To provide leadership in and organization of advertising and audience measurement standards, research, education and advocacy to all those involved in portable media (Podcasts/ATOM/RSS media enclosures) across the Internet, iPods, MP3 players, mobile devices, P2P and other upcoming platforms.
The Association’s Key Objectives
To support the momentum around advertising and sponsorship of audio and video podcasting to create revenue for all groups in the ADM constituency
To establish terminology, standards, guidelines and best-practices that make downloadable content easy to justify, buy, scale and measure both in advertising efficacy and audience metrics
To support and provide a network through which the industry can share knowledge and educate advertisers, agencies, press and analysts as well as content producers and distributors in understanding the unique attributes and value of portable media
To be an advocate for everyone from individual podcasters to major media companies who deliver content in a downloadable format across multiple platforms
I’ve been in the podcast field for about two years and essentially since I started in the business multiple industry leaders have said how important it is that we have an association that focuses on podcasting/downloadable media in regards to standards and metrics. I believe this is that association and am very proud to be a part of it with BlogTalkRadio. More on the ADM as it evolves in the near future.
In a shameless bit of self promotion, I wanted to share that I’m starting a new BTR show called “Pop” Culture that focuses on modern fatherhood. I founded and have been running a father’s group by that name that’s met for over two years near my house in suburban New Jersey. I started it because my son was two at the time and I took care of him during some days as my wife and I were freelancers. Some days she worked and I was daddy, other days I worked and she was mommy.
I found my experience to be quite interesting on local playgrounds. Typically I was the only guy to be seen, and I was often greeted warmly by phrases like, “Taking the day off today?” Although I appreciated what I sensed was genuine appreciation at times by moms/nannies who enjoyed seeing a dad interact with his kids, I also grew uncomfortable at the idea of what it means to be a modern dad.
In the 50’s, my job was fairly easy. I was the breadwinner, period. I came home and everything was perfect or I got to get angry. Nowadays society expects me to be fully invested in my kids (which I was already, thanks) as well as being the breadwinner. I think this is a great step forward, but I won’t lie to you - it makes my life a lot more complicated.
And wonderful. Out of all the jobs I’ve ever had (and I’ve had many) being a dad is the most important. And nobody trains you to be a dad, except maybe your own father (who I’m interviewing on my first show although I haven’t told him yet - he’s a psychiatrist; call in at (646) 716-7910 and if he answers your question you’ll save $150/hour). Beyond that, you’re sort of on your own when you take your child home from the hospital.
I should point out here this does NOT mean I think modern moms have it easy. Not at all. But they do have a lot of books and playgroups to help provide a social and support network whereas guys largely don’t. Hence my starting my group and this show.
I hope you’ll tune in if you’re a dad or dad to be to engage in discussions on issues like discipline, getting time with your spouse, balancing work and family, and whatever else we come up with. I’ll be interviewing guests on a regular basis but would greatly welcome questions. Also, keep in mind my focus is more on supporting fathers and their kids than providing a specific set of answers. It’s essential that dads edify each other and provide tools to help us raise our kids in as loving and nurturing way as possible.
Plus find the time to still be a husband, employee, and when time allows (aka: never) have a life of your own.
Special thanks to Dave Winer for his post today on Using BlogTalkRadio to send TwitterGrams. If you’re currently using Twitter, just go to the sign in page Dave’s created and enter in your phone number (must have Caller ID). Then call 646-716-6000 and leave a short message (30 seconds or less for the Twitter-centric) and you’re set. You can see the results of my first TwitterGram below.
For us at BTR this is huge. I have to work to find any of my new media buddies not using Twitter, so to be involved with Dave’s project provides a great boost to tomorrow’s holiday.
I appreciated the format of the event - first off, there was air conditioning which was key since it was horridly humid outside. Secondly, there was ample time to talk/network before the event began which demonstrates to me that the Mint folks understand that we who attend a lot of conferences appreciate networking time almost as much as an event itself. Then when people reflect on the content of the evening they also remember how much they enjoyed hanging out before and after and appreciate the overall atmosphere. This may sound minor, but take it from someone who runs a lot of events - how you frame your content is key in a live situation for folks who understand that any conference they might attend in person will likely be available online soon afterwards. You have to give them a reason to be there in the flesh.
Bit I digress. After a brief introduction, each panel members gave a brief (five minutes) synopsis of the work they’re doing with user generated media. Kenny Miller from MTVN pointed out the interactive tools they provide to let users chat with one another in the body of online shows. Very cool. And Shelly Palmer of Media 3.0, as always, quickly described how anyone can now have a portable HDTV studio wherever they go and how that’s already transforming content online. However, he also made an important distinction about promotion. Wherever you create and host your content, promotion is still key in terms of viewership and potential monetization.
As you’ll hear by people’s comments after the event, most people agree that we’re still in an ambivalent time regarding the nature of user-generated content. There are lots of pros - democracy in production, ease of production, ease of distribution. But there are cons as well - not everyone likes videos of dogs on skateboards (at least after the fourth time), and we content producers wonder how online advertising will pan out. Do we need thousands of people downloading our material on a regular basis to even make a part-time salary? Why won’t people pay for content versus having to have an ad-supported model?
Lots of questions and good to have places like UGTV to sort them out.
You can go to the About Page on the site to get the full description of what SNR is about, but here’s a brief excerpt:
On March 2, 2007 the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB), which oversees sound recording royalties paid by Internet radio services, increased Internet radio’s royalty burden between 300 and 1200 percent and thereby jeopardized the industry’s future.
