Update on BBC World Service documentary 'Top of the Class'

In a recent blog entry we told you about a BBC World Service documentary series this month called 'Top of the Class'. The first part has been broadcast and this week it's all about Finland. Here is the link to the audio of the programme which you can either download and save to your own computer or listen to as a live stream if you have a fast broadband connection.
Did you know that we have a Finnish student on TBS 2? Why not take a look at his blog and ask him a question about the education system in his country, after you've listened to the programme.

Tourism New Zealand Advertising Campaign on YouTube

On Tuesday night Tourism New Zealand begins a three month advertising campaign on video sharing web site You Tube, with a 100% Pure New Zealand video ad, made by Peter Jackson's Weta Workshop, on the front page of the site. Here's a piece about it on the TVNZ web site. The TVNZ piece gives the impression the ad will only be available on the front page of YouTube for Tuesday night. The video is fairly corny, of more interest are the 168 comments and counting!! Do you think the campaign is worth the $4 million dollars spent on it?

The remaining three months of the campaign consists of a 'New Zealand branded channel' on the web site. There are eight videos in all covering topics from wine and rugby to Maori culture. Which do you think is the best? Why not send a text comment and let Tourism New Zealand know what you think about the campaign or the videos.

'Top of the Class' BBC World Service programme on education around the world

In class we have been talking about education systems and luckily for us, this month the BBC World Service 'Wednesday Documentary' compares education systems around the world and discusses why some countries consistently come 'top of the classs' while others struggle to reach international standards.
The programme will be broadcast every Wednesday for the next four weeks, at 12.05, 17.05 & 23.05 (New Zealand time) on the frequency 801 AM.
Once the first programme has been broadcast you should be able to download it from the BBC web site and save it to your own computer so that you can listen to it in your own time again and again and again...... As soon as it has been broadcast we will put a link to the download on the blog for you.
You can see a schedule for this week's programmes on the BBC world Service at this link.

A radio interview with the Vice President of Google

There was a very interesting interview on BBC radio 4 last week (Aug 29th) with the Vice President of Google Vinton Cerf in which he dispels logically and rationally many people's concerns and worries over internet usage.
You can hear the interview by clicking on this link, although it may only be available at this link for three weeks. If you can't find it immediately you may need to look at the interview archive by scrolling back through the months.