Are we a bunch of conservative technophobes?

[Cat Hackforth]

Perhaps there are perfectly reasonable explanations for all us pretty much abandoning dear old Ning once Capturing Cardiff was over and done with. Christmas and all the associated visits from elderly relatives certainly take up a fair chunk of December and early January, and the public admin exam needed some TLC as well.

Nevertheless, I just came across a blog by Press Gazette columnist Martin Stabe that made me stop and think. According to Mr Stabe, journalism students are strangely opposed to new technology and, despite our undeniable addiction to Facebook, feel much more comfortable with the printed word than the pixelated one. He cites Cardiff Uni students as an example of students who DO blog, but says that even we have "a 'bah, humbug' attitude" when it comes to new tech.

It's not flattering, but I can't help thinking there's a grain of truth in there. I've gradually learned to love the Nokia N-series phones, but not without some serious pouting and sulking about how it took more than five minutes to learn how to use them - an attitude that, with hindsight, is more befitting a person three times my age. Then there's the massive divide between the newspaper, broadcast and magazine options, which is daft when you think about how close the three are becoming out in the real world.

What do you think?

[Ollie Leach]

yeah!

[Elizabeth-Anne]

That should have been 'I also don't want to alienate myself' - balance, maan.

[Elizabeth-Anne]

I don't blog on Ning because I already have two blogs, and because the entire journalism dept is on Facebook, which is easier to use. And I was against the Nokia day because a) they hadn't made any effort to research their audience and b) they encouraged us to lie about their products.

Although digital media is incredibly important, it's very much a myth that everyone in the country is reading their newspapers off a rss feed. I want to be on board with the latest tech advances, but I don't want to alienate myself so far from the average reader that I have no way of understanding them any more.

[Charlie Duff]

If this is the nickname I think it is, then I misinterpreted it and thought it had been coined by some of the mag-people, and though it was faintly amusing. I don't think it's a personal comment, more of a pun, right?

Whatever. Back to topic, the rose-tinted view of journalism drives me insane. There is no way I subscribe to that. Part of the romanticism is to dismiss feature writing as something secondary to news writing, and to look down on 'soft' as opposed to 'hard' news. But people read, and need, both.

I personally love politics and world affairs. Hard news is not something I'm squemish about. I'm just better at writing features. What's the problem?

[Elen Moore]

To clear up any misunderstandings about the nickname i presume you're talking about- i think myself and lucy may be to blame, but they have absolutely nothing to do with 2/3rds of the magazine class. It was actually a term of endearment, love and erm, respect we coined for our housemates mr laurence edmondson and mr michael monypenny- no further circulation was intended. but as half of the perpetrating team i apologise immensely. hugs all round. x

[Josh Gardner]

Go on Lynn, lay your wit on us!

[Lynn Roberts]

Re mag group nicknames: The perpetrators have really missed a trick on the other 3rd..

[Mark Ansell]

Hug indeed. Come on everyone, there's much more to gain from getting along.

I believe that some of us are failing to grab the opportunity to embrace digital media. We need to realise the importance of it both to tell stories and ultimately to get a job.

I've blogged on this:
www.markansell.co.uk

[Josh Gardner]

I really don't like to get involved in the little posturing matches that seem to pop up on here, I thought the panto was hilarious, fair cop to everyone involved, particularly Harry and Barton, job well done both.

That being said, calling the pictures that were up in maglab "highly personal and upsetting" is a little bit extreme dont you think?

They were a bit of a giggle, and ok probably a tad harsh, which is why we thought better of it and took them down, but they were all meant in good fun, and hopefully anyone with a sense of humour would have taken it on the chin... just like certain Broadcast nicknames for two thirds of the Magazine group that I could mention...

If you ask me, we should all just stop trying to show whos best and get along.

Hug anyone?

[Tim Holmes]

Just for the record, I laughed as hard as anyone at the panto.