At the request of the Recording Industry Association of America, the CRB ignored the fact that Internet radio royalties were already double what satellite radio pays, and multiplied the royalties even further. The 2005 royalty rate was 7/100 of a penny per song streamed; the 2010 rate will be 19/100 of a penny per song streamed. And for small webcasters that were able to calculate royalties as a percentage of revenue in 2005 – that option was quashed by the CRB, so small webcasters’ royalties will grow exponentially!
Essentially what’s being dealt with is the royalty rates for music in shows “broadcast” online via podcast/vidcast feeds. I’m still getting a clearer picture of the ramifications of all this, but I believe it means that if you feature music on a show that is “podsafe”, meaning you’ve paid for the use of it, your fees will not end there. This new ruling taking place in July could substantially increase monies you’re expected to pay to have the right to broadcast online.
Long story short, small podcasters, vidcasters, and online radio producers may have to shut down if they can’t pay the bills. Please check out the site and get involved.
I met a lot of great people today in NYC, starting with Edmund Bogen, CEO of Breakfast Network. I was recommended to BN by my good friend Barry Sarner of Imprint Alliance, who has now started his own Meetup Group which I’m sure will be a raving success.
Both Edmund and Barry demonstrate a vital aspect of life in Web 2.0 world - you still have to actually meet with live people every once in a while versus just interacting with a screen. I’m a big fan of Second Life, wiki’s, and so on, but you have to commune with people person to person (or voice to voice on BTR) to maintain a sense of reality and connectedness.
The picture is of my buddy Gary Baumgarten, (and colleagues Tanya and Ira) Director of news and programming for Paltalk, the “world’s largest live video chat community.” They’ve got something like four million users which is frankly hard to comprehend. Gary also has a great blog and show that you can check out on his site. I also took some video of him today I’ll post in the next day or so.
Finally, a shout out to Toby Daniels, VP of Business Development for Mint Digital, a firm that’s doing some extremely innovative work with projects like Islandoo. Here’s a blurb from their site:
Islandoo is a place to chat, flirt and get on Shipwrecked.
Islandoo launched in September 2006 to audition people for Channel 4’s Shipwrecked.
Since then, we have had auditions for Models 1, ITV’s Ladette to Lady and a bunch of prize give aways. Islandoo turned into a great place for chat and meet people. But Shipwrecked has always been key - so it is great to have Shipwrecked casting back.
Shipwrecked is a reality show and Islandoo allows you to audition for the show and also create a profile so you can demonstrate that you’d be good for the show. It’s quite brilliant in the sense that if you show that you’d make for good TV (being the consummate jerk or good guy, for instance) you’ll make casting directors’ jobs a lot easier when they bring you in for the big audition.
Finally, I ended up bumping into my buddy Peter Daniel Straus who I did a play with about 15 years ago. Peter is a clown…professionally. As in Ringling Brothers. Peter has some of the best stories of anyone I know. He told me today about a friend of his (fellow clown) who used to live in Russia. His upstairs neighbor would sometimes slaughter one of their pigs or chickens in what was apparently a flimsily designed building as the blood from the animals would trickle down into Peter’s friend’s apartment. Grisly, but where do you hear stories like that? From my friend Peter, that’s who.
And I bumped into him in NYC, and Toby knew folks at Paltalk and it’s a small world. And a fun one.
So my brother has started a new blog called KidVidId he started after his son Dan wanted to find a video about turtles on YouTube. This is the video they found and it is highly humorous. Not sure why the tortoise has it out for the feline but his tenacity is admirable.
My brother calls this a “personal video micro channel” saying, “now that so much content is on the Web, there’s going to be markets for aggregating very specific niche verticals.” The same is true for podcasters, bloggers, and BTR hosts. Andy wanted to create material that was suitable for kids to watch from the web. As a dad with young kids I appreciate this, since going to YouTube is an exciting yet untamed adventure, even as an adult. So “YouTube videos you can watch with your kids” is a pretty solid micro niche I’m thinking. Plus I enjoy watching animal videos, even if I have to pretend it’s for my kids.
More than ever it’s vital to try and create/aggregate content that specific groups of people will like versus the masses. Ironically, it’s when we try to please as many people as possible that we typically please very few, and when we try to create for very few we often stumble upon a universal theme that appeals to the masses.
Click “play” before reading this post. It’s atmospheric versus story-telling focused.
This is a video I shot on my phone going up the escalator at Penn Station last week. I was shocked (and fairly claustrophobic) heading up to 8th avenue and figured I’d mitigate my rising panic by making some media. My phone shoots 15 second videos, hence the title of the series.
I take a lot of videos and pictures this way, and will be featuring my series on “Phonajournalism” here since BTR’s primary tool is the phone. MP3 players are great (I love my video iPod) but most folks depend on their phones/PDA’s as their primary digital tool throughout the day. It’s also WAY easy to film this way (and yes, I’m working to get the image smaller so it doesn’t pixelate) and get it online. For this, I emailed the movie to myself and then posted it at Photobucket where there were tools to add titles. There’s also a great site called Kyte that lets you email directly to your online channel where photos/videos are posted right away. And I hear phones in Tokyo allow you to stream information directly this way already.
Long story short, many digital peeps I know are calling that thing you carry around with you all the time (phone/PDA) your “digital wallet.” Whether you’re into calling someone (old fashioned), texting (Twitter fans) or watching media (VCast, etc.) getting your message to those sleek little devices is more important than ever.
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Posted by John C. Havens
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Posted by John C. Havens
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Posted by John C. Havens
