Strategy - The Digested Read

The future of this blog...

2008-11-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

After a burst of enthusiasm for this blog last year I've now let my focus drift over to my own site, daveharte.com. In fact I decided to do a personal blog partly to consolidate the writing I was doing in a few different places. But as this blog has a modest but influential readership (at least one newspaper editor and a few people in top-notch consultancies) I wonder if there's life in it yet. However, a couple of things stop me writing more often:

It takes a while to read, digest, summarise and then try to be witty about chunky bits of research or government strategy.
Since Creative Britain recognised that the Creative Industries isn't something worth legislating about there seems to be a whole lot less to digest. Or have I just taken my eye off the ball?

So what are the options for this blog?

Just ditch it - it had a brief moment that's now passed, pull the plug.
Just ditch it and promise you all that the riches over at daveharte.com (RSS feed) are worth moving across to (as long you're okay with the occasional piece about my running).
Reinvigorate it by calling for co-contributors, interspersing it with comment pieces as well as strategy summaries and hosting it somewhere a bit better than google blogs (would shift to self-hosted wordpress).

Any thoughts? What have you found useful about this blog and is there a way to take it forward?

4ip

2008-07-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Cross posted from my personal blog but of relevance here.

Yesterday saw the pre-launch of Channel 4's 4ip fund in Birmingham. I'm telling you this as although I managed to bring a notepad I completely failed to bring a pen and therefore need to write this down before it empties out of my head. Before we begin, two key things you need to bear in mind and written large on the 4ip homepage:

INTERACTIVE MEDIA, NOT TV
NETWORKS NOT BROADCASTERS

With that in mind, here's a FAQ:

What's 4ip?
Channel four investment fund to create interactive media projects with a public service benefit. The background for it is in the Next on 4 strategy stuff. £50million in total.

Why?
Ofcom are consulting about Public Service Broadcasting at the moment (phase one just closed actually). Part of that is about thinking about how broadcasters can fulfill their public service remit in ways other than showing TV programmes. It's pretty clear 4ip is Channel 4's attempt to develop a solution before one gets imposed. If it works then they'll no doubt be asking for a slice of the licence fee in future.

So they are investing in ideas? Companies?
Both. Unlike the TV commissioning model where the IP remains with the producer there is potential here for Channel 4 to take an equity stake in the company itself. Andrew Dubber thought the issue around IP ownership was vague but I read it as simply too complex to go into at an event like this - real answer is that it will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

How much will they invest?
£20k upwards to £1.5m. They hinted that there will be a small number of £1m+ projects, a decent amount of £200k-£600k projects and plenty at the £20k mark. ~~You'll need to find 50% of the funds for your project from elsewhere - this isn't a free ride~~. See clarifying comment from Jason at Screen WM posted over at daveharte.com

Interactive Media? Public Service benefit? Seems a bit vague.
I know, it's great isn't it - the door's open to a whole range of ideas given that the criteria is so broad. However, don't misinterpret 'public service' as non-commercial. This is investment funding and the investors are looking for a return. As wide open as this is there should be an emphasis on where the market has failed. An example given around a project for female computer gamers made this clear. Plus, market failure is a criteria used for public sector funding support and that's what this is - public sector funding. Specifically cited were social media, web, computer gaming. 'E-drama' or brand extensions of existing TV programmes (they fund the latter seperately) is the last thing they want.

The reason for a Birmingham pre-launch?
Birmingham, because the regional development agency has put £5million into a West Midlands pot, matched by Channel 4's £5million. 'Pre'-launch, because the formal application procedure isn't set up yet and won't be till autumn. They're recruiting a Birmingham-based commissioning editor as we speak. Screen West Midlands are managing all of this so make sure you become best friends with them. There's a regional test to ensure there's a benefit to the West Midlands (spending 70% of the budget there or 50% of the talent is based there).

What about other regions?
I'm a Brummie, what do I care about other regions? Oh okay, apparently Yorkshire and Scotland are also in on the act. The West Midlands got there first though - remember that. Stuart Cosgrove was the Channel 4 rep at the pre-launch and let's not forget that he's the Nations and Regions guy at channel 4. He specifically said that there's a balance to be redressed in developing regional media economies in this way. He cited the North West and of course, London, as already having had their fair share. I'm actually unsure if that means that this is not a national fund. I suspect that the other partners mentioned (Arts Council England, Media Trust, others I've forgotten) may allow non-West Mids/Yorkshire/Scottish projects to be funded.

