New Media Producers need to pay their workers SOMETHING!

This post originally appeared in “Careers in New Media by Douglas E. Welch“…

It is a sad fact of the entertainment business that many of the entry level workers are unpaid interns who are working in order to build their “reel”. Working to build your portfolio is fine, up to a point. In reality, we all need to eat. We all need clothe ourselves. We all need to support our families. Low pay is one thing. NO PAY is another thing entirely!

I understand that in the past, New Media projects have been cash poor. These shows and channels were typically bootstrapped on nothing more than the time and pocket change of those involved. Pay was little, if any, simply because there wasn’t any money to give. That’s not true anymore.

Today, money is beginning to flow into New Media projects, through advertising and programs like YouTube’s Content Initiative, Amazon and Netflix production programs, DVD sales, merchandising, online rentals and more. As this money comes in, producers need to make sure that some of it makes it down to every level of their production organization. Asking someone to work for free when the producers are working for free is one thing.

Asking others to work for free when there is revenue coming in — revenue they helped to generate — is entirely another.

Producers, if  someone is good enough at their job that you want them working on your project — PAY THEM! To do otherwise is offensive and disrespectful. Respect those who are helping you develop your project — with your actions, your words and  your dollars.

I’m not saying you need to put all your revenue into payroll, but some payment commensurate with the work and with your current revenue is the right thing to do. As your revenue increases, so should your worker’s pay. You benefit from this arrangement, too. Paying your workers helps to insure that they work for you and don’t have to (or want to) go work for someone else.

So, to put the finest point on it possible….

New Media producers should pay all levels of their staff — SOMETHING — ANYTHING!

It is productive. It is important. It is right!

For me, in my business dealings — everyone has to win…or everyone will eventually lose. You would be wise to remember that.

Filed under: New Media, Opinion

Elsewhere Online: Opportunity is the chief ROI of social media

“…opportunities are the chief currency of social media. These opportunities can be social, life-enhancing or monetary, but it is the opportunity itself that is the dollar bill of today’s society.”

From Careers in New Media…

As the social media world matures the discussion surrounding it has become all about ROI (return on investment). How many followers do I have? How many subscribers? How many viewers? And finally, how much money am I making. There is a lot being lost among all the talk of Klout scores, Twitter Influence and Facebook Likes. For me — and I would guess for most people who aren’t making a living working in social media itself — opportunities are the chief currency of social media. These opportunities can be social, life-enhancing or monetary, but it is the opportunity itself that is the dollar bill of today’s society.

Quality, not quantity

The problem with social media, and traditional media for that matter, is that we are constantly looking for that one metric, that one measure that “proves” just how important we are. We are frustrated by not knowing something and not knowing just how popular or productive we are irks us to no end. We jump from service to service looking for the magic bullet that will explain our place in the social media universe. What a sad and sorry lot in life. It is this search that leads to Twitter spam, endless begging to “Like Me on Facebook” and social media pyramid schemes that are nothing by mutual, mental, masturbation.

There are countless articles available that seek to prove that the number of followers does not equal influence — that it is the quality of those you interact with, rather than the quantity, that is most important. In some ways I believe this myself. While there is a certain number of people (I guess at around 150) that can turn into a self-generating conversational group, it is the quality of what these people are saying that is important.

For myself, this is exactly how I choose who to pay attention to online. No matter how nice they might be as a person, or how well-known, if what they are sharing online doesn’t have value for me, I do not follow. If I can find their information in a hundred different places i.e. celebrity websites, I do not follow. They may be writing amazing things about knitting or programming or horse care, but if it doesn’t have value to me, I do not need to clutter up my online living room with it. I look for the under-seen, the under-heard, the people who have really neat things to say regardless of how well-known they are.

Opportunities

After immersing myself in the social media world for years now, including writing and consulting about it, I have come to believe that “the opportunity” is the only social media currency that matters. If you want to measure the ROI of your social media interactions, watch closely for the quantity, and quality, of opportunities it brings your way. These opportunities can range from the very personal to the very public, from high personal value to high business value and everywhere in between.

If your social media goal is to meet and work with interesting people, “the opportunity” might be finding these people online and then meeting them in person. You might even find yourself collaborating with them on a project. If this is your goal, then it has much higher ROI than someone Liking your Facebook page or following you on Twitter. In this case, social media was the tool you used, but the opportunity for collaboration was, by far, the biggest benefit. For me, one, great collaborative partner outweighs a score of social media follows. It is a much better metric for measuring your success and influence than any other score you can find.

