My company will be exhibiting at BlogWorld and News Media Expo. As I sit here tonight, after reviewing the conference sessions I see that there are 22 separate tracks that have about 10 session each in them.
Only 2 tracks “Digital Broadcasting” and “The Business of Blogging and Podcasting” have any semblance to New media.
Looking over the 2 tracks I see no sessions in “The Business of Blogging and Podcasting” that has anything to do with Podcasting or New Media, they should rename that one to “The Business of Blogging”
The Digital Broadcasting track is made up of “one” Streaming Media Session (good) , Two or Three YouTube tracks, some video tutorial tracks but no tracks to really do with Podcasting and or New Media that the majority of content creators can use.
I would expect that this conference would have had a significant number of new media tracks to attract new media creators. We are but a month away from the show, and I am not sure how to get New Media folks to the show. Time is tight and with nothing on the agenda for New Media folks it has me worried. With nearly 20 focused blogging tracks, to only have 2 so called new media tracks makes me shake my head.
My company represents over 9,500 “New Media” creators who we want to go to this conference, but how do I sell it to them? Their are only two tracks that slightly appear to support New Media. The conference is called BlogWorld and New Media Expo. Where is the Beef aka New Media?
While Podcamp LA is being held on the convention floor during afternoons of the conference, they have not published an agenda yet? So I really have no way of promoting this to our New Media creators. If Podcamp LA is like most of the recent Podcamps it will be focused on Social Media and not New Media time will tell how this turns out but they better get their schedule published in the next couple of days or my head is going to explode.
There are over 50,000 active podcast/new media creators today, and the conference of the year that would be best suited to attract them to the show has essentially made it not worthwhile to attend.
I just hope we have enough New Media creators at the event to talk with and do business with.
Todd, Ron makes a good point…maybe you should think about this!
As for me, I listen to podcasts. Not a lot of them, but I do listen. GNC of course, and some storytelling ones like This American Life and Selected shorts. I listen on my commute, about 70-80 minutes a day, because I live in the mountains and radio is not an option. When I run out of podcasts, my iPod plays me all sorts of wonderful music.
And my personal feeling is there are too many podcasters moving into vidcasting. I don’t have time to watch vidcasts. I have plenty of time to “listen” while driving, but watching? I don’t watch tv, I’m certainly not going to spend time staring at my computer to watch video. I know I’m a bit odd in this regard, but video just does nothing for me, and sucks up too much of my time when I DO get involved with it.
Ron
The number of listeners overall in the space continues to climb, as you know we offer a stats service to our content creators. We see increases month over month. Devices like the Roku, Boxee etc are all heavy growth points.
So far as forming my own conference its an interesting thought.
Why would any podcaster or media broadcaster consider going to a conference if they know they aren’t going to get value from going? I’ve all but stopped podcasting and I actually wonder if anyone is really listening anymore. There are many celebrity and main stream podcasts that do get an audience because of who they are so why would anyone want to hear what I have to say. I know…CONTENT. When Adam Curry first got all of us excited, groups were formed and the idea of new media made us feel like we were on the edge of something great. Then Curry took another approach leaving podcasters no one to lead the way. Todd, you were the one who stepped up to the plate and kept podcasting alive by forming Blubrry, RawVoice, etc.. So, what’s keeping you from forming your own conferences. Perhaps several small ones around the country centrally located so nearly anyone could attend. Just a thought. I know your hands are full as it is. Keep up the good work. / Ron Stroope.. The Ron Stroope Podcast. Formerly The Daily Zipcast.
Interesting take on the conference. Even though it is right here in my backyard, I really couldn’t find any reason or desire to attend. Three of us are organizing MediaCampLA to try and address some of the needs for new media folks here in the SoCal area, but it will be a while before that comes to fruition, I am sure.
Interesting to hear that there is supposed to be a PodCampLA on the show floor. That is the first I have heard about it from any source — and I am right here in LA.
Douglas