A Napier University journalism graduate, Colin Kelly began his career in 1996 reading news and sports bulletins for Paisley radio station, 96.3 QFM, before news spells at Scot FM, Real Radio & Clyde one. Colin was one of the first media personalities to harness the power of social media, using Twitter to enhance his radio programme a few weeks after its launch in 2008. We catch up with him about impending fatherhood and those silly social media trends for 2012…
Colin Kelly
K: Hi Colin, tell us what a typical working day consists of at the moment?
CK: No two days are the same and I like that. At the moment, I’m working a lot with digital solutions company NSDesign running social media training workshops. I’m just back from a session we ran in Manchester featuring representatives from some of the UK’s best known brands. I spent Wednesday fine tuning what we were going to present, went out to buy a suit carrier and spent the evening on the train. Then we ran the session the following day and I got home late last night. Today I’ve got emails and phone calls to catch up on but was pleased to be able to give my wife a lift to school. She’s pregnant and I didn’t want her slipping on the ice so I escorted her to the door which was embarrassing because many of the pupils were arriving at the same time.
If I’m broadcasting it’s a completely different day, arriving at the BBC around 7am if I’m filling in on “Call Kaye”, working with the team preparing the programme, hosting it, then taking part in the debrief and suggesting some ideas for the next one.
In amongst it all I try to keep up with social media, I’ll share interesting news, answer questions and do my bit to add some value to the digital space!
K: You were one of the first broadcasters to embrace Social Media as part of your radio shows, what are the big three changes you have witnessed in social media since those early days?
CK: It’s gone entirely mainstream and the majority of radio and television programmes now have people contacting them via Facebook and Twitter. This is good for audience interaction because people used to have to spend money sending in text messages and now they don’t. The downside is some presenters completely overdo it on-air and it becomes a crutch. It’s “Tweet me this” and “Facebook me that”. The trick is not to mention it much but treat them as separate but complementary channels. John Beattie at BBC Radio Scotland is a master at this. He’ll go on Facebook in the morning and start asking his followers for their opinions on a certain topic and then he goes on air armed with good content. He rarely mentions Facebook on his programme – he just gets on with the show.
I’ve noticed increased willingness among businesses to “get” social media. We’re meeting less resistance at the top level and they understand social media shouldn’t just be handled by “the geek in the corner” or even the PR or marketing team. When it works best it’s company wide. Many businesses I work with actual use their entry into social media as an opportunity to improve the entire organization. They become more open, more social and strive to give customers better service.
It’s become a more supportive, positive space. The vast majority of people in the world are good. So as more of them join social networks like Twitter, Facebook, KILTR and Google+ it’s only natural they become better places. We hear about the negative side but in my experience there’s a large vibrant community of people helping each other, working together, giving advice, support, expertise and sharing humour on these social media channels.
K: Professionally speaking, what are your plans for 2012?
I’m about to become a father for the first time so right now that’s my focus. I’m also trying to give something back to the media after spending 16 great years working in the industry. I’ve been lucky enough to benefit from help and support from others and now I want to do my bit. I’ve put together a resource on my website at www.colinkelly.net – if anything people should be able to learn from my mistakes! There’s material on there about demo tapes and show reels, how to get the most from work experience, ideas and discussion topics for teachers and an insight into some of the different jobs people do in newspapers and at radio and television stations. I’ll continue building that up alongside some broadcasting and the social media training workshops I run with NSDesign.
K: You’re a well-known music fan, what other hobbies do you pursue outside your media activities?
I thoroughly enjoy my work and I’m very grateful that what started off as a hobby, and then became a passion, has developed into a career. It often doesn’t feel like work at all! Music isn’t part of the broadcasting I’m currently doing so I spend a lot of my spare time listening to my iPod. I’m going through something of a retro phase at the moment with lots of Roxy Music, Duran Duran and Fleetwood Mac and was reliving my youth with some Adam Ant the other night! I read a lot of business biographies but I’m also very into the Lee Child books following the adventures of Jack Reacher. There’s a whole series and I’m working my way through them. Where possible I force myself to go to the gym!
K: There are countless lists documenting trends for Social Media in 2012 – one being the move towards niche networks from a professional perspective, what would you like to see happen?
I tend to ignore these lists! A lot of people good are good at coming up with catchy headlines and sharing theories about “what’s going to happen next” but in reality who really knows? Do we really want niche networks? Is there any point for example in plumbers having a dedicated network to talk to other plumbers? I would doubt it because they’re already talking to each other. The real point in these networks, for me at least, is being able to connect with people I DON’T already know, who do DIFFERENT jobs from me or jobs I didn’t even know existed. What’s more valuable is a community like KILTR where the fact we all have a connection to Scotland is the common thread and then within that I can connect with all sorts of different people. It’s rich and varied but with a Scottish edge. I like that.
K: And what about the Facebook fatigue, some commentators believe Facebook will continue to decline and users will start deserting the network. Will they really make the same mistakes as myspace through their new advertising strategy?
CK: There’s an element within the media that feels very threatened by Facebook and any blip in numbers is seized on because it makes good headlines. I don’t think we are seeing a significant decline on Facebook, I think a few people probably came off as a New Year resolution. Many of them will be back. My hunch is over time it’ll become the way we watch television, listen to the radio, and read newspapers.
K: Further to this, what would you like to see from KILTR this year?
I’d like to see live events, a mobile app and curated, recommended content of interest to the Scottish business community. If all I want is a network of contacts I can get that other places. I think KILTR has the potential to become a real destination for its users and just like any other player in the digital media, the quality of the content will determine how successful it is.
K: Fantastic chatting to you Colin, all the best for 2012!
