Storymaker Dave uncleweed Olson shares an eclectic variety of stories from Vancouver’s counter-culture history on a stage adorned with a record player, campfire & cub scout blanket, art easel, flowers and an Expo 86 mug – plus pulls artifacts from an old-timey suitcase to illustrate forgotten past of a city which is/was much cooler than most realize.
Presented at Northern Voice, June 2013 in Vancouver, Canada, his 11th presentation to this noted personal expression conference (and his last talk before a medical “retirement”).
Dave uncleweed Olson shares Forgotten Vancouver Stories
Topics:
Frederick Varley – Group of 7 painter who lived in Vancouver for 10 years
Grateful Dead – (tried to) play free shows at Second Beach and Kits Beach in 1966
Bob Masse psychedelic poster artist
Gastown Riots, March on Blaine, Rock Against Racism
bev. davies – rock n roll photographer, community chronicler, punk rock mom
Blues in Vancouver – Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee at the Bunkhouse
Vancouver punk rock glory days DIY spirit and fanzines (+ final days of The Clash and importance of ephemera)
Clayoquot Sound logging blockades
Jake Milford and the Canucks recruiting Swedish players in the 1970s
United Empire Loyalists + Burner Boys bringing jam band culture
Venues of note: Afterthought, Retinal Circus, York Theatre, the Cave, the Bunkhouse
Cubscout campfire blankets
Howard Hughes, Errol Flynn
++ bits of Kris Krug, Bob Kronbauer, Rebecca Bollwitt, Dan Mangan, Jason Vanderhill and campfire helpers: Mark Blevis, Kemp Edmonds, John Biehler, James Lester, Ariane Colenbrander, Nicholas Demers
I was recently asked to share a personal profile piece withe BC Jobs’ Hide Ozawa, who is coincidentally also the goalkeeper for the SFU Clan Men’s Soccer Team, about my role at HootSuite, a leader in British Columbia’s tech space. For the record, while I attempt to gingerly avoid political posturing, I am a proud BC resident and thought my story was worth sharing. Read Meet Dave Olson for my full profile.
Meanwhile, here’s an excerpt that I found particularly interesting:
Photo by Kris Krug
“Prior to joining HootSuite as one of the company’s first ten employees in 2010, Dave’s curious personality led him into dozens of industries in various countries all over the world. “During my twenties I bounced around continents and held around 100 (very) odd jobs. I was a grape picker in Germany and mushroom farmer in Japan. It was during a stint as a private beach host on the island of Guam when I discovered this thing called the Internet,” he says.”
BC Jobs Plan also recently featured profiles on two of my good friends and their success stories in the province. Meet Kris Krug and Meet Rebecca Bolwitt here.
A couple days ago I re-introduced you to Dave Olson who will be speaking, today I’d like to re-introduce you to another one of the speakers, Rebecca Bollwitt, who should need no introduction.
Otherwise known as @Miss604, she’s been on Twitter since early 2007 and I would be VERY surprised if you’re not familiar with her because not only does she have almost twice as many Twitter followers as the mayor but she’s also been running her fantasticMiss604.com blog since 2004. She also runs a WordPress development/new media consulting firm called sixty4media, was recently listed as one of the most influential women in social media in all of Canada and she also recently co-authored the book Blogging to Drive Business. In short: she has a lot to teach you this weekend, so you should go to this!
Saturday March 26th, 2011
Tom Lee Music Hall – 929 Granville St (3rd floor)
1pm – 4pm
Everyone’s online – but are you taking advantage of all the opportunities it provides? Find out how to best utilize the internet to market and promote your music, coming up with out-of-the-box ideas and buzz for your band. Featuring artists and marketing professionals who have seen direct results through online promotions!
I proceed with this round-up trepidatiously as i tend to look forward to what’s next and try to temporarily forget recent projects once complete. Also, i am (somewhat) hesitant to ramble on about myself (sorta). But, as a note to future self, and for a record of gratitude, here is an endlessly incomplete collection of events, incidents and anecdotes from this past year (pardons in advance for any omissions).
Interested in any of these topics? Rather than me including the handy links (like i probably should), i encourage you to poke around and discover the artifacts and collections about any topics, adventure, project listed… doing so will allow me to share this sooner and move onto the next thing (plus *everything* would end up linked).