If, on the other hand, your social media goal is to sell as much product as possible, your “opportunities” might take a different form. Sure, you can count sales and dollars (which are really just a different kind of opportunity) or you can judge your success on the other opportunities these sales bring to you. Perhaps more sales means you can expand your store, expand your influence, expand your lifestyle. This is the true goal and measure you need.

Too often we get caught up in keeping score of those things that don’t really matter. This is where I think that social media goes most astray. We focus so hard on the numbers — the followers, the likes, the sales — that we start doing things we might not do otherwise. We spam our friends. We scam our customers. We shout so loud and so long that, after a time, no one wants to hear anything we have to say. In some extreme cases, we can even cross the line into illegal activities like fraud and embezzling. If the social media numbers are all that is important, then some will do almost anything to achieve them.

Time for a change

It is time to reevaluate our relationship to social media and being to realize that it isn’t something apart from our lives, but instead an integral part of our lives. We need to stop chasing the illusive rainbow of social media metrics and instead focus on how it effects our lives. We need to look at the opportunities is brings to us each day and evaluate our actions accordingly. These opportunities may be small and personal or grand and corporate, but they are the true currency of social media. In this way, the act of meeting an amazing and interesting person can carry as much weight as landing a huge contract — a short, deep, amazing conversation takes on as much value as investment in your startup. Social media can mean many things to many people, but opportunities, in all their forms, can be seen as a true benefit — a true ROI — by nearly everyone.

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Do you have questions or comments on this topic? Please leave a comment using the link above.

 

Filed under: New Media, Opinion

Promote your favorite podcasts and help other listen/watch

From Careers in New Media with Douglas E. Welch…

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You may have noticed my recent posting series, “Recently Listened Podcasts“. Each week I collect the list of shows I have listened to (or watched, for video shows) and place that in my blog with links back to iTunes.

As someone interested in New Media, may I ask you to do the same on your blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc?

There is a lot of great content out there in the New Media world, but it can still be difficult for the average person to find and download shows that might be of interest to them. Help them out by highlighting your favorite shows and, when you can, help them subscribe and listen to podcasts. I often take a few minutes to introduce my computer consulting clients to podcasts whenever I am with them. This is especially true of clients who are purchasing their first iPod, iPhone of iPad. I try to recommend shows that already meet their interests and even give them a quick walk-through of how to find, subscribe, listen and watch to podcasts.

As podcasters and new media professionals, we can all do more to get the word out about great podcast content and help others find shows that can entertain, educate and enlighten.

Filed under: Elsewhere, New Media, News, Opinion

How do you make a living in New Media?

Re-posted from Careers in New Media…

Listen to the podcast

How do you make a living in New Media? I received this great question a few weeks ago and wanted to answer it publicly in hopes that others may benefit.

Here is the question…

“Hi, Mr. Welch. I’m a mom. My son is going to college majoring in (guess what) new media. As a parent I’m wondering how my son is going to make a living in new media, and not feeling like I knew enough about it, I found your Welchwrite.com site. I watched your speech to the Independent Filmmakers, and I have a clearer understanding of what new media is and the best way to use it, so thanks for that. However my fundamental question remains: how does one make a living in this field? Please help. Thank you.”

..and here is my answer…

There are several ways of building a career based on New Media. Two typical career paths include:

1. Taking the entertainment route and becoming a producer of your own New Media content, such as producing your own audio or video show

2. Using your New Media skills to help others produce their content.

Entertainment Path

Here in Los Angeles, many people are taking the traditional entertainment industry approach and attempting to create their own New Media properties in hopes that they can gather an audience, support themselves and perhaps even rival the success of mainstream entertainment.I find this a harder road to follow, as there is a lot of competition, but there can be great rewards for those who hit upon the right property.

This approach to a New Media career tends to be the preferred method for those working, or hoping to work, in the entertainment industry, such as actors, comedians and musicians, as they already have a talent to showcase and New Media provides them an easy distribution method for their work. They can use New Media to show “what they do and how well they do it” to a large number of people and gather an audience around them. This can then lead to mainstream exposure or, in some cases, provide significant income to support themselves from their New Media shows, along with the income from ancillary products like live shows and merchandise.

