About Jennifer Jones

Jennifer Jones is the coordinator for #media2012, web editor and staff editor for Culture @ the Olympics and completing her PhD on Social Media, Activism and the Olympic Games at the University of the West of Scotland. She documents her research activities at http://www.jennifermjones.net and is @jennifermjones on twitter.

Tool: Self-Accredit with #media2012 to gain access to report on London 2012

Having trouble gaining access to accreditation to report on the London 2012 Olympic Games? You can self-accredition is now open with with #media2012, an independent newswire and social media centre for covering the Olympic Games.

This follows the self-accreditation process in Vancouver 2010, where over 300 people used True North Media House passes to gain access to communities, institutions and stories around the Winter Olympics, #media2012 encourages journalists, media producers and citizen journalists to sign up to report on all aspects of the Olympic Games across the country. Find out who is working in your area here.

Continue reading

Theme: Worker Rights, Unions and the Development of the Olympic Site

There are a number of existing reports regarding worker’s rights during the process of developing the Olympic sites. Some of these reports are below.

This might be something that also links to the Games Makers, the 70,000 strong voluntary forces who are essential for the running of the games. What does it mean for such a large workforce are asked to work for free?

Continue reading

Data: Help me find the mis-information being spread at #socialympics

This morning a Social Media Week, London event looking at the social media around the Olympic games called “#socialympics” was stirring a lot of interest on twitter relating to discussions of big data, history of new media and mega events and the revolutionary effects of social media and production/distribution of the games. Speakers include (from the site):

Our panel will feature Chris Tomlinson, record-breaking British long jumper and double Olympian; Gordon Lott, Head of London 2012 Partnership and Group Sponsorship at Lloyds TSB, the London Games’ first domestic sponsor; Hugh Chambers, Chief Commercial Officer of the British Olympic Association; Paul Kelso, Chief Sports Reporter of the Daily Telegraph; Alex Miller, CEO of Engine’s social media agency Jam, Engine’s social media and mobile agency; with myself in the chair. (3)

All individuals who have an invested interest in the Olympics and/or their brand sponsorship.

Abi Sawyer drew me the this tweet made by @SynergyCarsten:

This suggests that social media (or web 2.0) was not present during the Athens 2004 games. This claim is hard to believe, seeing that it only takes a quick google search to find blog posts still available around the time from independent (or citizen) journalists which makes me think that there is a lot of misinformation being spread about what really happened on the web during the last 12 years of games.

I’ve extracted the data from twitter (using @mhawksey‘s archive spreadsheet too) of what was said at the event and how and who was sharing it – I think it would be benefitial going through the comments to see what is being promoted as an authoritative opinion of social media and the Olympic Games. Can you help me?

The data is available here.

Document: Host City Contract

The Olympic Games are awarded by the International Olympic Committee seven years before delivery after an intense bidding process between other candidate cities (something that I will be writing about further in the coming weeks). When the rights to host the Games are handed over to the winning nation, an Organising Committee is formed and the host city contract is signed between them and the IOC, promising that the certain measures are undertaken to ensure the smooth and consistent delivery of the Games.

When we hear stories about changes to bylaws, opportunities to allow stakeholders such as sponsors access to VIP services (like the Olympic Lanes) and to develop on particular land area, many of these decisions were made very much in advance of the bidding process and signed off as being a ‘given’ in terms of the development process. This is because the IOC see the Olympic Games very much as their ‘baby’ and in a way, is the only product that they have to see to the world. The exclusivity of access and association to those internationally recognised five rings.

If you have questions about why particular things are happening for London 2012, then you can almost always find those details set out in the host city contract. It is available, thanks to Games Monitor, here as a PDF.

Data: Local Profiles and Insight on Culture and Sport in England

Thanks to Tony Hirst for pointing that the Department of Culture, Media and Sport have some core data available on culture and sport in England. It is available national and regionally and ranges from investment, education, tourism, health and so on. Is there anybody using this relating to the Olympics; and/or are their any instances of visualisations of this data?

The data tables are available here.

Link: Government’s Olympic Challenge: Good News Every Day

An article was published in the Times today (behind p/w – scan below) regarding the Government’s role in reporting “good news” stories relating to the London 2012 games during the entire Olympiad -from when the torch is lit in Ancient Olympia, Greece and lands in the UK in a few months time until when the torch is extinguished during the closing ceremony on the 12th of August. What does this mean in terms of reporting that comes out during Games times and how successful can others be to get their message across regarding not-so-positive stories?

It is worth thinking about the investment behind the PR campaigns of all stakeholders involved in the Olympics. This can be the government, the organising committee (LOCOG), the sponsors and the accredited media – amongst others.

 

Question: Sex Workers and Mega Events

Last Sunday I took part in a discussion in Glasgow with those who are looking at the 2014 CommonWealth Games and London 2012 Olympic Games and the conflicts over urban space, regeneration and privatisation. The topic of sex workers and mega events emerged both here and at the recent Countering the Olympic meeting in London on the 28th Jen – and continues to be a major, under-discussed topic relating to the impact of mega events. Especially those mega events who claim to have a health-based focus and a health based legacy to maintain.

Here are some links to some studies and some campaigns relating to Vancouver 2010, London 2012 and Glasgow 2014.

Continue reading

Link: Olympic Land Wars and Judicial Reviews (Greenwich Park and Leyton Marsh)

Games Monitor have reported today that NOGOE will be seeking seeking legal advice on and preparing to seek judicial review of Greenwich Council’s planning board decision of 26 January 2012. This follows on from the Don’t Be Harsh, Save the Marsh campaign against the construction of temporary Basketball training centre on Leyton Marsh.

More information on Greenwich Parkcapacity overload.

More information on Leyton Marsh – Documents relating to licence deeds and construction tender.