I’ll also include a few meditations and manifestations for the 2011 so you can ask me, “hey dave, how’s it going with those things you mentioned you’d do in 2011?”
The other day, i recorded a wee festive video messages to say thanks for letting me participate in your life and thanks for being part of mine:
Recapping
Healing: Abdominal surgery (2nd in years), challenging recovery was significantly aided by kindness and traditional Chinese Medicine (thanks Drs. Trauben & Ying & Nagy)– tried to enjoy films during recovery but, due to pain, watched WW2 movies and documentaries to feel camaraderie from injured comrades
Speaking: Shared my stories on stages including… Pecha Kucha (Fck Stats, Make Art, remix’d), Word Camp Vancouver (Art and Tech) – thanks Duane/Dale/Johnx2/Rebecca, Social Media Camp Victoria (for day-job), plus lecturing classes at BCIT, and TNMH spiels at Capilano University 2x, Fresh Media (also a podcast lecture at this one i think… ) – Also Northern Voice video about finding voice/creativity, etc. – thanks for Andrew Lavigne, Julie Szabo, Monica Hamburg and all who showed up to watch while i lay upon a davenport
Wrangling: True North Media House – survived the tension and negativity to create a social movement of documentation, reporting, funtimes, internationalizing and explore the issues about modern media and global mega-events… from prosestors to journalists, we didn’t fit in anywhere but ended up “being” a story. Interviews/coverage in PBS Media Shift, CBC Radio multiple times, and dozens of other outlets
Internationalizing: Also Olympics in general as a fan saw a handful of freaking awesome hockey games hanging with my face people drinking tall cans in parks, meeting visitors, finding new pubs and parks, riding the bus with happy people, hugging strangers
Documenting: Along the way, i created a bucket load of Olympic Outsider podcasts on-the-go with instant publishing to bring all of you along
Documented: The With Glowing Hearts filmmakers followed me around for much of the above and combined my story with others to make a remarkable soliloquy about a city in change and various approaches to dealing with it
Awarded: Choogle On awarded 3rd place (4th kinda) in Georgia Straight’s Best of Vancouver which is kinda neat. Made a few more episodes (though many are hidden currently)
Traveling:
Yup, always on the go… here’s where (and of course there are podcasts from the trips so you can come along in my backpocket):
Austin for SXSW for the 3rd time – getting more local, finding face cafes, greenbelts with yoga tattoo artists, hidden bars and bar-b-ques. hectic fun hanging with industry luminaries where you can’t tell the millionaires from the bankrupt. Also made podcasts to detail the nuances and form an audio quest guide for rookies and chooglers. also broken leg cyborg rescue mission – cheers to John Biehler, Nadia, Flanders, Amber Case and Dave Delaney + Pugz and Laurie
Toronto including Hockey Hall of fame for 1 rapid hour, wandering new streets, cafes and bars – Canada is different there but some charming people amongst the bustle and smoke
Seattle to Subpop meeting superhero: Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, enjoying the backroom tour and going home with a box of CDs (thanks Dean for making it happen)
Festivaling: Komasket Music fest interviews with great bands and enjoyed vibe of small time fest (see also articles in Vancouver observer) shisha tents with tea, lake canoes paddles, redemption song outdoors, couch green room “backstage” – note: Bocephus King is giant and enjoys swimming. Extra thanks Kazia and “Family Man” Barrett
Roadtripping: Trip to Nelson for Christmas Day lighthouse ferry ride, soaking in a hot springs cave, local organic Nelson beer in a haunted hotel and snowy day drives + met harp/hashman Xomaha. Made a video to tell you i like ya (above) – plus a stop at Duhkabour museum (near Castlegar) in search of Draft dodger statue (a story for another time ( someone wanna fund my trip and article?))