It is important to remember that there are levels of success in the entertainment industry, despite its focus on the “star system.” While a New Media personality may not garner the money and attention of a Hollywood star, they may find that they can gather a dedicated audience who see them as a star in their own, smaller world, and also provide enough monetary support to provide them a life which many would see as successful. You shouldn’t get caught in the trap of thinking that you must become the next Madonna or Kevin Smith or Jon Stewart. There are many levels of success and New Media could make you very successful indeed.

Consulting Path

Another approach to a New Media career is to become an employee or consult with those people who want to establish their own New Media presence. Your skills at creating and managing New Media are in demand from a wide variety of companies and clients. This is the direction my own New Media career has taken. While I produce my own shows around my personal interests, my long experience in podcasting and New Media allows me to help others create their own New Media properties as well as speak and instruct on New Media topics.

The major benefit to this type of New Media career is that, much like computer consulting, you can work in a wide variety of companies and industries. You might work creating video promotions for a major retailer or develop in-house video materials for a local manufacturer. You could help a local chef build their profile through an Internet cooking show or teach a non-profit how to better communicate with their supporters. Since New Media crosses all boundaries you can look for ways to combine your New Media knowledge with other expertise you might have.

For example, if you are a paralegal or have other law-related experience, you bring more to the table than just your New Media skills. You are well positioned to work with a law firm or law-related public advocacy group as you have skills and expertise on both sides of the equation. Perhaps your are a musician. You bring specific knowledge to your consulting that other musicians can use. This combination of skills give you many more options when choosing between jobs and can open up significant opportunities.

Whether you choose the entertainment or New Media consulting path through your career, I think you are positioning yourself well for the future. Mainstream entertainment is fragmenting under its own weight and high production costs, so I see New Media as a rising market while mainstream production is a diminishing one. There are simply fewer and fewer opportunities in mainstream production with each passing year, so careers there become more and more difficult. New Media provides the ability to combine your New Media expertise with your other talents and create your own unique career based on your own wants, needs and desires. This flexibility is one of the best features of developing a career using your New Media skills.

So, get out there and start building your New Media career today! I think you will be pleasantly surprised at the opportunities that are available to you.

Filed under: Audio, New Media, Opinion, podcast, Question and Answer

Ignore ALL New Media advice — maybe even this

From Careers in New Media with Douglas E. Welch

After 6 years of podcasting and a deep immersion into the New Media world I find myself wondering if we all need to stop listening to New Media pundits and just GET ON WITH IT!

As with any new trend, meme, idea, service, product, whatever — there will always be those who think themselves experts in exactly how it should be done. You must post 1.4 Twitter messages each day, each being only 120 characters (to allow for Retweets and blog 2, 500-word blog posts each day, each with a call to action and comments specifically written to your target niche., etc, etc, etc.

Talk about sucking the life out of something!

My own advice, which you are — of course — free to ignore, is to “DO” New Media in whatever way seems fit, in whatever method seems fun or useful, on whatever time frame fits your schedule, directed at whatever audience you care to address. JUST DO IT!

Following too much advice can be more damaging than following too little. Each new pundit, each new expert hones and grinds New Media in their image. They take all that was new and exciting about New Media and turn it into yet another widget that can be commoditized and sold. They reduce the power of these new tools down to a lowest common denominator that seeks to serve everyone, but only seeks to serve them with mediocrity.

What good is it if you simply get better and better and doing what everyone else is doing? If you use New Media tools like everyone else in the crowd you become just one more anonymous figure within that crowd. New Media gives us the ability to stand out from the crowd, find our audience and make a difference in the world. Why squander it being the same as everyone else?

Every new idea goes through this phase? Goth was cool and edgy, now it can be bought in the mall. Punk music was loud and downright dangerous, now its commoditized just like Top 40 pop. Blogging used to be cool and cutting edge, now many do it with the same energy and excitement as a burned out accountant might bring.

Start with yourself when you develop your New Media projects. Sure, you can find some interesting ideas among the pundits, but when the advice starts to make everything look the same you would do better to think about how you can make your work different. Different is where new things happen. Different is where big success lies. Different is what keeps you from being swallowed by the big ocean of mediocrity.

What do YOU want out of New Media? How are YOU going to achieve it? What are YOU going to do? After all, if you are just going to do the same as everyone else — why do it at all?