So I should spend the summer musing on new ideas?
Yes and no. If you've got an idea even half-formed get it known about now. There's £10million to be invested in a little over two years, that will take some spending. As I said, for the West Midlands, you need to be talking to Screen West Midlands right now about your idea so that come day one, you're at the front of the aplication queue. Talk to Jason Hall: jason.hall [at] screenwm.co.uk. Try not to be put off by what looks like a tortuous application process - this is a lot of public money we're talking about.

Where can I learn more?
The 4ip blog gives really strong hints about what they're after. Go subscribe now. If you look at some of the videos they've posted you'll learn what's in the heads of the people who will decide if your idea is green-lighted.

Creative Britain: New Talents for the New Economy - The Digested Read

2008-02-25T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's a list. To be precise this is version 1.0 of the list as this is a dynamic strategy that will change as the Creative Industries change. When we started all this you probably didn't think we'd end up with just a list did you? Remember all that consultation? Anyway, the 26 commitments we've come up with are a mix of new things, filler, things you already knew about or things that won't happen for ages.

Better than listing the commitments, let's look at some themes:

Kids are great and way more talented than grown-ups.
But they don't get enough culture and are a bit fat. We're giving them an extra five hours of culture that will allow them to go the the theatre, do some creative writing or make films (although actually watching films won't be allowed). If you think your region can run a pilot for this then apply here. There's also a shed load of academies and centres of excellence on their way too to keep that production line of Brit talent moving.

The right jobs for the white people
How come, when there are two million jobs in the Creative Industries, do we always hear about too many people chasing too few jobs. And let's face it, if you want to work in the Creative Industries it's who you know, not what you know but if all you know are other white people then you've got a problem. We're putting a stop to this by creating clearer career pathways and 5,000 creative apprenticeships a year. We'll be directing more people to the diverse range of glamorous behind the scenes jobs in the Creative Industries such as, erm, administration, fixing computers and painting and decorating.

Money for Nothing
Every other sector gets its nose stuck into research and development producing world-beating new products and spending plenty of government cash along the way. Now it's the turn of the Creative Industries: £10m for R&D, £3m for Creative Innovators, a Knowledge Transfer Network, cash from the AHRC and then further research into whether it's all worth it. If you can't innovate after all that there's no hope for you.

Money for Something
Investment is everything. Companies should be growing and blossoming like sunflowers nurtured with a liberal dose of cash investments. The Arts Council should start to get its hands dirty here and we'll be making it act like a hard-nosed Dragon rather than a philanthropic old Uncle. We'll be installing some 'beacons' to point businesses to the right kind of advice and support (although only in the West Mids, South East, South West , North East & North West) and we'll set up task and finish groups (in the North West and South West) to examine if any of this creative economy stuff is actually making a difference.

Stop Stealing stuff
Intellectual Property matters, we have to stop people stealing it. The record industry is losing lots of money and generally doesn't know what to do. We plan to make the Internet Service Providers responsible and if they don't behave we'll introduce legislation to force them to stop all this wanton sharing of music and films.

~~Cool~~ Rule Britannia
We really need to show the rest of the world that we do the creativity bit better than anyone else. That way we can charge more for it. We'll be staging a World conference on creative business at the same scale as Davos and the the Mayor of London can have all the support he wants for any other London-based creative festivals. We'll also support other regionally-based festivals and events, although right now we're struggling to think of any.

I'm sure you'll agree that although we've announced some regional initiatives here this strategy document is primarily about how important London is. We mention London on almost every page even though our diagram at the back indicates that the density of creative industries firms is just as great in other areas of the UK.

If you care enough to keep tabs on the growth of the creative industries and whether or not we get these many initiatives off the ground then keep an eye on the website. If you're only interested in the bottom line impact on the economy then you'll have to wait until Autumn 2010 for the 2008 Creative Industries statistical bulletin.

The digested read, digested: The time for talking is over, or just beginning, or both; who knows?

