Comments on: Where are the the think tank bloggers? http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html Our place to talk - an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:36:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Niklas Smith http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100368 Niklas Smith Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:23:11 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100368 @Jock: Exactly - and what about Demos? Their "big idea" is empowering citizens (and Richard Reeves is a liberal). That seems to me to give them a lot of common ground with both the Liberal Democrats and the liberal ideological tradition. @Stephen: Do amend! @Jock: Exactly – and what about Demos? Their “big idea” is empowering citizens (and Richard Reeves is a liberal). That seems to me to give them a lot of common ground with both the Liberal Democrats and the liberal ideological tradition.
@Stephen: Do amend!

]]> By: James Crabtree http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100358 James Crabtree Fri, 23 Oct 2009 05:13:00 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100358 Great post -- speaking from Prospect, i just wanted to say that we did commend Sunder Katwala and Matthew Taylor at the RSA for their think-tank-blogging. Implied within that, i suppose, was the sense that most of the other tanks weren't as good...... Great post — speaking from Prospect, i just wanted to say that we did commend Sunder Katwala and Matthew Taylor at the RSA for their think-tank-blogging. Implied within that, i suppose, was the sense that most of the other tanks weren’t as good……

]]> By: Alasdair Murray http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100244 Alasdair Murray Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:58:41 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100244 Thanks for opening up this debate and for the interesting responses. CentreForum has been asking this question on an off for a couple of years and have tried a number of ways to make it work. We certainly don't have all the answers and would love to hear any further thoughts you might have but here is my quick appraisal of the dilemma: 1. Succesful blogs need a strong personality. This makes it difficutl for a think tank that draws on a wide range of different wonks with inevitably differing styles to build momentum. We are lucky that Giles wants to make it work and has developed his own excellent style. But this still leaves the problem of how other staff (and our external authors from time to time) can slot in. 2. Resources: Most of our writing is research based and obviously takes time to do. This is fine if you are merely blogging about an existing research project but it is hard to find time to do anything extra quickly enough for the fast moving blogosphere. This would be ok if everyone blogged to fill in the inevitable gaps (but see problem 1). Or we need to do more straight opinion (avoiding the need to research so many facts) but that then raises the question of what is the value added over the many other blogs doing this? Anyway all thoughts welcome. Btw Stephen, Prospect has in previous years ran a new media award, which I think was last one by Demos. I don't know why they dropped it - possibly not enought quality entries! Sunder katwala's fabian blog got a verbal mention at least in this year's awards. Alasdair Thanks for opening up this debate and for the interesting responses. CentreForum has been asking this question on an off for a couple of years and have tried a number of ways to make it work. We certainly don’t have all the answers and would love to hear any further thoughts you might have but here is my quick appraisal of the dilemma:
1. Succesful blogs need a strong personality. This makes it difficutl for a think tank that draws on a wide range of different wonks with inevitably differing styles to build momentum.
We are lucky that Giles wants to make it work and has developed his own excellent style. But this still leaves the problem of how other staff (and our external authors from time to time) can slot in.
2. Resources: Most of our writing is research based and obviously takes time to do. This is fine if you are merely blogging about an existing research project but it is hard to find time to do anything extra quickly enough for the fast moving blogosphere.
This would be ok if everyone blogged to fill in the inevitable gaps (but see problem 1). Or we need to do more straight opinion (avoiding the need to research so many facts) but that then raises the question of what is the value added over the many other blogs doing this?
Anyway all thoughts welcome.
Btw Stephen, Prospect has in previous years ran a new media award, which I think was last one by Demos. I don’t know why they dropped it – possibly not enought quality entries! Sunder katwala’s fabian blog got a verbal mention at least in this year’s awards.
Alasdair

]]> By: Gareth Aubrey http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100192 Gareth Aubrey Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:28:35 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100192 I'm sure my ward colleague would want me to highlight that the Institute of Welsh Affairs has a blog... http://www.iwa.org.uk/blog/ I’m sure my ward colleague would want me to highlight that the Institute of Welsh Affairs has a blog… http://www.iwa.org.uk/blog/

]]> By: Stephen Tall http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100187 Stephen Tall Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:09:35 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100187 Indeed, Jock - as would Reform. Will amend. Indeed, Jock – as would Reform. Will amend.

]]> By: Jock http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100183 Jock Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:32:44 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100183 <blockquote>the UK’s only liberal think tank, Centre Forum</blockquote> I think perhaps you mean Liberal <i>Democrat</i> aligned think-tank, don't you? I'm pretty sure that ASI and IEA would both call themselves think-tanks...:)

the UK’s only liberal think tank, Centre Forum

I think perhaps you mean Liberal Democrat aligned think-tank, don’t you?

I’m pretty sure that ASI and IEA would both call themselves think-tanks…:)

]]> By: Alix http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100166 Alix Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:09:50 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100166 I'm really enjoying Giles' blog too. I don't know why I never particularly caught on to its previous incarnation. I wonder if it's as simple as not having the Centre Forum logo in the corner? I suspect people mentally file "institution" blogs under "dull", but respond to an avowedly personal blog (and then when they find out the person writing is an Ummer, or other thinktank equivalent, then it becomes even more interesting). I did once leave a comment on a very interesting post at the Demos blog, which had no other comments that I could see. No-one ever answered it. It's pretty obvious when people are blogging because they want to write about stuff, as Giles is, and when they're blogging because their PR consultant told them to. I’m really enjoying Giles’ blog too. I don’t know why I never particularly caught on to its previous incarnation. I wonder if it’s as simple as not having the Centre Forum logo in the corner? I suspect people mentally file “institution” blogs under “dull”, but respond to an avowedly personal blog (and then when they find out the person writing is an Ummer, or other thinktank equivalent, then it becomes even more interesting).

I did once leave a comment on a very interesting post at the Demos blog, which had no other comments that I could see. No-one ever answered it. It’s pretty obvious when people are blogging because they want to write about stuff, as Giles is, and when they’re blogging because their PR consultant told them to.

]]> By: Tim Leunig http://www.libdemvoice.org/where-are-the-the-think-tank-bloggers-16592.html#comment-100159 Tim Leunig Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:25:07 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/?p=16592#comment-100159 But if no-one comments on those TTs that have an RSS feed, why would the others bother? Congrats to Giles for a very well-deserved prize. This is a fantastically competitive award - there are 100s of pamphlets published each year - so to win is a real coup (CF's first pamphlet of the year award, I think). The paper is also great - I would urge people to at least read the summary article he wrote for LDV. And his blog is first class - http://freethinkecon.wordpress.com/ But if no-one comments on those TTs that have an RSS feed, why would the others bother?

Congrats to Giles for a very well-deserved prize. This is a fantastically competitive award – there are 100s of pamphlets published each year – so to win is a real coup (CF’s first pamphlet of the year award, I think). The paper is also great – I would urge people to at least read the summary article he wrote for LDV. And his blog is first class – http://freethinkecon.wordpress.com/

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