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So why do you watch Stilgherrian Live?

03 January 2009 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 24 comments

Image of Stilgherrian from the Stilgherrian Live Christmas Special

Stilgherrian Live is currently on summer break, but will return soon. My question to you today is: Why do you watch it?

My plan is that when Stilgherrian Live returns in 2009 I’ll give you more of what you like and less of what you don’t like. Plus I’ll be getting the marketing sorted out, as well as recording it properly so it can go on iTunes and other places to reach a wider and more vulnerable audience.

So what do you like about it? It’s quite random at times and the production values are, erm, not the highest in the world. Does that matter? Is that its charm?

So far the regular segments are, in rough program order: a cheap and nasty opener, a rant about something that’s annoyed me that week, the “Cnut of the Week” segment, some random TV adverts via YouTube, Stilgherrian’s Street View (a few minutes of random footage in some street), more ranting with the occasional talkback call, a closing song — and then after the “official” program more random crap I’ve found on that Internet thing.

What should stay? What should go? What is the appeal of Stilgherrian Live? What is it that I bring to be small screen which is unique? What else should I know while I’m thinking about this? Over to you…

His Benevolence Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message

27 December 2008 in Politics, Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 10 comments

Here it is. The full video of His Benevolence Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message, originally broadcast on Christmas Night as part of the Stilgherrian Live Christmas Special.

For some reason Ustream only recorded the first 70 minutes of that program, so the remaining 2+ hours is lost forever. Apart from this inaugural Christmas Message, which must be preserved for future generations! If the video player does not appear immediately below, try watching it directly at Viddler.

Warning: There is “strong language. Well, not by my standards, but maybe by yours.

The full text is over the jump, should you wish to read along. However my main aim in putting it there was to attract Teh Googles.

Also, the Message is riddled with continuity and other errors. Perhaps, if you’re bored, you can amuse yourself by listing them in the comments. I won’t mind.

My especial thanks to ’Pong for the massive amount of work on this silly project.

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And here’s the program…

25 December 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | No comments

Title card for Stilgherrian Live Christmas Special 2008

…all 3.5 hours of it. All streamable and watchable as you wish. It was planned to be 2 hours, but we had to pad until His Benevolence Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message was ready to air.

Unlike the usual one-hour programs, we included the weird-arsed archival videos that I usually play after the program officially ends in the body of the program itself.

Tomorrow we’ll clean up the editing of the Christmas Message somewhat and post it online as a stand-alone video. Stand by.

[Update 26 December: Alas, it seems Ustream recorded only the first 70-odd minutes of the program. The rest is lost in the ether... forever.]

Stilgherrian Live Christmas Special 2008

25 December 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | No comments

Christmas tree with gold baubles and a star

I’ve finally decided! Stilgherrian Live will present two hours of special Christmas Day programming tonight from 6pm Sydney time, kicking off with His Benevolence Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message.

Actually, it might be called His Excellency Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message, or maybe just His Excellency’s Christmas Message, depending what we decide later.

I’ve been reviewing the raw video footage this morning and it’s disturbing. As is the gnome. You have been warned. See you tonight. with the gnome.

[Christmas Tree image courtesy of Icon Drawer.]

I’ll announce the broadcast time for His Benevolence Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message late this afternoon Sydney time. In a few hours, in other words. Meanwhile you can still nominate your preferred time in that previous post.

24 December 2008 by Stilgherrian | Permalink

When should I deliver my Christmas Message?

20 December 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 14 comments

Photograph of Stilgherrian for Christmas

OK, the photo is from last year, but I couldn’t be bothered doing another one just yet. However, I have an important question for you!

Next Thursday is Christmas Day, and I’ve decided to do a special edition of Stilgherrian Live called His Excellency Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message His Benevolence Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message [see comments]. Something along the lines of Her Majesty’s little efforts from 2007 or 1957.

The question is: What time on Christmas Day should it be broadcast. In the afternoon at 3pm? Certainly not the usual 9.30pm, as everyone will have collapsed by then. But when? And what else should the program contain?

Kevin “5%” Rudd is our Cnut of the Week

19 December 2008 in Politics, Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | No comments

Photograph of Kevin Rudd as Cnut of the Week

The result was clear even as nominations came in. Our Dear Chairman, Kevin “5%” Rudd, was voted “Cnut of the Week” by 51% of Stilgherrian Live viewers last night for approving what was seen as a lame target for reducing carbon emissions.

The program is now online for your viewing pleasure.

I’d thought Bernadette McMenamin would win, based on what I wrote in Crikey on Wednesday, but no. She scored 34%. Presumed-corrupt Illinois governor Rod Blagojevitch was third with 9% for his efforts to sell a senatorial seat in Washington, and Thailand’s People’s Alliance for Democracy came in last with just 6% for their efforts to make Thailand’s political system anything but democratic.

Next Thursday is Christmas Day. There will be a special program, His Excellency Stilgherrian’s Christmas Message, at a time to be announced. Stay tuned.

Stilgherrian Live returns. You know what that means

18 December 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 23 comments

Cnut of the Week graphic

Finally, Stilgherrian Live returns tonight at 9.30pm Sydney time — and that means nominations are now open for “Cnut of the Week”.

Who do you think is futilely resisting the tide of change? I’ll select the shortlist at 8.30pm Sydney time, and you can vote during tonight’s program.

Who do you nominate, and why?

I know it’s been a few weeks since the last Stilgherrian Live, but there still won’t be one tonight. The health still ain’t there.