Creative Britain - Some West Midlands highlights

2008-02-25T02:51:00.000-08:00

Creative Britain is the culmination of the government's lengthy consultation on the Creative Economy programme. For my West Midlands readers I thought it might be useful to summarise what's in it for us:

Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company are named as two of the organisations committed to providing some of the planned 5,000 formal apprenticeships a year by 2013.
Under 'commitment 5' ("We will encourage employers and skills providers to set up ground-breaking new innovative places of learning") the recently announced Eastside Arts Academy gets a mention as does Birmingham City University's newly acquired Skillset Media Academy status.
There's mention of a 'Birmingham International Film Festival' (it must mean this) as something which will be better linked in to London's creative festivals and other key events around the country (Animex being the only other one explicitly mentioned)
Digital Central gets name-checked (as do other initiatives in the South East and South West) as an useful example of a sub-regional innovation network ("these networks are particularly important at regional and sub-regional level in the fast moving world of new media")
The West Midlands is one of five regions that will establish a 'regional beacon' for the Creative Industries. Their job will be:
- raising awareness to ensure that the sector knows what is available and how to access it
- forging links with specialised providers and mentors
- developing and disseminating best practice in meeting the needs of the sector
- assessing the effectiveness of support for the creative industries by collecting and analysing data
The document has an emphasis on investment rather than support and with that there's specific acknowledgement of the good work done by the Advantage Creative Fund.

~~I plan to post~~ I've now posted a digest of the whole document. On the whole there's not an awful lot in here that we didn't already know about. This gives some initiatives a bit of a government rubber stamp I guess.

Beyond the Creative Industries - The Digested Read

2008-02-20T03:21:00.000-08:00

This is all about counting and about how for all these years we've been doing the counting the wrong way. All that stuff you've heard over the years about how the Creative Industries is the greatest thing slince sliced bread and will ultimately save us all has been based on poor quality counting. Now we plan to tell you the truth about the Creative Industries and you will be shocked and disturbed by what you hear. You ready? Here goes:

Our new, improved and all-round excellent counting has concluded that the original poorly counted figures were largely correct.

No, hang on it's a bit more complicated than that as we've also discovered what creatives earn. And for this one we really do have a bombshell:

In some sectors creatives earn less than the management and admin staff who support them but on the whole you'll earn more by being creative in the Creative Industries than you will working, for example, as the in-house deisgner for KPMG.

Let's tease out the salary thing a little, it's kind of interesting. We've invented a complex new way of counting called the 'Creative Trident Model' for which we've identified three different kinds of creative workers:

Embedded - creatives working in non-creative industries
Support - those who work in management, administration, legal or accountancy in the creative industries
Specialists - the creatives themselves, but only those who work in a creative industries company.

We looked at census data from 1981 through to the Labour Force Survey of 2006. Our fab new counting model even allows us to compare the Creative Industries to the financial sector and to Australia where they have much better ways to count things than we do.

Of course all you really want to know is who earns the most money?

Nearly every sector (except for music - you guys earn next to nothing) earn way more than the national average salary.
If you're in Software, Computer Games and Electronic Publishing you earn the most (over 80% more than the average salary).
A 'support' worker in Film, Television and Photography earns more than the creative specialist.
On the whole specialists earn just a bit more than the staff who support them.
Creative specialists within a creative company earn a decent amount more than the creatives in the non-creative industries.

It's worth knowing (and gloating about the fact) that on the whole the Creative Industries do turn out to be as substantial as every one says they are. Since 1981 the sector has doubled the amount of support staff but tripled the amount of creatives.

BUT: the rate of growth in the number of jobs has slowed to about 1% a year (whereas the rate for jobs in the ecnomy as a whole is about 1.2%). Worse still, salary growth has slowed to a level below that of other jobs. However, that's largely due to a downturn in the advertising industry dragging the rest down and if you work in Film, TV, Radio or Photograhy you're earnings have been going up 4.7% a year even if the amount of jobs has dropped by 1.5%.

By and large the data for counting the Creative Industries is a bit rubbish. Okay so the half-arsed guesswork that counts for government statistics wasn't far off the mark but really, we've been counting this sector for over 10 years now, a bit more accuracy would be welcomed. Here's a fab new fact that our fab new model found out:

There are more creative roles outside the creative industries than in them yet estimates of the size of the creative economy fail to take this into account.

