Thinking outside the box

The BIG Sheep is a visitor attraction in Devon (UK). It is the sort of place to take kids but with lots of things to amuse adults (i.e. a brewery, garden centre etc ).

It sounds just the sort of place I would hate to spend a nano second.

I was amused and impressed by the organisation’s idea to run an event labelled: "Growing Old Disgracefully Day". The only requirement for entry is to be 60 +.

The event organiser talks about having a programme of "madness, mayhem, fun and nonsense" .

It’s good we don’t all like the same things. Full marks for such target marketing and some innovative thinking. I wish them luck – also the people that attend. Dick Stroud

Retirement Living TV – winner or loser?

Retirement Living TV (RLTV), based in Columbia, is celebrating its first anniversary. The channel claims to be the only cable network aimed at 55-plus viewers.

RLTV is carried in 28 million homes on DirecTV and Comcast and has produced more than 650 hours of original programming, according to company information. Last week, it signed on with AARP to produce programming from the AARP studio in Washington..

Programming includes ‘‘The Voice,” which highlights social issues; ‘‘Healthline,” which promotes the idea that good health goes hand-in-hand with enjoying life; a personal finance show, ‘‘The Prudent Advisor,” and ‘‘The Art of Living,” about ‘‘ordinary people from around the country who are living extraordinary lives doing what they love to do” . Mmmm.

Not everybody is enthusiastic about the network’s chance of success. The resident scholar at the Library of American Broadcasting (University of Maryland) believes: "It is too early, and will work in 10 years, but not now.”

He thinks the problem will be in sustaining programming and finding common interests of baby boomers that advertising will want to reach.

This guy asks a very pertinent question: ‘‘Do they all have enough in common that advertising will want to reach them” – he doesn’t think so. You can read the full story in Gazette.

I don’t know enough about US TV to pass an opinion. Has anybody seen any of the programming? All comments welcome. Dick Stroud

Boomer Films – an offer you can’t refuse?

James Caan has decided to create a production company (Boomer Films) after learning that experienced writers in their fifties and sixties had felt forced to write under noms de plume in an effort to convince studio bosses they were young. He said: "It sounds terribly idealist but I want to get back to making those kinds of picture we were all making in the Seventies and early Eighties. I wonder. Sometimes it is best not to go back to the past. Dick Stroud

Nothing like a simple phone

The other evening I spoke at an event organised by a group called Women in Mobile Data.

As you can imagine the focus of my talk was about the role of mobile data applications and the 50-plus. You can download the presentation from my web site.

During the session I said that the mobile phone must be the single device that combines all of the physiological problems that people suffer as they age (eyesight, dexterity, cognitive and understanding of the latest technical jargon).

I was amused to open the Spectator magazine – audience predominately 50-plus - to see this ad for a Samsung phone/PDA. Now that really does look complicated. Dick Stroud

Films and the older women

The British Film Institute is staging a session (in London) on Thursday (8th March) about older women in films. How fitting that this event is occurring at the time when Helen Mirren (born 1945) gets the Oscar for best actress.

More details about the event can be downloaded from my Web site. This is an excellent document that the BFI has produced on the subject of older women on the big screen. Dick Stroud

Older women in films

If you live in London and are interested in the 50-plus and films then have a half day holiday and come to a discussion and presentation exploring the history of older women in film and the modern day scarcity of roles for older women in feature films.

There are some really excellent speakers including Tony Carr, director of Matcine, Jean Rogers, Vice-President of Equity and Holly Aylett, Vertigo Magazine. All of this plus the screening of the file Bread & Tulips.

Interested? Then call the Ritzy booking office on 08707 550 062.

This is being staged by the British Film Institute who has done some great work in understanding the role of older women in films. With luck, one of these ladies (Helen Mirren) will soon be collecting an Oscar. Dick Stroud