The Open University was a fitting venue for Tory Leader David Cameron’s keynote speech yesterday because of its innovation, a word he used to describe the OU and everything it stands for.
David Cameron continues to use social media for campaigning purposes, opening himself up to questions through Twitter and a CoveritLive blog and he is keen to embrace digital initiatives as he battles to be the country’s next Prime Minister. The OU is no different, using social media to report live from DC’s speech, showcasing its ability to talk and educate students, alumni and staff using a catalogue of media tools. The OU is nothing if not accessible.
So, it’s early on Tuesday morning, having been hit with news of Cameron’s visit over the Bank Holiday weekend. The Platform team are sat around a desk, coffee and croissants almost neglected as a plan of action is drawn up. How are we going to tell people what’s happening today?
With cameras, video recorders, mobile phones and laptops charged, the team treks over to the library – where DC will deliver his speech later – to do a reccy. There we meet Craig Elder, the Online Communities Editor for the Conservative Party, who will be blogging live as DC addresses his audience. Our cameras are set up alongside those of journalists and news organisations and Platform contributor Documentally begins Qiking the buzz that pre-empts the Tory Leader’s imminent arrival.
Back in the office, meanwhile, the CoveritLive blog is embedded on Platform so users can watch live coverage and a news story is posted encouraging Platformers to submit their questions via the site or the Platform Twitter account, tagging them with #askdc.
It’s an hour before DC’s arrival and the library atrium is starting to fill up. Tracy and I, the two Platform web editors (pictured above), are tweeting about the atmosphere and how to follow the events via Platform as they unfold.
Meanwhile, Documentally is Qiking and his short videos – including an interview with local MP Mark Lancaster and David Cameron’s arrival – and links are added to Platform before Documentally has even finished filming. It’s strange to be sat in the library, watching DC enter the building live from the Macbook Pro on my lap.
One of the photographers emails over a picture of DC as he delivers his speech from the podium and this is Photoshop-ed to size and loaded to Platform in seconds.
DC’s speech is not only Qiked, in part, by Documentally who also captures the focused audience and sea of media on the front row, but filmed in its entirety for the OU’s YouTube channel. Photographs are being taken and added to Flickr and live tweeting informs “tweeple” what DC is talking about.
The speech over, DC takes a seat in the OU Digilab to answer some of the questions which have been fed in via Twitter – search for #askdc and you’ll see just how many came in.
And he speaks to Documentally in a brief interview which is recorded live and loaded to AudioBoo. Links to all of this content – and there’s plenty of it – are promoted via Twitter. Conversations are taking place the whole time, one OU student compliments Platform on its use of Twitter through the speech, another thinks the university should not play host to political leaders. Others give their views on the content of DC’s speech via the Platform Twitter account. And as part of the philosophy of openness that underpins what we all do here, all comments are welcome, good and bad.
Watch David Cameron's speech in its entirety:
Watch this interview with Craig Elder, Online Communities Editor for the Conservative Party:
Useful links, videos and podcasts
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