So if we based our estimates of the Creative Industries on the amount employees earned rather than the Gross Value Added measure that's always been used then:

Instead of being 7.3% of the economy we'd be talking about the Creative Industries as having almost 10% of national earnings - not bad eh?

The digested read, digested: Creatives everywhere - it's time to stand up and be counted

Creative Economy Programme - almost here....

2008-02-18T02:03:00.000-08:00

At long last it looks like we'll see something tangible come out of the Creative Economy Programme consultation. The DCMS CEP website announces that the strategy document launches this Friday 22nd February. For advance word on it take a look at this article in the Times.

It's worth noting that this process began with a meeting on 29th November 2005. That makes Friday's launch the culmination of an 815 day process. You could probably usefully fill the time between now and Friday by looking back over the results of that consultation:

the summary of the working groups;
the full reports from each of the working groups:
Education and Skills; Competition and IP; Technology; Business Support and Access to Finance; Diversity; Infrastructure; Evidence and Analysis
the online discussion that ensued (scroll down to comments);
last summer's holding paper from Will Hutton;
the proposed changes to how we count the Creative Industries;
and of course the latest Creative Industries stats.

You're probably wondering if the new paper bears any relation to the conversation the government has had with the creative industrues over the last three years. We're wondering too and we'll be digesting the strategy document here when we get a chance. Can't wait.

Update on West Midlands Economic Strategy

2007-10-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

See previous post for digest of the consultation draft of the West Midlands' Regional Economic Strategy (RES) but there is now a news update....

The final RES will be published on 10th December along with the Regional Spatial Strategy but there is another draft of it published online now (see bottom of this page).

So, just to update you on those all-important word counts:

'Creative Industries'
Down from 6 mentions in original draft to 3 mentions in the current draft.
'Manufacturing'
Up from 24 mentions to 34 mentions.
'Carbon'
Up from 53 mentions to 105 mentions.
'Birmingham'
Up from 59 mentions to 109 mentions.

One I didn't mention last time was:

'Digital'
Up from 4 mentions to a mighty 9.

What does all this tell us? That the region's Creative Industries didn't shout loud enough during the consultation period? Maybe; or that this stuff matters less than we think (the North West's RES, for example, pays equally scant attention to the Creative Industries).

It's all in the delivery of course - the strategy comes into effect from April 2008.

Live Music Forum Findings and Recommendations - The Digested Read

2007-10-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Ladies and Gentleman for tonight's preformance we’ve been analysing the effect of the 2003 Licensing Act on the UK’s Live Music scene. It's taken us over three years to do it and we can tell you right here and now that....

IT HAS MADE ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE TO THE LIVE MUSIC SCENE WHATSOEVER

Thank you very much and goodnight.

Oh hang on, we're not quite done yet. We actually made a total of 28 recommendations to government and got some corking case studies along the way. Here's our setlist for tonight:

Sorry Blame it on Me
The government promised an 'explosion' in live music on the back of this act. That was never going to happen but at least it hasn't been the death of live as many predicted.
Music for Airports
'Incidental' music doesn't require a licence but unfortunately the act fails to define what qualifies as 'incidental'. The test for incidental ("does the volume of the music disrupt or predominate over other activities?") is a bit of a nonsense but at least if you're a carol singer then you should be okay.
Paranoid
Some councils play really dirty, rejecting just about every request that comes their way. We so want to name names but we can't. There aren't many of them but that doesn't help if you happen to live in their borough.
Just Say No
Everything seems a bit too geared to objecting to a live music licence application. Nobody seems to realise you can speak in favour of an application as well as against it.
Cum on Feel the Noize
Councils, please stop and think about it before granting permission to build new residential property next to entertainment areas. No really, just stop and think for a minute - you're only creating extra hassle for yourself. In fact, just act on the guidance you already have.
Atmosphere
Okay so we've stopped crying into our real ales pots about the old two-in-a-bar rule but common sense suggests making non-amplified music exempt from needing to be licensed.
Teenage Kicks
The kids have gotta rehearse man, they're the future of live music and it keeps them off the streets. We set up a free rehearsal space in Wrexham and they came in their droves. Every town should have one.