Writing: Along with meta coverage, interviews, and miscellany, articles and essays abounded! including pieces in:
RAIN – an interview and art piece about my personal artistic journey
Vancouver Observer – dossiers about the inaugural SeaBus voyage, summer festivals, train travel and Remembrance day ++
Megaphone – Let’s Get Lost, a tour of forgotten Vancouver counter-culture landmarks
Inside Vancouver – Vancouver Tourism featured vancouverite sharing my fave activities, places and tips
Exode – Serialized Letters from Russia (in a stylish manner)
Granville (Varley forthcoming) – this is a big one which is a true labor of affection
+ Blogging: was “official” blogger (along with Bob from VIAwesome) at TEDX Vancouver and documented a bucket full of talks including Nardwuar and Josh Fox
Culturing: Going the Opera – twice(!) including a contemporary Canadian opera and a more trad Italian preceded by rainy night fun with draft beer and raclette at German festive market with Chris and Cinci
Meeting: Getting friendly with the CBC Radio 3 crew – admire/enjoy what they do + props to Grant Lawrence for book/tour/blog/etc.
Rocking: DOA at Anti-Olympics show with KK, Bev et al, with me in lanyard, pins, Canadian flags and assorted spangles at the Rickshaw – see also: Misfits with mon ami Scales – UPDATE: Vampire Weekend outside Malkin Bowl with a spiked bubble tea
Partying: UW 40 party with so many friends, a whole pig and endless beer and tropical drinks the next morning in the wrecked campground – also a skunk & many fine ales for later – special thanks to analog lisa and R&B Brewing – So pleased Bev Davies came and gave me a treasured gift
Officiating: Conducted a wedding (for Kemp and Sheila) and wrote a celebratory prose with influences from Walt Whitman to Gibran to Chili Peppers
Transcending: Levon Helm with brother Dan on a perfect night with a perfect buzz and all time hero with surprises including Elvis Costello. Also, during Olympics, watched Wilco rock a long, sophisticated set in a drizzly park – really started the good feelings as fireworks reflected in Yaletown and so on… (many other bands included The Stills again)
Camping: Owl Creek Howl year 3 – sitting in stream, beers around lantern during fire ban and making funny-ish videos for Lt. Magnum with Scales and Mariska
Sporting: (drunken) Whitecaps games, (expensive) Canucks hockey, BC Lions at Empire with Dad and brother) and baseball parks around BC including Vancouver Island
Exploring: I was on the bridge for the new SeaBus’ inaugural voyage along with my pal Miss604 – took a week to stop smiling (or was this last year?), Culture Crawl to Boris and Rachel’s, day-trips aplenty to hidden neighbourhoods and dozens of walks on the Varley trail
Sunsetting: Possibly last trip to Olympia for some time. Cashed in Last Word Book credit and last coffee card on a iced chai after a hardworking weekend winding down Zhonka office with Unabonger
Remembering: Observed Remembrance Day at Japanese Cenotaph at Stanley Park with co-conspirators KK, Trauben and Lis. Followed by rainy hike and plenty beers to the Legion hall for Lt. Magnum (now Commander) Brother who made it back and forth to Afghanistan safely – chance to record some fun videos and learn more about contemporary military life and culture (see also: podcast and Vancouver Observer article)
Celebrating: My pal Derek kicked cancer’s ass for another year and i went to his birthday party and danced in his parent’s swinging party room
Visting: Maddog Maccarthy, international man of silicon up from Pacifica for Greek food and Lendog up from PDX for whirlwind hockey and beers and buddy Banghi up for CDN Thankgiving (it’s a tradition) with giant bottle of Bishmills in tow
Working: You prob know i have a wicked job at which i work hard and experience personal satisfaction and significant results and enjoy collaborating with many dear colleagues – i also appear frequently in podcasts, interviews, articles etc. discussing the concerns of the company and observations of the industry but you can find those on your own
Friending: I started a list of all the people i didn’t already explicitly mention… but this will take all day so i’m taking a hike… consider yourself admired
Words & Music: This is where i’d tell you what i read and listened to but skipping this too…
2011 is bound to be full of surprises, but there are many things i must do personally to ease my mind (i.e. taxes and biz and exercise), and many i am so eager to do to fill my soul (writing, making), and many which fit in-between (web remaking, archiving).