Filed under: Elsewhere, Member, New Media, Opinion, Tips

Question: WordPress — Is it hype?

This post originally appeared in Careers in New Media…

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NMI Founder, Douglas E. Welch, gets a lot of questions every day and here is a one from today…

• Q: Seth Godin uses TypePad. Is WordPress hyped VS a Reg. Website and using Typepad as your blog platform? I like WP but seems like it has to be watched like a hawk for it not to freeze up or slow down. What will this cost me in WP maintenence fees.
• A: Hmmm, is WordPress hyped? I don’t think so. It does what I need it to do. There is certainly some personal choice and preference involved. I don’t use TypePad myself, but many people seem to, so it must have something going for it.

  I find WordPress easy to maintain and manage and the number of plugins available for it make it quite extensible, even for someone like me who really isn’t a programmer, although technology-savvy. I do like having my own install of WordPress on my own web host, as opposed to having my blog hosted elsewhere — at least for my own personal blogs. I do use WordPress.com extensively for other, shared project blogs, though. I even have one blog still hosted at Blogger.com, where I started.

  Speed is more a function of your web host and the number of plugins/features you have installed on your WordPress site. As with anything, installing too much cruft can slow it down. I find that the amount of traffic you have is more a concern than the actual software though. WordPress has caching plugins available to help in high-load environments., though, so that can help if you have a really popular web site.

  I don’t find I have to “watch it like a hawk” to keep it running. In fact, I don’t think I have ever had a problem with WordPress other than those I have caused myself through badly configured plugins or themes. You should be able to maintain WordPress by yourself, as typically it only involves clicking a few buttons and waiting for the upgrade. In fact, I always recommend that bloggers know how to control and maintain their own blogs, rather than relying on someone else — especially if that person is charging by the hour for basic maintenance.

  The new automated upgrade utilities built into WordPress make it almost a plug and play environment. Most web hosts have a one/two-click install for WordPress, making it even easier.

  Overall, I like WordPress, both self-hosted and hosted at WordPress.com. It serves me well and I regularly recommend it to others.
  

Do you have a question? Why not drop me a line? Use the Comments link above, send email to me@douglasewelch.com or call the voice mail line at 818-804-5049

Filed under: Elsewhere, Member, New Media, Opinion, Question and Answer, Software, Wordpress

Question: Should I stay on Facebook?

Originally from Careers in New Media with Douglas E. Welch…

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been asked this question more than a few times, both face-to-face and via email/Twitter. The on-going privacy policy battles with Facebook have turned off a lot of people on the large (and growing larger) service, but for the foreseeable future, if you leave Facebook, you might just be reducing your social media effectiveness.

First, let me say that I haven’t had a large problem with Facebook privacy settings for two important reasons.

1. I joined Facebook after it had opened up for everyone, not just limited groups of high school and college students so I never developed an assumption of privacy there.

2. As with any social media, I consider anything and everything I post there to be public by default, so changes in Facebook’s privacy policy didn’t really effect me or the way I used the service.

For most people, you want (and perhaps, need) to be on Facebook for one very important reason…it is where the people are. In shear numbers, Facebook far outweighs any other social network and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Removing yourself from that mass of people will limit the effectiveness of any social media campaign, both person and professional, that you might care to create. You need to connect with the quorum of people that exist on Facebook to spread your message as far as possible. Deleting your Facebook account might make your feel better, but your online relationships and business will suffer.

Will Facebook always be the big event in town? No. History has shown that companies ebb and flow over the years and sometime, somewhere, someone will create a new and better service and will do to Facebook, what it did to Myspace (and others). Until then, we all need to “dance with those that brought us.”

That said, if you want to continue to have private conversations via Facebook, you need to look elsewhere. Facebook has shown every indication that they will be “public by default.” Even if you manage your Facebook Privacy Settings perfectly, you will be exposing your “private” updates to any number of people. Look towards closed email lists or other services which promise closed communications and leave Facebook for your public-facing activities. Remember, though, that even then information can leak out of these so-called “private” realms very easily. A forwarded email, a Twitter message, a casual mention by a fellow group member over the phone show you just how fragile privacy can be. In some cases, the only way to truly private about something is to be the only person who knows about it.

