Nicholas Winterton makes a hash of defending first class rail travel for MPs
Feb 18th
If there’s ever a case of “it’s time to stop talking” it was Sir Nicholas Winterton on BBC Radio 5. Sir Nicholas was being questioned about MPs being prevented from travelling first class and and came out with the outrageous claim that “someone in standard class has a totally different outlook on life.” Instead of apologising and retracting the statement when given the opportunity Sir Nicholas just kept on digging.
That’s a shame, because he had started off by making quite a pertinent point about using train journeys efficiently by working. I’ve tried both standard and first and it is a fact that it is far more difficult to work in standard.
The most pertinent reason is the fact that the tables are a lot smaller and it’s more crowded. When all of the seats are full there simply isn’t space for four people to get laptops out and work. Especially when you start adding reports, folders, drinks and food to the clutter.
The issue that should be addressed is how badly MPs buy their first class tickets. I’ve frequently travelled first class with MPs I know and their tickets have cost £334 for an open first class return and I’ve paid £94 (or less) to sit next to them on the same journey.
It’s ludicrous to think that MPs can’t plan their journeys like small businesses have to. Their diaries and meetings are no less or more subject to change than any other person travelling for business. There is no justification for using open tickets. Stopping them using first class is pointless and won’t necessarily even save money as an open standard is usually more than a first class advance – £223 on the Leeds to London Kings Cross example I’m using.
You can get first class tickets even cheaper if you follow the ‘split-ticketing’ advice. Instead of attacking those travelling standard class Sir Nicholas should be seeking to introduce legislation preventing the train operator using such unfair pricing that such tactics are necessary.
Social media marketing guidelines from WOMMA
Feb 17th
The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) is later today to issue a guide to disclosure in social media marketing. US-based WOMMA is responding to US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) social media guidelines for disclosure of relationships between companies and consumers discussing them and their products or services in social media and social network platforms.
The guide will provide specific recommendations for different channels including blogs, Twitter and other micro-blogging platforms, social networks such as Facebook, Bebo and MySpace, podcasts, and video and photo sharing sites such as YouTube and Flickr.
I haven’t seen the guidelines yet so can’t comment in detail. It’s expected that WOMMA will attempt to mandate consistent disclosure hash tags on Twitter and social network status update. Personally I’m not convinced by this, there are already ‘standards’ floating around, none of which has really taken off.
A far more sensible recommendation and one that we advocate at Wolfstar is that there should always be an easily accessible link to a page which describes what it’s all about and who is behind it – a rules, transparency and disclosure statement.
WOMMA and the USA is actually lagging somewhat behind the UK and Europe. As over here we’ve had the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPR) since May 26, 2008. The FTC guidelines were only introduced in May 2009. The CPRs specifically outlaw “falsely representing oneself as a consumer” and “using editorial content in the media to promote a product where a trader has paid for the promotion.” The ultimate sanction for breach of the CPRs can be jail for directors and senior managers.
In the UK professional organisations such as the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and trade bodies such as the Internet Advertising Bureau already have guidelines in place.
DISCLOSURE: I was a founder member of WOM UK and sat on its governing council for the first year. Wolfstar’s chairman Tim Sinclair was the founder member and set-up WOM UK’s partnership with WOMMA. He also worked pro-bono as WOM UK’s first chief executive to get the membership organisation started. WOM UK has simply adopted WOMMA’s code of conduct.
Social networks manager for Obama could be you
Feb 13th
Organizing for America (the successor organisation to Obama for America) and the Democratic National Committee are recruiting a new social networks manager.The new recruit will be responsible for maintaining the Democratic Party and Organizing for America accounts on all social networks (such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts, etc.)
The Wall Street Journal reports that Mia Cambronero, who currently holds the job, “will be stepping down from my infamous role as ‘Barack Obama’s twitterer,’” she said in an email message posted to a listserv. “We’re looking for someone who is available to start immediately.”
Essential qualifications include:
- Excellent writing and editing skills with strong attention to detail; your writing is strong, sharp, and personable
- Strong organizing and campaigning instincts; you can craft messages that move people to act, and you know what actions will achieve the right impact at the right time
- Strong familiarity with social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.
- Ready to work hard; this isn’t a 9-5 sort of job
- Ability to work under deadline pressure
- Ability to manage multiple complex projects
- Passionate about engaging millions of Americans in advancing President Obama’s agenda and changing the country
- Candidates must be willing to relocate to Washington, DC
Bizarrely the job advert on the Obama website doesn’t give a closing date for applications.
