A Decade Apart: Technology & Politics Podcast

Tim & Calvin Ngwena
A Decade Apart: Technology & Politics Podcast

This podcast is where technology and politics come together. Every two weeks, brothers Calvin and Tim get together to discuss politics and technology. Calvin holds down the fort on politics whilst Tim champions tech. Add to that the decade that puts them in different generations, give them one hour, two mics and you get this podcast.

Episodes

  1. 08/16/2017

    Episode 8: The BBC should have been Netflix by now.

    In this episode we talk about the recent salary figures released by the BBC, whether the figures tell the full story about the diversity challenges in the organisation and how thinking of the media game less as media and more as technology challenge will see them competing against the likes of Netflix, Amazon and the new players in the online media entertainment market. Links: BBC - Other key relationships - BBC Trust — We work with licence fee payers and with a wide range of institutions to help us to get the best out of the BBC.BBC - GOV.UK — The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is a British public service broadcaster. Its main responsibility is to provide impartial public service broadcasting in the UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man.Mediatel: Newsline: Premier League rights: the path is being paved for Amazon — It is now only a matter of time before the likes of Amazon and Facebook start turning up with their giant chequebooks to compete for the rights to the world's top sportsWhy the BBC will struggle to make iPlayer as good as Netflix | Media | The Guardian — Netflix’s research and development spending in 2015 was $650.8m (£530m), more than five times the £105m the BBC spent on development and its research department in 2015/2016.BBC Annual Report and Accounts 2016/17Royal charter - WikipediaCut the gender pay gap by increasing parental leave for fathers, MPs say | The IndependentGender pay gap - European Commission

    45 min
  2. 05/03/2017

    Episode 5: Job Automation

    In March PWC published a report claiming "up to 30 of existing UK jobs " would be under threat of automation by 2030. Following on from the end of episode 4 we exp[lore this further and we dig into why automation as a concept is actually already challenging the existing framework even though AI in it's fully envisioned sense hasn't materialised. Sponsored By: Amazon Affiliate: This book predicts the decline of today's professions and describes the people and systems that will replace them. In an Internet society, according to Richard Susskind and Daniel Susskind, we will neither need nor want doctors, teachers, accountants, architects, the clergy, consultants, lawyers, and many others, to work as they did in the 20th century.Links: Up to 30% of existing UK jobs could be impacted by automation by early 2030s, but this should be offset by job gains elsewhere in economy - Press room — Up to around 30% of existing UK jobs are susceptible to automation from robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) by the early 2030s, but in mRobots threaten 15m UK jobs, says Bank of England's chief economist | Business | The Guardian — Results of the Bank’s study, Andy Haldane said, suggested that administrative, clerical and production tasks were most at threatWill a robot take your job? - BBC News — Type your job title into the search box below to find out the likelihood that it could be automated within the next two decades.US and UK to develop autonomous vehicles for military use | TheINQUIRERElon Musk's Plan to Make Self-Driving Autonomous Tesla Cars | WIRED

    1h 9m
  3. 04/11/2017

    Episode 4: Brexit & Tech: What's next?

    This week we talk about brexit and what impact it has on technology as a concept in government and as a vital industry in our economy. We discuss aspects of the gig economy, a digital single market, data centres and why tech has featured so little in mainstream media on discussions around brexit. Sponsored By: Amazon Affiliate: Five on Brexit Island (Enid Blyton for Grown Ups) : It is the night of the referendum and the Five have retired to Kirrin Island to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, fed up with the rancour of public debate. George is firmly a 'remainer,' whilst Julian, who is in the 'Brexit' camp, is tolerated on the grounds that Anne cannot bear to go camping without him.Links: A Glimpse into the Future: Technology and Governments in A Glimpse into the Future — How does a successful transition to a digital government look like? Why haven't countries around the world adapted to the Third Industrial Revolution yet? What are some of the new technologies that will both challenge governments and give them tools to become more efficient and safe? Tune in and find out!Prime Minister’s letter to Donald Tusk triggering Article 50 - GOV.UK — Prime Minister Theresa May has written to European Council President Donald Tusk to notify him of the UK’s intention to leave the EU.TechUK: Brexit - Our latest Brexit work — As the UK forges a new relationship with Europe, techUK and its members have been working hard to ensure the voice of the tech sector is heard in forthcoming negotiations.Infrastructure at the heart of the digital economy - Raconteur — Businesses are moving from office IT rooms to strategic data-centre hubs that connect them to the cloud and much moreSilver Linings: The Implications of Brexit for the UK Data Centre Sector — This paper explains the role of data centres in the economy, how they provide the core digital infrastructure that underpins all industry sectors and enables our digital economy.