11 December 2008 by Stilgherrian | No comments

Clive Hamilton doesn’t quite win “Cnut of the Week”

21 November 2008 in Internet, Politics, Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 7 comments

Photograph of jet airliner tail with Qantas logo and Cnut of the Week title

I’m surprised. I thought that given Senator Conroy’s three-in-a-row victory as “Cnut of the week”, this week’s winner would be Clive Hamilton for his irrational rant in favour of Internet censorship in Crikey yesterday. But no.

Hamilton is certainly Cnutworthy, trying to hold back two strong tides of change: the change of the Internet, which will deliver whatever people want to send down its pipes, whether you try to block it or not; and the tide of rationality which increasingly renders shrill fear-mongering and name-calling irrelevant. But no.

The winner was Qantas for continuing to resist a tide of public opinion which clearly shows their reputation slipping thanks to unreliable service — which appears in turn to be the result of cuts to maintenance processes.

Last night’s episode of Stilgherrian Live is online for your viewing pleasure, though it’s not the same without the live chat.

But Clive Hamilton… Two hints, Clive.

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So many Cnuts to choose from!

20 November 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 8 comments

Cnut of the Week graphic

Nominations are now open for “Cnut of the Week”. Who do you think is futilely resisting the tide of change? I’ll select the shortlist at 8.30pm Sydney time, and you can vote during tonight’s Stilgherrian Live at 9.30pm.

Senator Stephen Conroy has been the clear winner for the last three episodes thanks to his persistence with the government’s Internet censorship plans. Some have suggested we just make him “Cnut for Life” and open the field to other contenders. What do you think?

We already have a pre-nomination of the bloke who tried to convince his wife that his iPhone accidentally emailed naked photos to another woman. Yeah, sure mate.

Who do you nominate, and why?

Conroy’s Cnutful Hat Trick

14 November 2008 in Internet, Politics, Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 5 comments

Photograph of Senator Stephen Conroy labelled Cnut of the Week

Yes, Stephen Stephen Conroy was voted “Cnut of the Week” for the third time running by the audience of last night’s Stilgherrian Live — which you can watch online now. My people do not like his Internet censorship plans, it seems!

We had so many nominations, ranging from “NSW wheat farmers” (who, despite record crops in some areas, are still whingeing because the world economic recession means they can’t get the price they want for their grain) to “the people of Arkansas” (for their medieval attitude to gay couples adopting children).

Still, despite a strong final field including Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (for calling US President-Elect “tanned”), Vitamin D (you’ll have to watch) and NSW Premier Nathan Rees (for recent state budget cuts), Senator Conroy was the clear winner with 66% of the vote.

Will Conroy be “Cnut of the Week” yet again?

13 November 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 16 comments

Cnut of the Week graphic

In just 4 hours, we’ll discover whether Senator Stephen Conroy is chosen as “Cnut of the Week” for the third time running — because it’s just 4 hours until tonight’s edition of Stilgherrian Live (9.30pm Thursdays Sydney time).

Senator Conroy is pre-nominated because… well… he’s continuing his denial-mode tactics in relation to Internet censorship. I know mah peeps, and I know ya want to nominate him. Who else? It’s the same rules as usual. We’re after people (or abstract forces of nature, or organisations or whatever) who’ve been futilely trying to hold back the tide of change.

Who do you nominate, and why?

The argument is simple, Senator Conroy

31 October 2008 in Internet, Politics, Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 12 comments

Photograph of Senator Stephen Conroy labelled Cnut of the Week

For the second week in a row, the Stilgherrian Live audience voted Senator Stephen Conroy our “Cnut of the Week” for his persistence with and behaviour over the Australian government’s Internet censorship “plans”. The program is now online for your viewing pleasure.

OK, that’s a biased sample, sure. But as I wrote in Crikey yesterday, Conroy is thoroughly tangled in his own Rabbit-Proof Firewall. I’ll try to sneak that article out from behind the paywall later. However in summary Conroy is blustering, maligning his critics with the McCarthyist tactic of bullying and calling them child pornographers and generally ignoring the rational questions being put to him.

He’s also back-pedalling fast. On ABC Radio National’s The Media Report yesterday, he was even denying the policy was about censoring legal material at all, despite clear evidence for exactly the opposite.

Not good enough, Senator Conroy.

If the government wants to persist with comprehensive, centralised, secretive, unaccountable Internet censorship — let’s not use the spin-words “filtering” and “clean feed” because that just reinforces their moral-panic frame of the Internet being “dirty” — then they need to deploy this evidence-based policy-making they used to talk about and actually address the evidence.

Mark Newton, the network engineer Conroy’s office tried to bully into silence, has only become more vocal in his criticism. And at Online Opinion yesterday he puts his case more clearly than ever.

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And this week’s Cnut is…?

30 October 2008 in Stilgherrian Live by Stilgherrian | 10 comments

Cnut of the Week graphic

Oops! Only 3.5 hours until tonight’s edition of Stilgherrian Live (9.30pm Thursdays Sydney time) and I’m only just opening nominations for “Cnut of the Week”. Still I’ve got four requests for Senator Stephen Conroy already!

Senator Conroy was the clear winner last week for his efforts relating to Internet censorship, and if you’ve ready my piece in Crikey today (behind the paywall for now), or Bernard Keane’s, I reckon you might understand why he’s worthy of yet another go.

Still, maybe someone else is worthy too? It’s the same rules as usual. We’re after people (or abstract forces of nature, or organisations or whatever) who’ve been futilely trying to hold back the tide of change.

Who do you nominate, and why?

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