I have learned from Steve Green that some of the people responsible for the live video feeds from Corflu are planning to extend the idea to this year’s Eastercon. Apparently the broadcasts will be coordinated through a LiveJournal community called (rather appropriately) The Virtual Tucker Hotel. I quote from Fancyclopedia:
The Tucker Hotel was based on a suggestion of Bob’s, in 1952 when the ChiCon II and its prices signalled the start of the Big Convention movement, that fans simply build a hotel of their very own for holding conventions in, moving it from one site to another as required.
This is excellent news. Hopefully there will be other live coverage as well. Anyone know what hashtag we should be using?
Oh, and the con is known as LX because it is the 60th Eastercon, so the virtual coverage is called LXtra. Nice.
The plan is to broadcast selected items live, than repeat them for fans in other timezones. However, we’ve agreed with LX that no permanent copies of the broadcasts will be archived on the likes of YouTube, and that particupants have the right of veto.
We already have the go-ahead for the “Fanzine 101” panel, Bill and Mary Burns’ FGoH interview and the fan funds discussion. Peter Sullivan will be announcing other items on the LJ site.
By the way, glad you liked “LXtra”. One of my better titles.
Interesting . . .
Steve:
I can understand giving participants a veto, but what’s the rationale behind not archiving the videos? Are they worried that people might see them?
Will this cost extra for non-members of the convention?
Tom S:
I believe that it will be free, but check with the LJ community – they are the ones who know.
Have you posted this to the Fandom 2.0 site yet? This is interesting, and might check out some of the stuff.
Tom K:
I haven’t had a chance to look in on Fandom 2.0 for days. I’ve been absurdly busy. Must do so.
There’ll be no charge for viewing the videostream, unless you’re using dial-up of course.
The bar on archiving (to YouTube or similar) was requested by the convention committee. Certainly, some participants would exercise their veto if the footage was likely to be more widely available afterwards.
The LXtra stream will be based here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/LXtra.
The schedule will be announced here: http://community.livejournal.com/tuckerverse/.