You need to engage on Facebook, publicly, if you want spread your message and thoughts to the widest audience possible. Move your private conversations elsewhere. Facebook isn’t going back so you need to do what is best for you.

Filed under: Member, New Media, Opinion, Tips

Not every video needs to look the same as every other

Sometimes it is entirely too easy to believe that every video you produce must look like every other video on the Net. It has to be something stupid, it has to look exactly like mainstream TV, it has to have a presenter, it has to “mean” something, it has to look like every other video on the Net.

While you might want to make videos like take the standard form of interview, music video or silly clip, sometimes it pays to stretch yourself and do something entirely different. One type of video I create regularly is something I call and “environmental” video. This has nothing to do with sustainability and saving the planet. Rather, they are designed to give you the feeling of what it might be like to be in the environment, just for few minutes.

Sometimes these videos have several cuts from different angles and sometimes, like the video linked below, they have only one static shot with natural sound and some background music. While these videos certainly aren’t for everyone, I hope they show you that every video on the net need look like every other video. Experiment with different themes, different styles, different views of even the most common object and you will be surprised at what you get.

Download “Santa Barbara Palm Trees – iPod Ready Video

Filed under: Opinion, podcast, Show, Video

Elsewhere Online: [Tip] New Media Assignment: Capture your great ideas

From Careers in New Media…

When I am talking New Media, one question that always arises is, “…but what do I have to say that people will be interested in?” That fact is, we all have something interesting to say. We just don’t take the time to recognize it for what it is. We let it slip away instead of turning it into the powerful new media it is.

Assignment #1: Capture your great ideas!

Everywhere you go, take notepad or journal. This is both your capture device and your reminder to be aware of opportunities to gather great ideas. The act of carrying it around, setting it on the table when you sit down at the cafe, putting it your bag is like tying a string to your finger or snapping a rubber band on your wrist.

Now, whenever you are talking with someone, be aware of when you and they are particularly enjoying the conversation. Are you laughing out loud? Are you ranting? Are you commiserating over some lost opportunity, job, lover?

Now, write down in your journal the topic of your conversation. It doesn’t have to be a detailed reconstruction of the conversation, just a quick line noting the topic and perhaps why it was so interesting.

Before you know it, you will have a whole series of pre-vetted ideas for blog posts, audio podcasts, videos and even books. You already know these topics are interesting to you and at least one other person, so you can turn them into something more without worrying about whether they are interesting enough — a common pitfall of folks just getting started in New Media.

Do you accept my assignment? Start doing it today! Share your stories about how it works for you as comments here on the blog of on the New Media Interchange Community site. I’d love to hear what your are capturing and how this tip works for you.

Filed under: New Media, Opinion, Tips

New Media is about sharing your message, not being a star

Douglas E. Welch, Founder, New Media Interchange

When I talk to people about the opportunities of New Media, especially here in Los Angeles, their thoughts often turn to the stereotypical image of television or radio shows. They see elaborate sets, expensive lighting and sound equipment and maybe even a live audience. This is NOT what New Media is about. Sure, New Media shows often take on some of the forms of radio or television shows since these are our most familiar examples of media. That said, New Media can have a higher goal than simply entertainment. New Media is about sharing your message with the world, not about being a star.

Sure, there are pure entertainment shows out there in the New Media world. That is the message that those people have decided they want to share. That doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself to that framework. Television isn’t made up of only scripted drama series. There are a variety of show types. New Media takes that variety and adds countless new concepts.

For the first time in the history of media, you now have the ability to take your message, about anything, directly to your audience. This is a great power which almost anyone can use. Do you have a real estate company? Use New Media to communicate directly with the buyers and sellers who are most interested. Run a restaurant? Communicate directly with both your biggest fans and people who know nothing about you. Have a freelance business? Develop your own show to share the best of your knowledge and skills with those that need it most — and are therefore more willing to pay for it!

“For me, New Media isn’t about the show as a property unto itself. It is about the message.”

For me, New Media isn’t about the show as a property unto itself. It is about the message. In most cases, you will not make money on your New Media show alone, you will make it on the customers that it brings to your business, the side products that you sell and the attention and authority the show and the quality information you offer bring to you as an individual.

Since New Media is not about being a star, we don’t have to worry about huge budgets, fancy lighting, costumes, actors and more. Your show is about you, at a very personal level. People will come to you looking for great information and, in many cases, to know you better as a person. There is an intimacy to coming into someone’s computer and home on a regular basis. You will learn more about your viewers, your customers, your fellow hobbyists as they learn more about you.

