WHYS & Google+: the next step
| 12:24 UK time, Monday, 23 January 2012
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We've been experimenting with Google+ Hangouts for a while now on WHYS. Now more than 5,000 of you have added us to your Circles, we're going to start using them as a regular part of what we do and see what happens.
As well as posting our topics - just like we do on & - we're going to start hosting a hangout every day at 4pm UK time (that's 8am US Pacific time / 11am US Eastern time / 5pm Paris & Abuja / 6pm Johannesburg / 7pm Nairobi / 9.30pm Delhi / midnight Beijing) for around 30 minutes. This is of course a couple of hours before our regular radio programme begins.
WHYS has house rules - we've had them since day one - so it's worth a reminder of what they are (click hereÌýfor on air,Ìýclick hereÌýfor online). As with everything on WHYS, we welcome your take on them.
Just like we have house rules for taking part in the radio programmes or posting comments, we thought it was only fair to start to put together some additional house rules for taking part in WHYS Hangouts, so you know what to expect.
This is our first draft as we work out how best to use Hangouts. Please let us know what you think and we'll listen! This is your programme and we want you to help us make the best of this new platform.
What are WHYS Hangouts for?
* We'll normally use them to invite you to discuss the topic for the forthcoming radio programme with each other and one of the WHYS team, a couple of hours ahead of the broadcast. We can tell you about the guests we'll hear from on the radio programme, so you might be able to suggest questions for them.
* If you've obviously got some interesting points which will add to the radio discussion, we might then invite you to take part in the programme itself.
* Sometimes, you'll be able to speak toÌý,Ìý, or other members of the team to talk specifically about issues around the programme - feedback you wish to give or any topics you think we should be considering.
* Each Friday, our hangout will begin as our weekly TV programme comes to a close. You'll be able to enter the hangout to continue the conversation from the TV edition and tell us what you thought of the discussion.
Who can take part?
* Anyone with an opinion who wants to discuss global talking points - just like when we're on the radio or TV - or issues surrounding the programme.Ìý
* However, you'll only be able to see the Hangout if we've added you to one of our G+ Circles; we'll add you once you've added us. We're open to all, but we'd never have the same people dominating every single edition of our radio or TV programme. In the same way, only opening Hangouts to our Circles means that, if you've had a good run taking part in a number of WHYS Hangouts, we might move you into a different Circle for a while, to give others a chance.
* This will also help us protect our Hangouts from anyone who doesn't respect the usual WHYS principles of courtesy and respect.
We'd love to know what you think about our approach to this:Ìýplease email meÌýif you'd like to feed back, or post in all the usual ways.
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