In this episode the guests explore how music production and distribution in a digital age is paving the way for a new economics. As supply chain-lines are shortened: there is still a clear case of buyer and seller, but many traditional lines and agents in between are cut out. This episode talks to guests involved in pioneering this model and utilizing it to draw success as producers and consumers.

Interviews with sellaband.com founder, Dagmar Heijmans and British singer-songwriter Tommy Ludgate.

Interfacing is the art of making connections. Presently, some distributors and suppliers are becoming redundant. This can be dramatic for the bookseller on the street, but it can also mean that an artist is able to make a living, because he/she doesn't have to pay the gallery, the marketeer and the promoter, but can sell stuff directly on the internet.

So, interfacing can cuts costs for producers and consumers. It also means that goods become available that otherwise wouldn't have been available. You can sell your homemade 'jelly bean-ducklings' (available now on Etsy, for example) and find a market for it, while Albert Heijn or Sainsbury's would probably not be able to resell those, which means they would not be available in pre-internet times.

Nowadays a lot of goods sold and bought are still pretty much based on inventions that already exist, but imagine where this could go: you can invent and sell pretty much anything as long as you can tap into a market, as there is no wholeseller who has to meet a critical threshhold in order for it to become profitable to stock, distribute and display things. It does create another problem, however: how to tap into this market. The internet has a logic of its own and one needs to be able to find buyers and desired products in another way than just through strolling down the high street.

Andrew Keen, author of the book The Cult of the Amateur and dubbed "the antichrist of silicon valley", discusses his views on new media business models, the economics of the web and why he believes that free content is ultimately unsustainable.

Industry consultant, author and trendwatcher Adjiedj Bakas discusses the effect of the recession on digital media and why he is remaining optimistic.

In his revolutionary bestseller, ‘The Long Tail’, Chris Anderson demonstrated how the online marketplace creates niche markets, allowing products and consumers to connect in a way never possible before. Now, in his book ‘Free’, he makes the compelling case that in many instances businesses can profit more from giving things away than they can by charging for them. Far more than a promotional gimmick, ‘Free’ is a business strategy that may well be essential to a company’s survival. In this episode Chris Anderson discusses with Kemal this radical idea for the new global economy and demonstrates how this revolution­ary price can be harnessed for the benefit of consumers and businesses alike.

Innovation in the age of the internet has taken a new turn: users and producers can now collaborate. Producers who use user-knowledge can create a profitable information platform. For the amateur, there is a possibility of making money with a one-off idea, or to get employed.

It may be the way of the future: cooperation between professional firms and amateurs at home -- but how can quality control be ensured?

This special episode presents a sensational and stimulating discussion between the guests on the role of social networking within file sharing on the Internet and the legal implications of this practice so innate to the nature of the World Wide Web.
Drawing on the case study of RIAA v. Tenenbaum, the guests explicate their views on a tumultuous and challenging set of issues presented to every web-downloader and national legislator. This episode explores how this particular case has highlighted alternative uses for social networking, enabling the increased visibility of issues and how institutions are metering their response to this powerful mass media outlet.
RIAA v. Tenenbaum is a court case wherein the Recording Industry Association of America accuses Joel Tenenbaum of illegally downloading and uploading files, thus violating U.S. copyright law. It is only the second such case (after Capitol v. Thomas) to come to trial, previously a large number having been settled out of court. After the judge entered a finding of liability, a jury assessed damages of $675,000, although Tenenbaum and his lawyers plan an appeal.

Between August 2007 and august 2008 , the global audience of social networkers grew 25% according to ComScore with Europe rising 35% and the Middle East/ Africa region and Latin America growing well above. (NMA special, 26 feb 2009, p.29) Will social networking sites start replacing part of the general newsfeed, because it is personalised and direct? Or is it just another phenomenon showing an increased boredom amongst people? Does it enhance meeting

in real time or space or is it a replacement, and ultimately, creates loneliness? It is certainly a ‘sign of the times”. What is it and where is it going? Recent develoments on social networking: Facebook faces privacy issues, Hyves is loosing customers, Twitter is on top of the news (first to report on the Schiphol Turkish airline crash) via eye witnesses in the neighbourhood.

Martin Stiksel of last.fm discusses the use of social networking on the site and how their "scrobbling" feature adapts and refines as users grow.

Marco Van Hurne of ikki.nl talks to us about their innovative use of social networking to give job seekers a more rounded profile with which to approach prospective employers.

Pitching yourself is a growing phenomenon increasingly prevalent with the aid of digital media, to both accommodate traditional methods of presenting your professional prowess and debunking conventional ways of securing a job. In this second episode of the Social Networking Thread, the guests present how StudentStock is revolutionizing the visibility of Labour supply and demand, by enabling students to present themselves directly to potential employers and assessing how effective TalpaCreative and Studenstock are as interfaces for employment opportunities.

Continuing our discussion of Social Networking in this episode of Open Thread Radio, presented by Kemal Rijken speaks with Jaap Van Ginneken, author and lecturer in mass communications at Amsterdam University, about the impact of social networking and how he sees the area evolving. David Harte, Head of the MA in Social Media course at Birmingham City University talks about his decision to start the course and why it is relevant to modern society.