This is our last ever gig as the lead singer is going solo but we'd just like to bow out with one final number:

Three is the Magic Number
Three is the number of other really useful bits of research that tell us (or will tell us) way more about live music and its economic impact than we've ever known before:

Baseline study of the existing live music scene in England and Wales.
Licensing Act 2003: the experience of smaller establishments in applying for live music authorisation.
The 2007 Live Music Survey.

The digested read, digested: For Those About to Rock - We Salute You!

By way of an aside...

2007-09-24T15:09:00.001-07:00

Along with a colleague I have to give a presentation on 'Media Futures' next week to a room full of strategy types, government media strategy types at that. I'm desperate to avoid any half-soaked futurology so what are the words or phrases I MUST avoid in my presentation. I for one will be avoiding saying the word 'convergence', that's so circa 2001 isn't it?

If you list it, I'll avoid saying it.....

The Birmingham City Centre Masterplan: The Visioning Study - The Digested Read

2007-08-10T14:15:00.000-07:00

The digested read, digested: Birmingham, If you make it here, you can make it anywhere. Now go buy a t-shirt.

Staying ahead: the economic performance of the UK’s creative industries - The Digested Read

2007-07-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

You were expecting something else weren't you? Not red but green? Well, you'll have to wait as there's a new boy in the top job and we're not really sure how this is all going to pan out.

I'm Will Hutton and the Creative Industries drive me bonkers. I've been asked by the government to distract you from the lack of progress on policy by regurgitating some three year old statistics and putting it in a report that's so long I guarantee you'll never be bothered to get to the end of it. It's got lots of tables in it and tons of stats and every now and again I say something really insightful. And before we go any further I've been asked to point out how great Doctor Who is.

Anyway, first thing to say is that we are really proud of our stats, they're big and fat and meaty. Take this one for a start:

Stat one: The Creative Indutries are as valuable as the Financial Sector. That's 7.3% of GVA.

LIke it? Go on have another:

Stat Two: We employ 1.8 million lovies.

You man enough to take another one? 'Ave some of this:

Stat Three: We're growing faster than the economy as a whole

Hang on, that last one is kind of true but if you look closely you'll find that growth in the creative industries is like a rollercoaster, sorry I mean it's cyclical. Actually it's pro-cyclical. When the economy dips we dip big-time and when it grows we grow big, big-time.

And that's about it really. What? You want to know what's in the other 277 pages? What happened to the endless consultation on a range of topics we did with seemingly the entire UK creative sector? Well don't worry, we've listened to your concerns and put them in pride of place in an appendix at the back. Actually, that section at the back is worth a read as it concerns my favourite subject:

Why measuring the Creative Industries is really, really difficult:

They don't follow standard industry employment classifications. For example, the DCMS doesn't give an official firgure for the Video and Computer Games sector and can't do until a new code comes into force in 2009.
Although we've got a catergory for 'design' the government don't actually have an accurate way to count it. Instead, like in many other areas, we rely on third party figures. In this instance they come from the ‘Design Industry Valuation Survey’ but they're not comparable with the way we collect data for other sectors and we don't trust them as far as we can throw them.
And if you work in 'multimedia' or 'interactive design' or anything remotely web-based then you might be tucked away under publishing or software services or might even be part of advertising.

Overall though everything is okay. Just look at our glossy case studies, they prove it. The Rolling Stones, Kylie at the V&A, kiddies watching flims - it's all marvellous. No really, I may be a bit grumpy about all this but the creative industries are important and we ignore them at our peril. To be serious for a moment, it's now the job of government to learn how to count, to give clear guidance on fundemental issues like copyright and above all shift from a culture of subsidy and grants for the creative industries to one of investment and growth.

The Digested Read, digested: The Long and Winding Road

Creating Entrepreneurship: entrepreneurship education for the creative industries - The Digested Read

2007-07-14T11:34:00.000-07:00

SCENE ONE:

INT. UPSTAIRS IN A FASHIONABLY DISTRESSED WAREHOUSE
Five shadowy figures are seated against a window. To their right are small tables piled high with cash. NESTA and ADM-HEA enter via the staircase stage left.