Don’t let your long experience with mainstream media limit your view of what New Media can be or what it can do for you. We are still at the very beginning of New Media, still finding its power and its limits. This is the time for innovation and play. Let’s see how far we can stretch the bounds of this new tool. Let’s see how it can change our work, our businesses, our lives for the better.

It has been said that complete freedom can be one of the most frightening things in our lives. It paralyzes us with the possibilities. New Media Interchange is dedicated to breaking through this paralysis and helping you find a way to make New Media work for you, regardless of what message you are trying to share with the world.

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Filed under: New Media, Opinion, Arts, Audio, Business, Los Angeles, Marketing and Advertising, Mass media, message, New Media, newmedia, podcasting, Television, Video

Open up your company, store, and life to the world

Image via Wikipedia

I posted this tip today on the NewMediaTips Twitter feed today, but I wanted to expand on it here.

“Stores have viewing windows and open kitchens for a reason. New media opens your viewing window to the world, not just those nearby”

Nearly everyone likes to see behind the scenes. Cake stores have viewing windows into the decorating area and more and more restaurants are designed with open kitchens where diners can take in the entire process of preparing their meal. Krispy Kreme Donuts exposed their entire production line, making it a show unto itself. Factory tours are everywhere and their are entire television shows dedicated to showing “How it’s made”

Considering the public’s love for behind the scenes information, why not use new media tools to expose your business, your work, your life, to those who might be interested. New Media is like opening your viewing window, your backstage, to the world instead of just the few people who happen to walk by your storefront. Increasingly, the Internet is your storefront and you should be using New Media to give people a look, a taste, of what is happening.

You can do this by putting photos on your web site, recording audio interview with your staff, or taking video of a particular process. All of these types of media can be easily captured and shared using inexpensive equipment and cheap or free Internet services.

What’s stopping you? Leave our questions and comments on this post and I will give your some great ideas for getting started today.

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Filed under: New Media, New Media Tips, Opinion, Business, Marketing and Advertising

New: Zoom Q3: Flip Video-type camera with better audio

This new product from Samson seems an odd duck. It looks like a Flip  video grafted onto a Zoom H2 recorder. While that is certain to up the audio quality, the standard 640 x 480 video falls short of the Flip HD. I will be more interested to see the next revision of this device.

Zoom Q3: Finally A Flip-Type Pocket Cam With Decent Audio [Camcorders]

from Gizmodo by Dan Nosowitz

Our Battlemodo showed that while cheap pocket camcorder video quality has come a long way, audio quality is usually abysmal. The Zoom Q3 aims to change that with TWO directional microphones that can be focused much like a lens zooms.

Read the entire article

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Filed under: Audio, Hardware, New Media, News, Opinion

Social Media Triage: Not enough time for social media?

Evo Terra, social media consultant and co-author of Podcasting for Dummies, addresses a common issue among business people who are looking to use social media — how do you find the time?

This 51 minute video is a recording of his LIVE Show, Social Media Triage, airing each Saturday morning. You can watch more past shows (and join in LIVE) on Evo’s uStream.tv channel.

Filed under: Events, New Media, Opinion, Tips, Video

Audio: You don’t know who your audience is

(Reposted from Careers in New Media)

Listen

One of the most important lessons for New Media creators is the fact that when you start, you often have absolutely no idea who your audience might be. You can survey, you can review, you can correlate, but until you put something out there, you will never truly know. More importantly, this uncertainty is often what stops people from creating New Media at all.

Today over lunch I was watching some podcasts on my televison (There are a bunch of ways to do that) and I caught a TedTalk with Malcom Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce — “Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell gets inside the food industry’s pursuit of the perfect spaghetti sauce — and makes a larger argument about the nature of choice and happiness.” Gladwell tells the story of Dr. Howard R. Moskowitz who revolutionized the food industry with his concept that there is no one, perfect item, but rather a horizontal continuum of perfect products based on what groups of people desire. More importantly, he discovered that asking people what they want was often the worst way of discovering their preference.

