TEDxObserver was a TEDx event organized by the Observer newspaper on March 19th, 2011.

And, like any newspaper, they received a slew of positive "Letter to the Editor" feedback in regards to their event, lauding the Organizers for pulling together great speakers and creating an enlightening overall experience:

"There wasn't a single speaker that didn't engage me (and those around me). We even hand-jived (to improve our thinking skills) and sung along (to, er - well, just to join in) at the end."

"During twenty years of both attending and organizing national medical conferences I have never before spent a day where every single speaker commanded my interest and attention."

"I knew conceptually that it would be worthwhile when my mum described TED to me but I thought I'd email to congratulate you about convincing me that it can be a good decision to get up before nine on a Saturday morning to sit in a hall for more than five hours, listening to people speaking. It was a genuinely enlightening day and an experience that I would like to experience again."

But, one letter in particular stood out -- 

Dear Sir,

I really enjoyed the TEDx event yesterday, which I attended in person with my father, and was pleased that you covered Natalia Kaliada’s speech in the leader column.  However, I did not like the coverage of the TEDx event on page 29 of today’s newspaper.

The writer, Vanessa Thorpe, focused on Jude Law and Vivienne Westwood because of their celebrity, almost to the exclusion of other speakers, rather than focusing on people with important points, interesting and good ideas such as Cedric Villani, Jason Drew and Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish.  Would it be possible to cover these speakers in next week’s paper?  If so, could you please do so?

Thank you again for organising a most interesting event.

Yours faithfully,

Adam Rathmell
(age 11)