NESTA:
Hello, I'm not quite a quango
ADM-HEA:
And I'm not quite a university

NESTA:
Today we'd like to pitch to you on behalf of all the Art, Design and Media students in the UK. We're asking for significant investment on their behalf as they're all a lot better at this entrepreneurship malarky than they get credit for. What's more, people like you and your other sharp-suited friends are giving enterprise a bad name.

ADM-HEA:
Exactly, we're a sensitive bunch and you lot are a bit scary. Hang on, I feel a drawing coming on. Good isn't it. That's exactly the kind of thing we excel at making money at - drawing.

NESTA:
And painting, and filming things, and taking photographs, and erm, designing stuff. In fact being entrepreneurial comes naturally to us creatives as it's in the way we're taught. You see we learn by doing, sometimes we might read a fancy book or two but for the most part we just get on with it and do it.

ADM-HEA:
All we're proposing is that a few things change in order for us to do justice to the latent potential in our student population. Firstly, stop measuring and watching us - it's irritating and counter-productive. Also, stop arguing, it does my head in.

NESTA:
The main point though is not to go mentioning entrepreneurship in passing at the end of a lesson. Students really do need separate lessons in 'how to overcharge for mediocre design' and 'how to never earn enough to have to pay back your student loan.'

ADM-HEA:
In drawing our pitch to a close we'd like to add that in case you forgot, the Creative Industries is just about the fastest growing industry we've got in this country. We'll grow the investment you give us today quicker than you can say Rachel Elnaugh.

Scottish Dragon leans forward in his seat.

DRAGON:
I started with one ice-cream van and now I run a few gyms so I know what I'm talking about - this could be big, we're in.

The Digested read, digested: Art & Design, you're hired!

West Midlands Economic Strategy Draft - The Digested Read

2007-07-09T14:38:00.001-07:00

Now pay attention - we'll be asking questions later. In fact we'll be asking questions as we go along but they all generally ask the same thing: "what do you think of this bit? Any good? Want to help?" We're trying to influence £120 Billion here so hopefully you can be bothered to respond to this and you've got until July 31st 2007 to do it.

We're Advantage West Midlands and we kick ass. What we say influences pretty much everything that happens in the West Midlands economy. Okay, so of that £120 Billion we can only directly influence £2.24 Billion, partially influence £23 Billion and the rest we haven't got a hope in hell of influencing. But don't stop reading - because we matter and what we have to say is very scary indeed.

For the most part everyone else is better than us. We're below average in Skills, in Innovation, in Business Productivity, in Educational Attainment and Birmingham isn't pulling its weight. Not that we're the worst overall but it ain't good. At least we've got Solihull though - they're the most productive people in the region (and we're really obsessed with productivity).

Yes we know manufacturing is on the decline but we're going to talk about it a lot more (24 mentions) than those new fangled creative industries (6 mentions). Let's not get bogged down in bickering though as all we need are more entrepreneurs exploiting our knowledge assets. No we're not sure what that means either but we educate lots of graduates and most of them bugger off after their degree. Please stay, please.... Generally though, as long as you're not killing the planet you're fine by us (carbon: 53 mentions).

Birmingham - we need you but you gotta sort your shit out. Without you we're nothing. We were a bit shy about saying it before but we now realise that noone really knows where Uttoxeter is, or even cares. We're a big region and you're our clogged but still beating cultural heart. If we get the world to believe in you then they'll believe we're the world class region our vision says we are.

Our vision: now we used to think we could be a world-beater at making everybody wealthy but we were a bit hasty and we now we just want to be "succesful" at making people wealthy since the stats show we've not been particularly succesful at it so far (although don't forget we only influence about a fifth of total spend in the region - it's not all our fault). But if we can pull it off you too could be drinking cappucino by the canal like our friends on the cover. Those canals are in Birmingham by the way - our beating cultural heart, did I mention that already? (59 times).

There's more of course but it involves lots of acronyms, and summaries of strategies I bet you never knew existed from a series of organisations you never knew you needed. Once we've read your responses and we're back from our summer holidays we'll be reprinting this report without the word 'draft' in it and with a binding that will last a lot longer than the current one as we won't be consulting with you again until 2011.

The digested read, digested: Working from the middle outwards; slowly.