The same applies to New Media. If you asked someone what they want in New Media, most will tell you they want it to look and feel like mainstream television. In fact, though, tens of thousands of people are already enjoying New Media shows that look nothing like television. Witness “Fred”, Make Magazine’s podcasts and shows, Diggnation, Ask a Ninja and more. Even more, television these days is starting to look more and more like New Media, not the other way round. Shows like “Destroyed in Seconds”, “How It’s Made” and others owe much to the success of YouTube. It seems mad, but the audience doesn’t honestly know how to indicate what they really want in media except by voting with their eyeballs.

This fact is why it is so important to start producing content — whether individual episodes or complete series of shows — and then see what attracts the most attention. This may seem madness after all these years of focus groups, private screenings, in-depth analysis and such, but I think it is the only true way to discover your audience.

Of course, “throwing something against the wall” is so much easier in New Media, even it is a bit scary. You can start producing shows on a shoestring and then increase the time and budget as you start to discover your core audience. Unlike mainstream television, you aren’t spending millions of dollars on a pilot, only to have the show be cancelled after one episode.

New Media gives you the freedom to try many things, in many mays, and pick the best. You should take this freedom and run with it as this is the first time in the history of modern media where, not only can you create something, you can easily distribute it directly to your audience. Don’t squander this great advantage.

You may have some idea who your audience is, but I can guarantee you that there will always be surprises. There will be a demographic that you had no idea you would reach. You could be successful in a far flung country. You could end up with a huge following across the globe, but you won’t know until you do it! You have no idea who your audience is, but it is very likely they will find you anyway.

Filed under: Audio, New Media, Opinion, podcast, Show

News: What RAJAR’s Recent Podcasting Data Means for Podcasters

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More recent podcasting info, with commentary from the Association for Downloadable Media

What RAJAR’s Recent Podcasting Data Means for Podcasters

from Association for Downloadable Media by Tom Webster

The UK’s radio ratings service, RAJAR, recently released the findings of its latest study of Internet-delivered audio services, including a healthy section on podcast consumption. Here are some of the principal findings, and a few thoughts on what they mean for podcast content producers:

1. The overall podcast audience continues to show significant growth: the overall UK figures rose from 6 million persons indicating they had ever downloaded a podcast in May 2008, to 7.2 million today. Also in that same period, the number of persons indicating that they listen to a podcast each week rose from 3.7 million to 4.1 million.

Two things strike me about these numbers–first, of course, podcast consumption continues to grow at a very healthy rate. More significant to me is the fact that 57% of the total podcast audience listens to a podcast each week. That, combined with the fact that the number of podcasts subscribed to increased from 3.6 to 4.4 is clear evidence that listening to podcasts is becoming more of a habit, and less of a novelty, for the majority of this ever-growing body.

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Filed under: Elsewhere, New Media, News, Opinion, Tips, Video

Audio: State of the Music Industry Panel Discussion – Feb 9, 2009

On February 7, 2009, TK Promotions in association with the Coalition of SoCal Music Organizations (COSMO) and New Pants Publishing, Inc., presented the 2nd in a Series of Pitch-A-Song™ Industry Panels at the Guitar Merchant.

A “State of the Industry” panel proceeded the “Pitch-A-Song™”, moderated by Steve Scott, Pres. of COSMO (Coalition of Socal Music Organizations) with industry guests including writer/podcaster/new media consultant (and founder of New Media Interchange) Douglas E. Welch, producer Mandi Martin and film/tv professional WinJow speaking on hot topics covering the music industry.

Listen: State of the Music Industry Panel Discussion

Filed under: Audio, New Media, Opinion

Elsewhere Online: New Media: What are you waiting for?

New Media: What are you waiting for?

From Careers in New Media and Podcasting by Douglas E. Welch

In my on-going effort to show everyone how new media can help them in their business, career and life, I am often meet with skepticism and resistance. Years ago, the Internet created a huge opportunity for everyone to create their own media and, for the first time ever, easily distribute directly to their audience. Still, despite the relative popularity and success of sites like YouTube, only a fraction of the population creates media, despite the obvious benefits.

More and more I am inclined to ask, “What are you waiting for?” In that regard, I offer some typical excuses for not using new media and, hopefully, a few good answers that might give people a reason to adopt new media as one of their tools.

Read the entire article

Filed under: Member, New Media, Opinion

Great video and audio info from Izzy Video

Get great information on producing your own New Media projects from Izzy Video.

