YouTube Copyright Crackdown on Irish Language TV Programmes

Yesterday I received a “DMCA notice” from YouTube informing me that a video I had posted of a TG4 news report on the launch of my radio series, An Líonra Sóisialta, had been removed by them, at the request of a company called Servecast Ltd, who alleged copyright infringement.

A quick search of YouTube (Gaeilge+TG4) reveals that several more videos of TG4 programmes which had been posted by other users have similarly been deleted.

It would appear that Servecast have a deal with TG4 for the online rights to their programmes – or else they are agents acting on TG4′s behalf.  Whois records indicate that Servecast operate the tg4.tv domain used for TG4′s Web TV.

This follows a recent similar action by the American entertainment company Viacom to defend its intellectual property on the video-sharing site.

Eircom “Split Line” Issue Can Be Overcome

I spoke for 60 seconds on Raidio na Gaeltachta this morning!  I was prompted to call in response to a discussion about rural broadband, a subject of which I have had some experience.

I didn’t catch the name of the guest but he was explaining to Ciarán, the presenter, the problem faced by many telephone subscribers who are saddled with the legacy of split lines (also known as carrier lines or multiplexed lines).  Some of you might recall I also had this problem.

The reason I called was to inform listeners that it is actually possible (although difficult) to get Eircom to remedy the issue.  In fact, I’ve been meaning to blog this for the last couple of months: my own “split line” issue was resolved in January.

Corporate Podcasting Summit Europe, Day 2 – The Authentic Human Voice

What happens when two Irishmen find themselves in a London High Street with a couple of hours to spare?  They get carried away shopping and end up missing the last flight home.

We rejoin our heroes early the next morning, clutching cups of “warm brown slurry”, and leaving absolutely nothing to chance as they stand waiting for Ryanair flight 103 to board …

This podcast (21:52, 20MB) includes reference to sessions from Day 2 of Corporate Podcasting Summit Europe, including presentations by Wells Park Communications and Yada-Yada, while Michael gives his view of the heated discussion involving Podshow UK and some members of the audience during a panel on podcast sponsorship.

(I’m disappointed that I missed that session, especially when I see Leesa Barnes describe it as a “fight scene“!  Jason Van Orden thinks it was a “missed opportunity” for Podshow.)

Corporate Podcasting Summit Europe, Day 1 – A New Excitement

In this podcast (15MB, 23:24) Michael Byrne and I discuss our experience of Day 1 of the European Corporate Podcasting Summit in London.

Going to Corporate Podcasting Summit Europe

There’s a lot happening right now at Edgecast Media – so much so that you may have read elsewhere that I’ve given up my day-job to concentrate on building the company.  I’ll write more about that in the next few weeks.

Naturally enough, I’ve been pre-occupied with that decision and its implications.  So I was undecided until the last minute whether to go with Michael Byrne to the European Corporate Podcasting Summit (he’s had his ticket booked for weeks!)

I decided on Friday, and I’ll meet Michael at Shannon airport tonight to catch a flight to London.

If you’re going to be there and you’d like to meet up – let me know!  Leave a comment, or send email.

(A belated Happy St Patrick’s Day to all.  We had a lovely day with extended family. )

Share IT – Don’t Hoard IT – Free IT Training for Small Business

No – that’s not a typo!  It’s free, and it’s on Saturday 24th March in University College Cork.  What’s more, it’s the first of hopefully many more such events to be held at various locations around the country.

Of course we all know that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and ShareIT is  no exception:

Lunch: (This is where you bring your ham and cheese roll and your thermos flask and club milk.)

I am learning that there is an awful lot of activity which goes on in the world of business for which no money changes hands.  But, while it is therefore technically “free” that is not to say that it is not valuable.

Where to find Accounting Software for a Small Business

[UPDATE: In the original version of this post, I was incorrect in stating that SortMyBooks trial version has limited functionality.  Thanks to Aileen from Aisling Software for explaining it to me.]

I badly need a programme to do my books.  I assume there’s something  out there that will take my input regarding receipts, payments, purchases and sales and generate everything I need from invoices and statements to VAT returns?

SortMyBooks looks promising, and it’s designed for the Irish tax system.  It seems pricy at €390 including 1 year support, but it’s downloadable for free and it’s fully functional for a 30-day trial period before it has to be registered.  I’m currently evaluating it and I’ll report in a few weeks how I got on.

If it looks expensive at first, on closer inspection SortMyBooks is actually quite competitively priced.  It’s best known competitor, Sage Instant Accounts is advertised at €149, however, when support and delivery (on CD – no download available!) are taken into account it’s actually around €320.  And the trial version is little more than a “demo” – see comments below for further information.

Irish Blog Awards 2007

Should we blog less and try to get out more?  Well if it means meeting more bloggers, I’m all for it!

I’ll post more about Saturday’s Blog Awards when I get a little time.  It was a great night!  Some I met last year are old friends now, but there are 4 times more Irish blogs now than then.  It was great to meet the new faces of blogs I’ve started to read in the past year.

Well done to Damien – and WELL DONE to Bernie, who handed his “Best Contribution” Bloscar over to Damien!  I agree with James about the huge value of Bernie’s contribution.  He is the person most responsible for inspiring me to blog and to podcast.  But Bernie saw the problem in Damien’s refusal to accept any recognition for his own work – and took matters into his own hands on the stage!  Well done!

Comhgháirdeachas le Hilary NY!  As sponsor of the Irish language award, I was delighted with the standard of nominations in this category.  Hilary’s win is a tribute to her own achievement and also recognises the wonderful work of Irish language organisations in America.

And I have some nice things for my own mantlepiece too after the weekend: Best Podcaster and Best Podcast!  Thanks to Microsoft and Newsletter.ie for sponsoring these awards.  It was nice to meet Microsoft’s Clare Dillon for the first time, and of course Newsletter.ie supported An Líonra Sóisialta last year (Hi Dave, Therese and Chris!).  Thanks to everyone who supported An Líonra Sóisialta, An tImeall and Edgecast Media over the past year.  Stay subscribed – we’re only getting started!