Here are most:
Shut down Zhonka gently – tough one and overdue
Do my taxes early and pay off CRA
Establish new web *everything* – it’s all a mess, all of it
Archive all podcasts (and release purchasable collections?) – related to above, move audio to archive.org
Participate in a sport(s)/activities frequently (snowshoeing, x-country skiing, trail running, tai chi, inline hockey, swimming)
Attend SXSW music as well as interactive
Refresh wardrobe (new thrift store shirts/pants (possibly in Austin, Texas)
Make a quilt from old t-shirts
Get to know Vancouver Archives, Museum of Vancouver, Vancouver Art Gallery
Shouldn’t be too hard, right? Give me a hand won’t you – especially with the pleasant parts. UPDATE: Need to see a dentist multiple times and aim to drink more water.
Cheers for the all kindness (photo @kk)
Next big projects: Revisit the Festival Express remix of a train trip across Canada teaching about wonders of personal expression and media; begin Ole Dead Gramps audio remix project (maybe); revisit Clayoquot Rainforest Dispatches to include others’ stories; make Bev. Davies interview into something.
Some of my pals rallied up WordCamp Vancouver recently and i was among many other pals as a speaker. Like last year’s WordCamp Whistler “Greeks to Geeks – Are you Worthy?” (video), I took the closing slot to tell my artsy/history stories after they all had a hectic day of technical learning.
By exploring technological innovations from tubed oil paints and graphite pencils to telegraphs and mountain bikes, Dave will explain how scientific innovation spurs the creative process and how to balance the cranial hemispheres to foster the seemingly opposed disciplines of both building a publishing platform and producing compelling content using WordPress.
Stories and examples will draw from Van Gogh, HD Thoreau, Word Perfect, telegrams, Gnomedex, mountain bikes and the channeled scablands in eastern Washington.
Pod-radio-tech-speaker @todmaffin has some concerns and comments about “geek-Camps”
I notice that some of my social media friends in Vancouver have put together an excellent day tomorrow called WordCamp (a day about WordPress). There are sessions on using WordPress as a CMS, being curious for a living, SEO tips, and the inimitable Dave Olsen presenting “Art and Technology Are Old Pals.”1
{snip}
Locals still talk about Dave’s über-inspiring “Fuck Stats. Make Art” presentation at Northern Voice a couple of years ago for which he received a lengthy standing ovation. [↩]
Video
Note: Alas, video no longer available, leaving placeholder in case can be re-found
This article was written as a “Special Dispatch” for Miss604.com – published in July 2008 while Rebecca and John were elsewhere. Cross-posting here so i don’t lose track of it … and to get ready for sumertime out n abouts.
In the article, besides talking about food and music, I tease many of the Vancouver-area boroughs a wee bit including where i grew up (Whalley) and where i live now (Lynn Valley) which attracted some commenting about region/class misconceptions and soci0-economics.
My article sets out to make the point that neighbourhoods are never quite what you expect them to be and that fact is right-on with me. Again this is a late draft, not final edit – see Miss 604 for canonical version.
Fusion Fest 2008 – Where the Folk are the Audience
By Dave Olson
Holland Park Surrey
All my hipster/greenie/crunchy/urbane pals were all bound for the luminary, venerable Vancouver Folk Fest this past weekend. I turned down extra tickets, rumoured media passes, friendly pleadings and erstwhile invitations cause i already had my weekend fest plans in mind – the Surrey Fusion Fest (see also: Greetings from Fusion Fest – video).
Sure you might think that i missed out on the awesome line-up and beautiful people on idyllic Jericho Beach but i spent scant ducats, saw great bands, ate well, and immersed myself in the ethnic re-mix that is the lower mainland’s super-diverse (and much maligned) municipality. Missed nothing methinks.
I made the lengthy transit trek (3 zones for the price of 2 on weekends) from my North Van sanctuary and spent Saturday afternoon/evening at the new Holland Park with my comrade Dan Funboy, and made the following observations:
No LuluLemon pants in the whole place, none
No whiny West-enders rolling their eyes about “the bridge and tunnel crowd”
No small dogs, nor matching small purses to match
Plenty of police but no incidents i saw (except for two cops rolling over curbs and gardens in quads, WTF?)
