Little Political Journalist
star_one: is the morse code sound mi5 eavesdropping ?
bounder: live loling http://tinyurl.com/6mhk69
petelewis: what’s with the camera on his back then? hmm
joannageary: Loving the #brumcc coverage.
peteashton: Back home and watching the stream and OMG it’s Deirdre! In the flesh! And she’s not talking LOL! My illusions are shattered!
livebrum: What’s with that massive push-pin graphic by the map?
livebrum: Deirdre beats Mullaney to the camera. I lose my bet.
peteashton: What the stream looks like over 3G on a train. http://snurl.com/26piy
podnosh: LOL Deirdre iz lolling at Erdington gane
marcreeves: Deirde iz teevee star
podnosh: Bingo
star_one: well they haven’t cared for my friends &colleagues who’ve had a 3 grand pay cut.
podnosh: “pockets of debris” – show us Mike.
podnosh: “modern urban conservatism” – Bingo.
podnosh: you don’t want to be welcome in north brum Mike – they’re weird there.
bounder: AG is going to have a bad neck tomorrow
star_one: is it just me,or is mw actually being quite gracious ?
livebrum: laughing out loud at the site of the back of Adrian and a bemused Whitby.
podnosh: Mike Bigby – does AG worry that much about stature?
star_one: i’m a ladywood resident…
podnosh: @bounder whitby says tories gained longbridge and quinton. Why does he know and we don’t?
bounder: How slow is the results service if Whiby is three ahead?
star_one: so will we get another chamberlain moment tonight ?
podnosh: whitless or as he prefers it “leader” coming up soon
bounder: Whitby comming up “global city local heat” sweep?
bounder: John what’s your myspace?
livebrum: Hemming is just a total ****. Listening to him makes my skin crawl.
podnosh: your on the telly. Sing Jon sing -
star_one: you sure not the eiffel tower ?
bounder: Johnny Johnny give us your song
podnosh: Hemming: “we just don’t know”.
bounder: Hemming compares Respect to Monster Raving Loonies
podnosh: Hemming: “I shall still remain on the city council” What – is that democracy?
bounder: they could of got Adrian a milk crate to stand on
star_one: never mind pacman,what’s the pushpin in aid of. Wahey loldeidre !
podnosh: Hemming on – brace yourself.
podnosh: yay lol
bounder: lol!
star_one: well jh deffo does excitement…
bounder: could we make brum a new logo out of this map – diseased head anyone?
bounder: – Kings Norton, CON Hold (or gain should we say?) – sweep on pac-man appearances anyone?
bounder: LIB DEMs try to “make pollitics exciting”, more of this we say!
marcreeves: all bcc online results describe each as a ‘gain’ even when it’s a hold
podnosh: buzzword bingo anyone?
bounder: Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Adrian
podnosh: Deputy leader of BCC says their results service is wrong.
livebrum: And I do seem to be hooked.
star_one: pacman has the results, but who are the monsters ?
livebrum: Seeing an awful lot of the back of Adrian’s head. When I say ‘not a train wreck’ I mean it sort of works, not good but quite funny
podnosh: tell us Paul
bounder: ooh we’re getting Hodge Hill (is that a euphamism) – coem on Pac Man
podnosh: is adrian standing on a box?
bounder: graphics aren’t up to web viewing. It’s fun tho’ isn’t it?
star_one: cos the camera aint listening !
podnosh: woman on the telly talking about wales. What’s local about that?
bounder: Shard End – LAB Hold
star_one: talk to the screen !
livebrum: Bad sounds, bad bad graphics but still it’s all going far better than I imagined. Not a train wreck at all.
bounder: turn round AG
bounder: pac man announces reult.. Sheldon Lib Dem, BNP second
podnosh: Sheldon Lib dem win – BNP 2nd!
bounder: first result… turn round AG … Sheldon….
star_one: big up for the john hemming massive !
marcreeves: Liam Byrne’s glottal stop?
podnosh: John Hemming: sad departure! Interesting man – yes
podnosh: there’s patrick burns being ingratiating.
