While I listened to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Been Gone” on the tube on my first day of work, I found myself happy to be returning to BJK&E.  Last summer I was fortunate enough to intern for them in an internship program I learned about through my university in the States.  Proudly named ‘the American intern’ last summer I was now a university graduate and returning as ‘the American ex-intern’ and could not be more excited about it.  No longer the intern, I was somehow more excited about being able to work longer hours and have more responsibility….I might be a glutton for pain.
      The great thing I’ve noticed about the media industry, and most likely the reason why I returned, was that everyone you work with is amazing.  Whether it is helping you understand something or being able to go out for a drink and be completely relaxed.  Then again, this just may be the difference between the American lifestyle and the British lifestyle.  I am American by the way……in case you missed that.  It might just be me but I feel that there are very few people who dislike working with media.  I imagine every person will say this about their industry, however, I can think of a few accountants who dislike their work but only work for the fact that they are earning a lot of money.  Does money really buy happiness?  I think it gives you options but not happiness.
      Anyways…..since I’ve been gone I have noticed: Facebook has changed its format, a lot of those digital screens on my way down (and up) to the tube,  screen projectors on the tube walls, much better cell phones (the Nokia N95 8GB is amazing), less rain this summer, tons of new business, and lastly even MORE road construction.
      It is good to be back…Magic Friday has made an official return.

Big news in the world of Media appointments this week is that Absolute Radio has poached Chris Lawson, Bauer Performance’s digital media director, for the brand new role of brand director on the station soon to be formerly known as Virgin Radio.

Virgin Radio Holdings Ltd (including the radio station) was bought in May 2008 by TIML (Times of India Group) – India’s largest music and ents group for £53.2million following its sale by SMG.

Lawson’s responsibilities will include making an announcement on the new brand name for Virgin Radio, expected within a fortnight. So the big debate, BJK&E and friends is – what would you name it and why? Consider:
 - The station has to keep the same genre as previously in accordance with its licence
 - The station will still be located in Golden Square
 - There is no need for it to have an overt link to “Times of India” in the name
 - The “DAVE” phenomenon of TV (if you dont know what I’m talking about read my retrospective futures article) – name can be everything!
 - So the name needs to befit one of the UK’s biggest commercial stations
 - Albion will be helping create the new name so no cheating and asking them

Best / closest answer gets a prize. Possibly.

You’re probably sitting down when you read this, just as well because what I have to say will knock you off your feet, have you rushing for the nearest internet explorer window, and thinking that enlightened beings have given divine wisdom to us all…

conde Nast have decided to launch a *drum roll…………………* social networking site for teenage girls. Flip.com

Yep, flip.com

flip, flop, flip, flop, flip,

Exactly what we the internet needs!

The marketing blurb about the sites read “These girls are so creative, they create shrines within their environment”. “It must be the hormones – they customize everything”

Does it offer anything you can’t already do on facebook, myspace, bebo, and the host of other sites already sucking minutes, hours, days out of our lives just wondering if any of our ‘friends’ have ‘popped’ by?

Not really, in fact it’s hard to look at it as anything more than an application where you can make a digital flip book of photo’s, images and music which reflect the user. In some ways this isn’t even untapped as slideshow applications have been kicking around for years.

It’s hard to see the site bringing people back to it after they ‘customised everything’ because the content can then be plugged into other social networking sites. It’ll be interesting to see how the site grows and develops, it just smacks a little bit of ‘me to’ and stealing the pennies off dead mens eyes

Being a British sports supporter can often be something of a disappointment. Less said about recent football and rugby efforts the better. However, that doesn’t mean that we cant host cracking, world class sports events…. and sometimes even produce the odd home victory…

Take this weekend.

Wimbledon’s Mens Finals – not only is Wimbledon a staple of the British summertime but this year the epic Nadal / Federer final was about the most outstanding 5-hour 5-set nail biting game of tennis you could ever hope to see. Who cares that both finalists were from across the European pond? The TV viewing public clearly didn’t with a peak of nearly 13million viewers as it stretched towards the post 9pm final – well up on 2007. What shone through was great tennis at a great venue.

Silverstone Grand Prix – Again, a TV ratings winner up on 2007 figures with a peak of 6million viewers cheering Lewis Hamilton to his first ever Silverstone victory. Silverstone has been described as the spiritual home of Formula 1, drawing some of the largest crowds of all Grand Prix events and for Hamilton to offer up a racing master class there is a great day for British sports.

Henley Regatta – anyone who’s walked the length of the Henley race during Regatta week has enjoyed classic upper class Britain … post knee-length dresses for the ladies, chinos for the men, champagne picnics by the riverside, Great Danes dressed in rowing ties, Pimms on tap and even the odd burst of sunshine. Glorious. Who can say who actually won most of the events … we were too busy enjoying another brilliantly hosted British sporting event.

If the London Olympic Committee could just take a leaf out of these books – then 2012 will really be an Olympics to remember whether as host nation we cover ourselves in golden glory or not.

Today MCV (videogames trade press) published ew.com’s top 50 games of all time. 

1. Tetris – PC (1985)
2. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – N64 (1998)
3. Doom – PC (1993)
4. Super Mario World – SNES (1991)
5. Guitar Hero – PS2 (2005)
6. Street Fighter II – SNES (1991)
7. Super Mario Kart – SNES (1992)
8. GoldenEye 007 – N64 (1997)
9. Grand Theft Auto IV – PS3 and Xbox 360 (2008)
10. Metal Gear Solid – PlayStation (1998)
11. Halo: Combat Evolved – Xbox 360 (2001)
12. Super Mario Galaxy – Wii (2007)
13. Final Fantasy VII – PlayStation (1997)
14. Resident Evil 4 – GameCube (2005)
15. Chrono Trigger – SNES (1995)
16. Gran Turismo – PlayStation (1998)
17. Sim City – Macintosh and Amiga (1989)
18. Half-Life – PC (1998)
19. Sid Meier’s Civilization II – PC (1996)
20. Gears of War – Xbox 360 (2006)

Just goes to show that good games aren’t all about textured polygons and wizzy framerates… 

Full list can be found here:   http://www.mcvuk.com/news/31033/EW-Our-top-50-games-of-all-time