    1h 11m
  4. 03/26/2017

    Episode 3: Cryptocurrency / Bitcoin and Government policy

    Show Notes This week, we talk on one topic, Crypto currencies, specifically bitcoin. We think we kept the lingo simple and in English rather than tech speak, and we talked about how government and traditional banking systems can stay relevant given Bitcoin's traction as a currency. Bitcoin Paper : Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System. Bitcoin & the IMF: Regulating Digital Currencies: Bringing Bitcoin within the Reach of the IMF How to get involved: Getting started with Bitcoin Reach out to us on Twitter: @timngwena & @ngwena1 Sponsored By: Amazon Affiliate: Following the economic crisis of 2008 a website was registered by a computer programmer called Satoshi Nakamoto – bitcoin.org. A new form of money was born: electronic cash. Does Bitcoin have the potential to change how the world transacts financially? Does Bitcoin have the potential to change the world? Is it just a passing fad or is it a major scam? Dominic's new book explains what it is, how it came about and features interviews with some of the key players in Bitcoin's development and examines some of the mysteries behind Bitcoin. Frisby considers the potential economic, political and social implications of this new currency and tells it in an engaging style that reads like a thriller.Links: Cryptocurrency - Wikipedia — A cryptocurrency (or crypto currency) is a digital asset designed to work as a medium of exchange using cryptography to secure the transactions and to control the creation of additional units of the currency.[1] Cryptocurrencies are a subset of alternative currencies, or specifically of digital currencies.

    57 min
  5. 03/02/2017

    Episode 2: Uber, Autonomous cars & Ai

    We're back this week talking about Uber, autonomous vehicles, AI and how government or local government policy and legislation miss the mark. Show Notes Uber : Uber protests and legal actions. Autonomous Cars: Autonomous vehicles inquiry UK Government Response: Advanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicle technologies: supporting their use in the UK Reach out to us on Twitter: @timngwena & @ngwena1 Sponsored By: Amazon Affiliate: Platform Revolution: How Networked Markets are Transforming the Economy--and How to Make Them Work for You --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Facebook, PayPal, Alibaba, Uber-these seemingly disparate companies have upended entire industries by harnessing a single phenomenon: the platform business model. Platform Revolution delivers the first comprehensive analysis of how platforms use technology to match producers and consumers in a multisided marketplace, unlocking hidden resources and creating new forms of value. When a company like Uber connects drivers with passengers, everybody wins- except traditional taxi companies, which are scrambling to survive. Assumptions about operations, finance, strategy and innovation all change. Platform Revolution explores the what, how and why of this revolution and provides the first "owner's manual" for creating a platform marketplace. Revealing the strategies behind some of today's rising platforms, the authors explain how entrepreneurs-and traditional companies- can thrive in this new world. In cases as diverse as shoes, spices, dating, energy, home appliances and education, Platform Revolution provides the essential guide to unlocking the potential of an economic landscape transformed.Links: Uber protests and legal actions - Wikipedia — Uber is involved in at least 173 lawsuits.[1] As of mid-2015, protests had been staged in Germany, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom, among other nations, and dangerous incidents involving passengers have been documented.[2][3] Uber executives were arrested in France in June 2015. In December 2014,Autonomous vehicles inquiry - UK Parliament — The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee is to conduct an inquiry into future uses of autonomous vehicles in the UK. The UK has the potential to become a world leader in developing, producing and deploying autonomous vehicles. The Committee will investigate the potential uses and benefits of autonomous vehicles in contexts such as road transport, farming and space explorationAdvanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicle technologies: supporting their use in the UK - GOV.UK — Government response to a consultation on proposals to facilitate advanced driver assistance systems and automated vehicle technologies. This consultation response outlines the government’s response to feedback from business and the public across the UK and, and along with the associated impact assessment, details the government’s next steps for each of the proposals on which we consulted.

    54 min

About

This podcast is where technology and politics come together. Every two weeks, brothers Calvin and Tim get together to discuss politics and technology. Calvin holds down the fort on politics whilst Tim champions tech. Add to that the decade that puts them in different generations, give them one hour, two mics and you get this podcast.

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