In this, the first episode of our Politics thread we examine how political parties are using technology to connect to and engage with voters. We also look at technological issues as a driving force for political parties and policies as we talk to Bart Koek of Dutch party D66.

We also debate how technological issues as a driving force for political parties and policies as we discuss online rights with Christian Engström, deputy chairman of the Swedish Pirate Party.

In this episode Open Thread analyses further the impact of Digital Media on politics. We will be talking with William Heath, who tries to create a better understanding about the implications of computerisation on government service quality, cost and trust. He moderates the Ideal Government blog, advises the Foundation for Information Policy Research and is on the Advisory Council of Open Rights Group. And he founded Kable Ltd, the London-based public-sector IT market research and media company which became part of Guardian New & Media in August 2007.

Guests Job Cohen and Lucas Oost Lievense expand further on the fundamental ways in which digital media has affected the relationships between the mechanics of the political system.

Continuing with our politics thread we examine how political activism groups are using technology to engage with their members and campaign more effectively.

Episode Notes:

In this, the second episode of our Politics thread, presented by Kemal Rijken we examine how political activist groups are using technology to choose their issues and focus their efforts as we talk to David Babbs of 38°.

We also discuss how technology gives an identity to a group as Lisa Graves of The Center for Media and Democracy tells us about their sourcewatch.com and prwatch.com sites.

London Correspondence piece by Juki Juks

Continuing with our Fame Thread, we look at how amateurs can find fame using digital means
particularly how individuals are being discovered and made famous by the Internet.

We talk to Hacker-entrepreneur Jamie Wilkinson about his Internet Famous course at Parson’s School of Design, the “first algorithmically graded class in the history of academics", where students grades are based on their ability to use the Internet to become famous.

Dutch cellist Rosette Krusinga tells us how she became a member of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra and the subsequent media attention she received.

Listen to this Episode

What Happened to the Professional Approach?

This episode, the first in our "Fame" thread, examines the individuals rise to fame in the digital age. Nowadays the individual getting to be more into the center of attention. Someone who has done something on, for instance Youtube, and has got an audience, is guaranteed of unlimited attention. Everyone can become famous. This is a phenomenon that’s quite new. The cult of me, myself and I can sometimes bring to the front interesting celebrities. A few of them are guests on our show where we examine how individuals are being discovered and made famous by the internet:

Brandon Mendelson, “The most followed non-brand, non-celebrity, non-media outlet on Twitter”, talks to us about his thousands of Twitter followers and the documentary they inspired.

Tim Smit tells us how getting his short film noticed on YouTube has led to international notoriety and a potential feature film deal

Rachal Bradley talks to Blaise Bellville founder of the on-line magazine Platform.

Listen to this Episode

The Cult of Me Myself and I

We continue to examine fame in the digital age and look at the downsides of using new media as a way to raise your profile, particularly the over-saturation of information and those who have become famous unwillingly.

We talk to Professor of Law and digital privacy expert Daniel Solove about the boundaries of fame and privacy online.

Alice Marwick, researcher in social networking tells us about the role of MySpace, Facebook in Twitter in making you famous and what she expects in the future.

Listen to this Episode

Evolving the Institutions of Fame

In this episode, presented by Sanderyn Amsberg, we continue to examine how individuals are being discovered and made famous by the internet using specific examples from the word of architecture.

We talk to researcher and architect Marco Vanucci about the cult of "Starchitecture" and how digital technology is changing the role and practice of the architect.

Robert Adam, trustee of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, tells us his perspective on the use of digital media in the more traditional elements of architecture.

In this the concluding episode of our fame thread, we talk to technologist and commentator David Weinberg and author Thomas De Zengotita about their views on how digital technology has changed what it means to be famous and if the internet will lead to a new type of fame.

Listen to the Episode

The Thinkers; About the Web 2.0 Approach

This programme introduces Kemal as radio host, enters into a discussion on the opportunities and contradictions brought about by the democratising shift in media, journalism and entertainment caused by technological progress and economic necessity. Open Thread Radio seeks to explore the social phenomena associated with the confluence of ‘new media’ production technologies and established practice. The pilot programme looks at the historical development
of media, and associated production technology, to examine current and future business and economic trends as a result of “the new ways of operating”, which will be considered throughout the series.

Recorded live at Amsterdam's Desmet Studios featuring highlights of a live discussion on the future of journalism. Guests include Herbert Blankensteijn, a journalist with the NRC Handelsblad newspaper and Peter Vasterman, a lecturer in mass commnunications at the University of Amsterdam.

Recorded live at Amsterdam's Desmet Studios featuring an interview with the well-known Dutch journalist Martin Simek, who used digital media to form a link with traditional print media in helping to establish his own regular audio podcast, after his contract on ‘mainstream’ Dutch broadcasting lapsed.

Please note this is a Dutch Language Episode.

In this special launch episode of Open Thread Radio, presented and chaired by Kemal Rijken recorded live at The Rehearsal Room in London's Adam Street, featuring highlights of a live discussion on the production, distribution and consumption of music in a digital age. Guests include Nico Perez, co-founder of Mixcloud, Michael Breidenbruecker, co-founder of last.fm and RJDJ, and the music producer Curtis Schwartz.