Tag: hookturn

We need Hookturn now, more than ever.

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Features to be significantly changed. Decommissioning of 360documentaries, Hindsight, Encounter, Into the Music and Poetica… One possible redundancy with the merging of Books and Arts Daily and the Weekend Arts teams… By Design and RN First Bite to be axed."

—The Guardian lists some of the casualties of the ABC funding cuts.

As our government literally decimates the national broadcaster, I'm even more conscious of the need for the ongoing telling of Australian stories in whichever way we can.

We take a lot of pride in where we come from. As Melburnians we're constitutionally required to be parochial. Once every 18 months or so I travel to New York City and I marvel at its inhabitants' parochialism. They put us to shame. I've travelled to Austin, which has the unique position of being a parochial enclave inside of Texas, itself probably the most parochial place in the world.

I'm speaking about parochialism as a virtue, which opposes my personal economic beliefs for globalisation. But the two concepts can and should co-exist. Continue reading

We only want to be answerable to our audience

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Hookturn Launches with a Ding

Josh Kinal and Michael Williams engage in pre-show shenanigans by interacting with a stuffed pheasant

Josh and Michael Williams engage in pre-show shenanigans

Last week we launched our brand new media label, Hookturn.

It was a joyous affair with drinks and food and people meeting each other, talking about ideas and the future of media.

Ross Floate, in his address to launch the label, spoke about the business's plan to expand Hookturn into producing publications in addition to its current stable of podcasts.

"We wanted to develop a platform for experts to express ideas and engage in discourse," said Ross, "so that we further produce our own style and respect our thought leaders."

The goal, though, is to earn money from Hookturn's audience and avoid advertising for as long as possible. As Ross said on the night: "The only people we want to be answerable to is our audience."

We've had amazing feedback from the community and we're turning to the audience for financial support. It's like Kickstarter but even more independent.

On the evening, Ross revealed a goal of 200 financial members by the end of the year. Reaching that goal would open up the opportunities to move Hookturn from a largely volunteer concern to a professional one.

"We understand that the best way to encourage the best out of people is to pay them," he said.

Audience members watching the Nudge, live.

A very engaged audience.

After the ceremonial ribbon cutting, I had the chance to interview The Wheeler Centre's Michael Williams about their #discuss campaign. That interview was recorded as proof that the crowd enjoyed it and also to be released as a future episode of The Nudge podcast.

More information about Hookturn memberships.

More photos from the night are available to view on the Hookturn Facebook page.

This post was originally published in the Floate Design Partners blog

Nice feelings

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Unlike other podcasts I've listened to, Hookturn shows or maybe properties is a better word? seem designed in the sense that they are focussed with any extraneous parts removed. The first Hookturn show, The Nudge isn't just about design, it's about "being better designers". That's a pretty important, and interesting, difference.

from "You should be listening to Hookturn." in A Blog by Ben Kraal.

Sometimes people just get it, and when they do, it's a really nice feeling.