Thursday, February 25

I had an odd and somewhat disquietening start to the day. Having missed the usual bus I walked down to Alepa and caught a 95 that, as usual, arrived at no particular time related to the timetable.

I began the day by making new Powerpoint slide shows for this week’s MA classes. I created one of very topical changes in the media landscape, including the move by the BBC to switch BBC3 and Radio 5 Live to web only, and the similar decision by the Independent newspaper to stop publishing this month and become a “global web brand”. I also included the news about Mark Zuckenberg taking over a Samsung phone launch to extol the virtues of virtual reality, hyping Samsung Gear in the process rather than his own Oculus Rift. Finally I mentioned the new ViewMaster, based on Google Cardboard.

I then downloaded and looked through the approximately sixty four assignments from the students. These were admittedly McLuhan-style tetrads and mindmaps rather than essays but nonetheless several hours passed as I compared them and weighed up how to utilise them in tonight’s group sessions.

At 12:00 I went for a lunchtime meeting with Micke Forsström in which we discussed how we might work together on the Nobanet e-learning platform, and projects inside Arcada. We ate sausage sauce and mash while we were doing this.

Afterwards I turned my attention back to the book chapter I am revising for Alison and Gerri until I stopped for a breath of air. Now I am wandering up and down and wondering whether we should use the space with fatboys for the discussions, or move to Oasis. I am sitting on a chair looking at a pile of fatboys, or a cheaper alternative. Big beanbags, anyway. I am deciding that we will start in the broadcasting room so we can stream the session and then the groups will move here to discuss.

At 16:20 I will collect Tomas Lindh from the entrance and open the first session. We will discuss YLE’s digital policy and the landscape in which it is taking place. He will talk about slow tv, virtual reality and the necessary eventual switch from broadcasting programmes to creating online events that serve to define Finland.

At 21:10 I will leave for home, happy with most of the day.