Whalley Little League
Surrey heritage signs celebrating Whalley Little League, early settlers on Old Yale Road etc. were cool bits of edu-tainment
Few trees in the expansive park – A nice fountain but not enough trees
Accessible viewing areas for wheelchair rollers to see the bands on the mainstage
Some real characters dancing and roaming the grounds but everyone was allowed to let their freak flag fly without hassle (Dancing to the Peruvian Pan Pipes – video)
Surrey is really making an effort to do something to provide a sense of belonging and community
Reportage for the People!
I am very keen on festivals in general and tend to hang out with the proletariat rather than fancy folks, but i also don’t make it back anywhere near Whalley Exchange these days – cause well, i’ve been there, done that.
But in spite of all the yuppie grumblings from the urban core (many of whom speak of tolerance and diversity while ignoring where it actually happens), this is really where many new Canadians live – and this is where the low-income families can come have fun, where neighbours learn about each other, and where you can enjoy a variety of music you’d otherwise never get to hear. At a thrifty (free) price.
I spent my entire $11 on food tickets (plus someone gave Dan 3 more gratis) and, with Dan surveying the menu guide, we foraged the international booths for the following tasty snacks:
Peruvian empanada (like a Cornish pasty with meat and olives)
Polish apple cake
First Nations salmon (somehow i don’t think the dill sauce and rice pilaf was traditional but sure tasty)
El Salvador tacos al pastor and papusa
Masala tea from India
Even a veteran linguist would be challenged to name all the languages overheard and foodies could sample some creative tasty bits and also check out cultural exhibits from each cultural region (not political jurisdiction as Persia, Palestine, and Taiwan were included).
The Mainstage
The musical line-up boasted a variety of ethnic and distinctly regular acts from a rock band you might see at a Bridgeview roadhouse (Rocking out while waiting for Salmon – video) to a bass player from the MicMac nation (via New Brunswick) who’s exclaimed that she’s “been in the business for 43 years”.
The Chieftains were the headliners on Saturday night which had a Celtic bent to it with the Connors before them (Introducing The Chieftians – video). The Dublin-based band were joined by some young Canadians who were dancing and fiddling and mugging for the camera with mucho aplomb.
The main Chieftain didn’t care for the cameras on the stage projecting the show onto video screens. The drummer got to sing one and managed not to incite a riot when encouraging people to drink a long with his whiskey song.
Nathan the band
The fave for me were Nettwerk recording artists, Nathan. A four piece with a country lilt and multi-instrument creativity. Switching between banjo, accordion and Theremin, acoustic and electric guitars, they sang tales of romance and deceit in a firm tender way, and even played a waltz. I am sucker for a quaver in a voice and i’ve listened to their plaintive, evocative songs on repeat today.
I planned to attend another day at the fest, but a lazy Sunday of watching the first Alpine stage of the Tour de France and unpacking at my new house (in North Van) won out.
Final observation (with my apologies to the do-gooders) while waiting for a bus at the Newton Exchange, listening to Angus (with a his can of Colt 45) ask a guy if the security guard uniform he was wearing was a Coast Guard uniform, i spotted a young woman wearing a shirt with iron-on glitter letters saying, “I was incredible in bed last night and all i got was this lousy t-shirt”
PS I coulda sworn i saw John Chow, the F*ck Art, Make Stats guy leaving as i arrived. Was that you?
Likely that WordPress super dude Lloyd Budd will be in attendance – photo by @johnbiehler
Tickets are sold out so if you slacked — too bad for you. Along with my talk are even more of my cohorts are speaking including John Biehler, Nadia Aly and Tris Hussey. More to be added but this roster is already looking fine.
Like WordCamp Whistler, I am closing the show down and will be laying down a prezo about creativity and history kinda like last year’s “Are you Worthy? AKA Greeks to Geeks” talk.
Loading up the Suitcase – photo by Ianiv & Arieanna
In all the commotion in my life recently, i wasn’t sure what to talk to the people about as i wanted to make sure to spread my kind of knowledge but also tie it all in to topics they’d studied during the day, ergo: about WordPress, the blogging software.
The other night in the bath, i figured it all out – really stemming from a note in my original draft of F@ck Stats, Make Art talk from Northern Voice and SXSW – which points out that while the tools are different, the process of expression isn’t new.
