Brief exposure: Becky Hogge
In this new series key figures in new media give us insights into their digital life. First up, Becky Hogge - writer, producer and IP activist.
In this new series, key figures in new media give a brief exposure of their their digital life. First up, Becky Hogge - writer, producer and IP activist.
Name:
Becky Hogge.
Personal website or blog:
Machine Envy.
Day jobs:
Technology Director, openDemocracy; web
culture columnist, New Statesman.
How would you describe yourself to the world, after
all we're all more than a job title?
I channel geeks.
Which social networks do you use?
Flickr, del.icio.us and the old boys'
network. In order to remain elusive, I try to use a different
social calendar every week.
How long have you worked in digital media?
3 years.
Current projects?
This year I've produced chinadialogue the world's first truly
bilingual blog. China is growing fast and, as it grows, it is
faced with urgent environmental challenges. Chinadialogue aims
to promote common understanding, promote direct dialogue and the
search for solutions to our shared environmental
challenges.
Now I'm trying to get funding for an openDemocracy-style
website that will bring the intellectual property debate to a
general audience; and there's the defragging my possessions
project, mending the broken stuff and eBaying/recycling the
stuff I don't need.
What gives you most joy in your day
job?
The immediacy of the web as a writer I love getting real time
feedback from readers and as a website producer, I love seeing
who's clicking what, when, where.
What gives you least joy?
Having to defend really simple, successful websites from the
dreaded "bells and whistles" urge.
Who is your "must read"
blogger?
TechnoLlama he
reads the legal slush so you don't have to.
Which websites do you find
indispensable?
Netvibes, del.icio.us, Wikipedia, Whois, Alexa, BBC World
News and BBC Radio's Listen Again service.
Do you still do analogue / old media?
Yes, I get the Guardian and Private Eye delivered and I listen
to Radio 4 on FM.
What distracts you most online?
Trying to find cartoons from my childhood on YouTube.
What's the most useful application or software
that you use?
I couldn't live without Firefox and its many-wondered
extensions.
If you could put one application or piece of software
into Room 101 what would it be?
Organisational wikis.
If you were Prime Minister for the day, what one
piece of legislation would you change or
introduce?
Stop the renewal of Trident.
What makes you rant or gets your goat?
Two things 1) the democratic deficit surrounding international
intellectual property law reform; 2) The way they interview
people on the Today
programme on Radio 4. I end up shouting at the radio like a mad
old woman.
What do you think is the next big thing in digital
media?
The second dotcom crash.
What's the most annoying piece of jargon used in
digital media?
I think that using the word "content" really annoys
creative people (sorry, "content producers"), but my
personal bugbear is "vlog", just
because it sounds so weird, especially when Jon Snow on Channel
4 News says it.
If you didn't work in this industry, what would
you do?
In my dreams write science fiction novels and grow my own
vegetables; in my nightmares sell real estate.
Interview by Kathryn Corrick.
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