The BlogTalkRadio Blog

I’ve been meaning to blog about my friend Bill Sobel for a while now (Bill’s on the right next to his friend KMOX St. Louis Radio Host Paul Harris) who runs NY:MIEG, (New York: Media Information Exchange Group) a breakfast networking series that I’ve been attending for over a year now.

First off, Bill understands how to run a networking event - he lets people schmooze for about an hour or so before his panelists talk for another hour or so and take questions. Then more schmoozing. And I use the term “schmooze” in the best possible way here. Anybody who knows Bill knows that he is the most networked person alive, largely because he is so generous in helping other people connect with other people who can help their business or life.

And Bill really does know everyone, from traditional media VP’s to bleeding-edge new media types. He’s extremely smart in putting together panels that actually do provide value for his audience. One thing I really appreciate is his speakers don’t pull punches. A lot of his audience comes from a traditional media setting where new media is sometimes seen as a threat. But Bill’s moderation (and his guest hosts) steer panelists towards critical insight versus subjective posturing.

Long story short, if you’re in the New York area, get connected and become a FOBS (”Friend of Bill Sobel”). I’m a huge fan of new media, but Bill knows the vital importance of face to face time and I’m proud mine is a face he recognizes.

Make sure to check out the video from Bill’s last breakfast, The Future of Radio: 2007 and Beyond. Here’s the blurb from his site:

Ira Flatow of NPR’s Science Friday and Bill Sobel, NY:MIEG founder, introduces a panel discussion on the future of radio moderated by KMOX St. Louis host Paul Harris with panelists John Rosso of Citadel Broadcasting / ABC Radio, Jennifer Lane of Katz Net Radio Sales, Larry Rosin of Edison Media Research, Denise Oliver of Oliver Media and Joel Smirnoff of Paltalk.

Today we have surpassed our highest amount of shows with a record 210 shows scheduled to run. I believe our last record was 150, so this is a huge jump in our daily shows.

We attribute it to our wonderful hosts, Bob Charish for tirelessly working to get us up to 20 streams an hour, and our team of host liasons who have been training all the new hosts to start their shows successfully.

So as the Programming Manager I want to thank everyone for helping make BlogTalkRadio be as successful as it has been , and from our CEO Alan Levy who is in flight right now to Chicago to be at the Yearly Kos conference, Alan thanks you all also.

Amy Domestico

If you live in Silicon Valley, your social calendar was full this past week. SFBeta, TechCrunch and Laughing Squid each hosted big gatherings and I met a few new faces. I even made a brief appearance to support Emily Morse of SexWithEmily.com who held a sex fetish party covered by 7×7 . Emily Morse has recently joined the BlogTalkRadio network. Looking forward to your shows, Emily.

I admit I’m more comfortable hanging out with the Web 2.0 crowd. They wear more clothes and work out their fetishes by way of sexy programming. Ustream.tv and Pandora had good demos at TechCrunch. Other highlights included a live Twittergram with Robert Scoble, cameo shots of Michael Arrington and Om Malik, and seeing Brian Oberkirch and Lisa Hempel who used to run SparkPR and now consults.

Lisa Padilla
VP of Marketing
BlogTalkRadio

Back in 1999 when the power of the internet was still being discovered for creating buzz for films, the folks at The Blair Witch Project set the tone for how indie films can become smash hits and film legend.

The low-budget Blair Witch Project was filmed in digital video to underscore the premise of the film wherein student documentary filmmakers encounter the horrors of the Blair Witch in “real life.” This reality style was unprecedented for feature films in wide distribution at the time, and the film’s internet buzz enabled it to gross over $248 million worldwide.

We at BlogTalkRadio are pleased that the reunion of the creative minds behind the film will be live on the air with our friends at Movie Geeks United.

It is fitting that the pioneers of creating publicity on the internet to make their film experience more participatory and interactive will reconvene on BlogTalkRadio, the forum where the new wave of internet buzz creators get the word out.

Some guests will include Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick, the writing and directing team of The Blair Witch Project, co-star Michael Williams, with surprise additional members of the Blair Witch team.

Listen LIVE at 10pm EST.

After the Blair Witch segment, stay tuned for Kevin Kelley and Chris Ullrich, contributors to Cinematical, for the inside scoop on “Indiana Jones 4,” “The Dark Knight,” and “Iron Man.” Hal Masonberg, the director of the recent horror film, The Plague, will be in attendance as well.

Hilary