Here’s the gist:
Title: Art and Technology are Old Pals
Description:
By exploring technological innovations from tubed oil paints and graphite pencils to telegraphs and mountain bikes, Dave will explain how scientific innovation spurs the creative process and how to balance the cranial hemispheres to foster the seemingly opposed disciplines of both building a publishing platform and producing compelling content using WordPress.
Stories and examples will draw from Van Gogh, HD Thoreau, Word Perfect, telegrams, Gnomedex, mountain bikes and the channeled scablands in eastern Washington.
Continuing on with archiving the digital artifacts from my Olympic experience and True North Media House campaign… here’s a photo essay by my compatriot Vancouver photographerKris Krug for PBS Media Shift blog in which he profiled a variety of people on the ground in Vancouver producing social coverage of the Olympics.
It has become second nature for people to capture experiences, events and news using their phones, cameras and computers. We live in a world were journalism is an action — and citizens have stepped up to answer that call to action.
As a result, the story of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games is by no means limited to the version being told by official media sponsors. Social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, WordPress and Tumblr are enabling citizens and independent media to provide real-time coverage of the culture, events and community that are part of the Olympic Games. More stories are being told than ever before — and most of them have nothing to to do with the athletic events.
Kris Krüg is a photographer with Static Photography and a prominent member of the citizen and alternative media community in Vancouver. He is out in the city covering the broad spectrum of events that are occurring during the Olympics.
This is his photographic recap of citizen and alternative journalism at the Olympic Games.
Citizen journalists John Biehler and Dave Olson hold up the media accreditation badge for theTrue North Media House. TNMH is a virtual and independent media house operating during the Olympics. It provides media accreditation to citizen journalists of all types and also aggregates their reporting.
Rebecca Bollwitt, a.k.a. Miss604, is a Vancouver podcaster, blogger and all-around social media maven. She has been covering the Olympics for her popular Vancouver community site.
Official media accreditation for the Vancouver Olympic Games is issued by VANOC, the organizing committee — and only the official Olympic media partners are eligible. But other forms of accreditation, such as the one offered by True North Media House, have also been created. Robert Scales, who runs the site Vancouver Access 2010, is holding up his British Columbia International Media Center accreditation badge. This center is created and maintained by the British Columbia government, and is home to a wide variety of Canadian and international media. A few spots were also offered to independent media and bloggers.
British press silent, social media drop off but ‘ definite improvement’ still noted
Vancouver Sun, BY GILLIAN SHAW gshaw@vancouversun.com
LYLE STAFFORD/ REUTERSAlexandre Bilodeau’s gold medal — Canada’s first on home soil — received a massive amount of coverage.
When Vancouver blogger Rebecca Bollwitt was writing about the Olympics, traffic to her website grew 400 per cent.
It dropped back to normal levels with the extinguishing of the Olympic flame, where it has stayed even though Bollwitt is now writing about the Paralympics.
That may help explain why social media appear to be following the lead of many mainstream media outlets in reduced coverage of the Paralympics compared to the Olympics.
It’s an issue with no easy answers. Even as media and social media numbers drop for the Paralympics compared to last month‘ s Olympics, the optimist will see the increase in coverage from past Paralympics.
And both social media and the mainstream media added their voices to the call on CTV for more extensive broadcasting of Paralympics opening and closing ceremonies.
“ I would take a step back and think about what motivates the various media outlets,” said Marc-David Seidel, associate professor at the University of B. C.’ s Sauder School of Business organizational behaviour and human resources division. “ They want to sell papers, get eyeballs or whatever you want to call it.
“ In reality, social media has the same goal; they are both looking for audiences.”
Donovan Tildesley, a Paralympian and multiple-medal winner in swimming, would argue it is up to the mainstream and social media to help raise the profile of the Paralympics.
While some might say the size of the Paralympics – 650 athletes and 10 days of events compared to the Olympics’ 17 days and more than 2,600 athletes – is explanation enough for diminished coverage, Tildesley dismisses that. The profile being given the Paralympics speaks to its importance to media providers, he says.
“ I think there is definitely an improvement from past Games but by no means is it adequate,” he says. “ It is being covered more than it has been, but successes in the Paralympic Games seem to be pushed to the back of the news reports.
