On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 1:38 PM, Doug Weller <dougweller@gmail.com> wrote:
On Mon, Sep 17, 2012 at 1:19 PM, Andreas Kolbe <
jayen466@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> This is paid Wikipedia editing and paid Wikipedia-based PR work, leveraging
> a Wikimedia UK directorship. It looks terrible.
>
> Take coverage like this article here:
>
>
http://vox.gi/local/5634-gibraltarpedia-on-the-road-to-success.html
>
> "The enthusiasm and conviction radiating from both the Min. for Tourism,
> Neil Costa and Clive Finlayson who came up with the idea of marketing
> Gibraltar as a tourist product through Wikipedia which the Ministry for
> Tourism has embarked upon, leaves one without a doubt that the venture will
> truly be a success."
>
> As things stand, we can look forward to Wikimedia UK directors getting
> involved in a long string of similar for-profit Wikipedia-based marketing
> campaigns, all conducted with the apparent seal of approval of Wikimedia UK.
>
> I say that as someone who thought Monmouthpedia was a great and pioneering
> project that offered educational value consistent with the WMF mission. But
> Wikimedia UK directors cannot be seen to be in the business of tourism
> marketing, and be seen to be offering themselves for sale to the highest
> bidder.
>
> Anyone who engages in paid on-wiki marketing efforts for their private
> clients should ipso facto be excluded from WMUK board membership, join the
> ranks of paid editors, and perform their work under the watchful eyes of the
> community, without the shelter of WMUK.
>
> Andreas
>
you can modify the 'string of UK directors', but the basic principles?
Just a minor correction – I did not write "long string of UK directors", but "Wikimedia UK directors getting involved in a long string of similar for-profit Wikipedia-based marketing campaigns, all conducted with the apparent seal of approval of Wikimedia UK."
The reason I said that is because there has been significant interest from other towns and cities. John Virgin, posting on the Wikimedia UK blog in July, said,
---o0o---
Tyson’s initiative, in talking to Neil Costa, and instigating an approach on behalf of this British Overseas territory, greatly impressed the Monmouthpedia organisers, Roger Bamkin and John Cummings. They had already been inundated with offers from people looking for their city to be the world’s second Wikipedia town. Offers had come in from the Czech Republic, the USA, Norway and elsewhere. None had such strong political support behind them.
---o0o---
And offers here means business offers, because it involves paid consultancy jobs for their companies. There is clearly enough paid work here for many years. Now it would be a different thing – still untenable, but differently so – if the revenue from that paid consultancy were to accrue to Wikimedia UK or the Wikimedia Foundation, rather than to the consultants personally. But they don't: they are private earnings. I have nothing against successful business ideas and private ventures, but in this case Roger's Wikimedia UK directorship is an element of how these services are marketed, and how they are reported upon in the press, e.g. here:
---o0o---
IT was the cyber project that made the sleepy market town of Monmouth a internet phenomenon.
And Monmouthpedia has been so successful the mastermind behind the project is taking the idea to the British Territory of Gibraltar.
Roger Bamkin is director of Wikimedia UK - the charity that supports Wikipedia's mission - and the co-creator of Monmouthpedia.
He picked Gibraltar, at the southern tip of Spain, as his next project after being flooded with invitations from places around the world hoping to be the second Wikipedia town.
---o0o---
How is this not a gravy train?
I understand that Steve Virgin, as a former Wikimedia UK director, is also in business for himself, together with John Cummings and Roger.
There is a reference to it on this page:
under the heading RB, saying, "Geovation bid for 17.5 K for Coast Path Wales - more to come. Need to find 100K ext funding to get 100K more".
What is this Geovation bid? What involvement, if any, does Wikimedia UK have in the project? What is this 100K funding? Does this too involve paid consultancy work?
Andreas