I met Izzy at PodCampAZ back in November and he has a host of information to help make your New Media projects the best that they can be. He is also a great guy, so check him out.

Visit the blog, community site and subscribe to the podcast

Filed under: Audio, New Media, News, Opinion, podcast, Show, Technology, Tips, Video

Recent Discussions in the New Media Interchange Forums

When should we hold our first NMI Online Seminar? 6 Replies

Started by Douglas E. Welch in Technology. Last reply by liana lehua 1 day ago.

News: Newspapers Face Discussion about Distribution

Started by Rosanne Welch in Technology Dec. 31, 2008.

Let’s Introduce Ourselves! 1 Reply

Started by Steve Boyett in Conversation. Last reply by Douglas E. Welch Dec. 31, 2008.

Join these discussions and more on the New Media Interchange Community site.

Filed under: Community, New Media, News, Opinion

Career Opportunities: A Year of Leadership

This is my latest article and podcast for Career Opportunities. I am re-posting it here, as I think it is a message we all need to hear as we head into 2009.

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It’s time to lead again!

A Year of Leadership
By Douglas E. Welch

Listen: A Year of Leadership

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Free book giveaway contest ends January 15, 2009

When looking back over 2008 I see a number of issues, but one that presses most deeply on my mind was a lack of leadership. From the highest government offices to the individual in a cubicle, it is as if we had collectively forgotten how to lead. We seemed to stand around looking at one another, expecting someone else to fix the problems. It should be clear by now that when leadership is lacking from above, it is imperative on each of us to take up the reins of power and help both ourselves and those around us by leading. For that reason, I declare 2009 the Year of Leadership. A year when we all reflect on what it means to be a leader and how we can exercise our leadership every day.

Small steps

First, leadership isn’t something that happens out there, or more usually, up there. Leadership is an integral part of each of us. It is in our DNA. It is only when we ignore its call that our lives run off the rails. You may be thinking, “What is Douglas talking about? I don’t have any power, let alone the power to lead others.” This is where you are wrong. It is the small efforts that we provide every day that allow us to lead. We do have power. If nothing else, we have the power to provide a good example. We can choose to not do those things that make our lives more difficult, that abuse out bodies, that cause pain to others. In fact, I believe this is the most important power at our command – the power to do good.

Second, we need to show leadership when it is most uncomfortable and sometimes, the most dangerous. Corporations and con men take advantage of people’s fear and discomfort in “rocking” the boat. Whether we are inside a group, club or corporation we fool ourselves into thinking that the problems we encounter aren’t our problems or that someone else will take care of them. We have seen where this has led with Exxon, the mortgage crisis and, most recently, the alleged Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. If we continue to do nothing while customers get abused, investors get cheated and companies misstate profits then we have only ourselves to blame for our collective troubles. Again, leadership is not something that is handed down from on high. Leadership is in the small everyday actions we take to make ourselves, our companies and our government better, even when it is uncomfortable to do so. Imagine all the great works in the world that would have remained undone had not someone conquered their fear and chosen leadership over laissez-faire.

What will you do?

For myself, I am already starting in on the year of leadership. I am determined to lead in my two groups, New Media Interchange and LA Friday Coffee, as well as a new group for LA Organizers. I will strive to lead you all (and myself) to the “career you deserve” through these columns. I will lead my family through increased commitment to make the right decisions when they have to be made. I will lead by continuing to write my blogs on technology, podcasting, gardening and more. I will think twice before I ignore problems and allow them to fester.

There are so many opportunities for you to lead, too. Move ahead a faltering project. Solve an on-going and intractable problem that everyone hates, but no one takes the time or responsibility to solve. Share yourself and your knowledge to lead others in your area of expertise. Stand up and make a decision when no one else seems to be able. Even making a decision about where to have lunch with a group is a small act of leadership that needs to be achieved.

How will you lead in the New Year? What, long delayed, actions are you already considering with your new found focus? How will you exercise the new power that comes from a leadership focus? I would love to hear how you tackle this Year of Leadership. Send in your comments and questions either to the Career Opportunities blog or join us on the new Career Opportunities Community site. You’ll find a link on the web site. That, in itself, is a small act of leadership that can help all of us grow.

2009 is the Year of Leadership. Let us renew our commitment to leadership and all that it has to offer. We need it more than ever before.

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Filed under: Audio, Opinion, Sampler, Show