“ When Alexandre Bilodeau won his [ Olympic] gold medal it was the lead story on radio and TV. Yesterday when Brian McKeever won his gold medal it was 10 to 15 minutes into the [ CBC’s] World at Six.
“ It wasn’t the lead story. If they want to make it equal or parallel, as the Paralympics should be, it should be leading off the top of the news.”
In The Vancouver Sun, which produced both Paralympic and Olympic supplements, McKeever’s gold-medal performance, along with that of fellow Canadian Lauren Woolstencroft, was Tuesday’s front-page news.
It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg question. If Google searches are any indication, the Paralympics rank far below the Olympics in online interest.
But as Bollwitt points out, the fact that the Paralympic opening ceremony didn’t register as a Twitter trend compared to the Olympic opening that did could be explained by the lack of broadcast coverage.
“ It is not as widely televised so you are not getting people watching in Florida on NBC and tweeting about it,” she said. “ It would be great if it had the same kind of profile.
“ But I think more people are aware of the Paralympics in Vancouver than in any other year. It is still kind of a young event.”
Bollwitt, who is accredited to cover the Paralympics, said she’ll continue to write about them, despite the dwindled readership.
“ I write about stuff that may get zero comments and maybe two retweets but it still is important for me to get it out there,” she said.
It’s an attitude Tildesley would applaud.
“ If we want to understand more about the Games themselves and what these athletes go through, I think the media has the responsibility to take it upon themselves and make it the lead story,” he said. “ I think the mainstream media are just apprehensive because it means stepping out of their comfort zone, writing about something they are not convinced the public will consume.
“ What they don’t realize is that it is the only way to grow the movement from a grassroots movement to a mainstream movement.”
Tildesley says the public wants coverage of the Paralympics and there are indications both in mainstream and social media that some are ready to supply it.
A survey published in the United Kingdom after London won its bid for the 2012 Summer Games indicated 69 per cent of the U. K. public thought there should be more media coverage of the Paralympic Games.
However while February’s Olympics made headlines in U. K. papers – with some controversial coverage – a check of files turns up little in U. K. papers about the Paralympics.
One exception is a Guardian story, headlined: “ BBC criticized for scant coverage of Winter Paralympics.”
A tally of newspaper coverage shows mixed results. A search on Paralympics for The Vancouver Sun turned up 69 results in the Infomart database from opening day March 12 to Tuesday March 16. A search on Olympics from opening day Feb. 12 to Feb. 16 had 286 results, the proportion of stories close to the proportion of Paralympic competitors compared to Olympic competitors.
The Globe and Mail had 222 results for a search on the term Olympics between Feb. 12 and Feb. 16 and 15 results for Paralympics between March 12 and the 16th.
During the same period, an Infomart search of the New York Times turned up two results for Paralympics, while the term Olympics between Feb. 12 and Feb. 16 had 78 results.
The London Daily Mail turned up 40 hits on the term Olympics in stories from Feb. 12 to the 16th, while the opening of the Paralympics registered zero results. The Liverpool Echo had a single Paralympics story during that time, one about Merseyside marine and Paralympian Pete Dunning.
So is there cause for optimism that coverage is increasing?
Robert Scales, who organized a social media website for the Olympics, Vancouver Access 2010, argues that although social media coverage has dropped significantly with the Paralympics, a number of factors are involved. One is that South by Southwest, the largest social media event of the year, is being held in Texas this week.
On the other hand, accreditation for the Paralympics was much easier for bloggers to obtain, as Bollwitt, who wasn’t eligible for the top-level official Olympic media accreditation, found out.
Of the eight people who contributed to Vancouver Access during the Olympics, Scales said only three are left in Vancouver, with the others at SXSW. Even he hasn’t been using his Paralympic accreditation as planned because of injuries from a recent car accident.
Echoing in part what Tildesley suggested, Scales said the Paralympics may be outside the comfort zone of some. “ Yes, we are disappointed they are not getting the same attention,” he said of the Paralympics. “ Do they deserve the same attention?
“ Bloody hell, yes, they are heroes. They show the same endurance that any Olympian does – they are Olympians.”
