2013-03-26 - Trace Mayer on BBC Newsnight tonight at 10:30pm London need copy

[rebuilder]

Well, that was interesting. First a real hair-raiser on the Cyprus situation, complete with hints at possible contagion, then a soothing presentation on what might be a way out from the banking system - Bitcoin. At least that seemed to be the angle.

[SolarSilver]

Well, that was interesting. First a real hair-raiser on the Cyprus situation, complete with hints at possible contagion, then a soothing presentation on what might be a way out from the banking system - Bitcoin. At least that seemed to be the angle.

Actually it was not a bad interview, they had a sceptic and a long time user. The obvious questions came up, "it fluctuates in value all the time, it's unstable" and the guy rebutted to the
question "Are you bothered by it's valuation in time?" by saying:

"The price is actually irrelevant, to the value it provides in being able to transfer value over distance or over the internet, whether it is a nickle or 10k or 100k USD a coin, you are able to transfer value from point A to point B for little or no fees, for me it's mostly the value transfer utility it adds"

Spot on!

[nexusakachus]

Bitcoin was discussed on BBC Newsnight - 26/03/2013

I have uploaded it on youtube for people outside the UK to be able to watch

Someone requested that it be recorded and uploaded on this thread https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=159164.20
I cant post there as i am a newbie so could someone else post it for me?

http://youtu.be/aaOsM3RUNG8

[cpt_howdy]

The way the press (Newsnight in this case) presents Bitcoin continues to be a little bit misleading, a little bit dumb, and almost never involves interviews with anyone who really knows what they're talking about.
Trace Mayer did a really good job, but the other two interviewees were really disappointing. On the plus side, The Guardian posted an ok Bitcoin interview video the other day...

[The-Real-Link]

Thanks for the link.  It was...alright.  They didn't really drive things too hard though.

[mccorvic]

It seems they gave that guy from the economist a lot more time, but jesbus he just sort of stuttered and couldn't make sense of his own thoughts.  Wish they would have given Trace the last say, but I think it was good for what it was.

[marcus_of_augustus]

Trace Mayer is scheduled for an interview focusing on Bitcoin on BBC Newsnight on 26 March 2013 at 10:30pm London time (6:30EST; 3:30pm PST).

Any help with recording, etc. would be appreciated.

NOTE: The full 9:20 segment is available. It followed a rather hair raising piece on Cyprus and potential capital controls.

Well done Trace ... wish they had let you say more. You had them on the run, just keeping it simple and sane.

That stuttering waif from The Economist was trying so hard to say "Gold Bad, Bitcoin Bad!" that he couldn't string a relevant, sensible sentence together. His body language seemed incredibly defensive.

[sunnankar]

Wish they would have given Trace the last say, but I think it was good for what it was.

It seems BBC had a very difficult time finding someone 'articulate' for the 'pro-Bitcoin' side of the story and they wanted someone in London (which is too bad because had I known I would have stayed an extra day as I had flown from London to San Diego the day before!). Perhaps too many Bitcoin users spend their bitcoins on Silk Road instead of saving them?

So, I was added to the story pretty much last minute and we even had some technical difficulties right before going on air. Thus, I am pretty satisfied with BBC's journalistic job all things considered.

Well done Trace ... wish they had let you say more. You had them on the run, just keeping it simple and sane.

That stuttering waif from The Economist was trying so hard to say "Gold Bad, Bitcoin Bad!" that he couldn't string a relevant, sensible sentence together. His body language seemed incredibly defensive.

Yes, I was kind of surprised by Mr. Knowles's statements. Bitcoin is actually a really bad tool for money laundering. But whatever. He also seems to conflate a bunch of issues such as (1) store of value, (2) medium of exchange and (3) value transfer system.

I wish I had an opportunity rebut his points on money laundering by retorting about freedom of speech and the issues anonymity by talking about FinCEN guidelines and the permanent record in the blockchain of all transactions.

But the time constraints and BBC's plan, given the technical difficulties we had earlier and the need for a contingency, made a lot of sense to have the time allocated the way it was.

[cypherdoc]

I think the Economist guy was terrified when he looked up and it wasn't Taaki.

[cypherdoc]

It seems BBC had a very difficult time finding someone 'articulate' for the 'pro  anti-Bitcoin' side of the story. 

FTFY

[WiW]

Will watch when I have a few minutes. Can't wait.

Trace, you need to talk more. You're clear, consistent and charismatic when you talk about bitcoin, something hard to find. Get yourself in front of a youtube camera more often. If you opened a youtube channel I'd be subscriber number one.

[herzmeister]

It seems BBC had a very difficult time finding someone 'articulate' for the 'pro-Bitcoin' side of the story and they wanted someone in London

really that hard to find? there are so many. Max Keiser (ok persona non grata perhaps for western media), Amir Taaki (already appeared in a clip at the guardian.co.uk) etc...

[Prattler]

really that hard to find? there are so many. Max Keiser (ok persona non grata perhaps for western media), Amir Taaki (already appeared in a clip at the guardian.co.uk) etc...

Please not Amir Taaki...

[minimalB]

I think the Economist guy was terrified when he looked up and it wasn't Taaki.

I loled hard! : )

Great job, Trace!

[genuise]

Is there a youtube link? or something to be able to whatch this talk outsie of UK?

[minimalB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaOsM3RUNG8

[genuise]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaOsM3RUNG8

Thank you

[Mike Hearn]

Yeah, Trace did a great job! Definitely agree we need him out in front of the camera more.

[Piper67]

Yeah, Trace did a great job! Definitely agree we need him out in front of the camera more.

More Trace, more Eric, less Taaki!!!

[tjohej]

About how Trace Mayer uses Bitcoins to pay for stuff:
At 4:29 the interviewer asks "But what are you actually using them for?"
Trace Mayer
4:35 "pay independent contractors that are all over the world, whether they are in India or the Philippines".
4:41 "I've used them to purchase digital products such as e-books or mp3 files".
4:46 "I've also used them to order goods from different websites that accept them online and in other cases I've traded them for euros or British pounds or dollars when I've been traveling.