bounder: Patrick Burns has just stooped to kiss a teeny woman
bounder: Phil 5 Live “Acock’s Green a leafy suburb” I’m surprised he’s even heard of it, but still…
star_one: @bounder i think he only mentioned the sc cos i was in there with him yesterday…
anamilgram: isn’t that just the festival of extreme building logo in the background?
bounder: Phil fron Radio 5 Live — Ken Livingstone and Boris “almost have personailities”
podnosh: did you see that- Phil understands its a visual medium – he pointed at the map
podnosh: Hi Phil – hows Cath?
podnosh: do it on bambuser then its cheaper and we can comment
bounder: Third or fourth pub AG has mentioned – is he angling for a free drink
star_one: don’t give shazza any more publicity !
bounder: Respect have chance in Springfield — can Mayor Quimby hang on?
podnosh: ex BBC – 1st full result: Conservatives successfully defended Tamworth in Staffordshire, taking one seat from Labour.
bounder: Dale – strike won’t effect result
star_one: what i want to know right now is what the turnout predictions are. Len’s bins were yesterday’s news.
bounder: our fave loldeirdie _is_ up – Edgbaston. has she moved wards? thanks @catnip
bounder: Funniest name on the ballot so far – Catherine Manhood (Green, Billsley Ward)
podnosh: is all of birmingham’s media short and plump with thinning hair?
star_one: so *that’s* what paul dale looks like !
podnosh: birmingham post’s paul dale predicts tories up at expense of the lib dems.
bounder: will we get a twitter “Portillo moment”? — “did you stay up for Mullaney?”
bounder: loldeirde isn’t up is she? her Hubby John is up in Harbourne…
bounder: “Brillance ” again, they could of had “kings heath to kings heath in five mins”. time for a cuppa
catnip: they’ve already played this film, what about @bounder ‘s number 11 route?!
star_one: – will we get any loldiedre images as part of the coverage ?
podnosh: is that first mention of deirdre?
bounder: first Mullaney mention
bounder: “star trek” sound effects. half an hour to a result
bounder: “Gigbeth in the Fall” ME Smith for Gigbeth woo!
star_one: so dd is a ballet fan ! Is @catnip now a dd fan… :)
peteashton: Is or can anyone record/ing the stream? I’m sure it won’t be archived.
bounder: Council commisioning consultants to look at selling us a a “festival city”, hmmm
bounder: DD has just used the phrase “Rock and Roll” which has ammused me
bounder: Davies “Cities in Europe and india look to our waste management policies” FOE don’t think we’re very good at all
catnip: no, Adrian’s not going to tell us who the Placebo copyists are on that soundtrack, anyone know?
star_one: o ffs how many more times are we going to see this far too long big city plan video ?
bounder: Big City Plan film sountrack lyrics are all about bloody THAT London
catnip: Placebo?!
peteashton: @carocharlton Thanks for your work at the polling station today. Needs to be said I think.
bounder: “Big City Plan” film
bounder: coming up Deborah Davies, and hour more before any results
graphiquillan: @bounder I now have mental image of election-spotting, pack-a-macs and kagouls now. I most certainly didn’t do rainwear when I voted
bounder: Patrick Burn’s head is almost like a BBC DOG (can’t find a good link to explain DOGs http://snurl.com/26pdb will have to do)
podnosh: @bounder is the streaming only available to windose users?
bounder: Paraphrase AG – Albert Bore is about to blame the 10p income task thing for any problems
bounder: “are the 30% who vote in local elections are anoracks?” to paraphrase AG
bounder: is Mike Whitby the template for “the caring conservative?”
peteashton: @bounder Your commentary is invaluable for those stuck on trains. Keep it up!
bounder: listen carefully, you’ll notice Adrian’s mic is still open
bounder: cut to “birmingam’s brilliance” get the feeling we’ll be seeing a lot of this. what price Telly Savalas?
bounder: “good evening”, “yep”
bounder: heeeeere’s Adrian, sound is awful – he’s talking very slowly too, there’s a lot of time to fill