DEI's 2011 Public Media Marketing and Development Conference was held July 14-16 in Pittsburgh.
Public Media Development & Marketing Conference | DEI
The Public Media Development and Marketing Conference is DEI's signature event and the largest annual meeting in public radio. Join more than 600 of your colleagues from radio-only and radio/TV stations, networks, national organizations, and associated businesses to share ideas, learn skills, and discuss issues related to revenue generation and marketing for public media.
I attended the conference on July 14 and 15, presented on panels about social media and engagement and used Twitter to take notes. My Tweeting decreased after the first morning panel on July 15, as I took additional time to organize a lunch meeting between representatives from some stations to discuss how we could collaborate on projects stemming from what we learned at the conference.
Here are my Tweets, as well as descriptions from the conference brochure about the panels I attended and links to some additional resources.
Friday Leadership Address: Jon McTaggart on Leadership in a Time of Change. Join American Public Media for a provocative discussion as Jon McTaggart, APM"s newly appointed CEO, discusses his views on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the industry.
“ Jon McTaggart of Amer. #pubmedia at #PMDMC: we need expert advice for the future, and the experts are in our audience.
“ McTaggart: relevance is not enough; we need to be essential. Make it so communities can't imagine life w/o #pubmedia. #PMDMC
“ McTaggart: when what #pubmedia offers is essential people will fight for us... and resources will follow. #PMDMC
“ McTaggart: what if we could create a driveway moment every day? #PMDMC #pubmedia
“ McTaggart: ask, is the whole community involved w/us? Are we providing a unique, valuable service? #PMDMC #pubmedia
“ McTaggart: What are we doing that has the whole community talking? #PMDMC #pubmedia
“ A queen can rule w/o a king, but marketing can't succeed w/o great content. #PMDMC
“ McTaggart's analogy is faulty. Better: content is football team, marketing is cheerleader. #PMDMC #pubmedia
“ McTaggart: when we go out of the way for our audience, they will out of their way for us. #PMDMC #pubmedia
“ McTaggart: We need to ask our audience what's relevant. #PMDMC
“ McTaggart: we're not going to win in the #tech game. We have to win what's between their ears. #PMDMC #pubmedia
“ McTaggart: trajectory of #pubmedia means we must invest in leadership. #PMDMC
“ I think it's important to note that McTaggart may be juxtaposing audience & community. #pubmedia needs to listen to its community. #PMDMC
“ McTaggart: #pubmedia commit to creating content, great content, essential content. Our audiences will reward us. #PMDMC
What Is a Significant Community Institution? The "significant community institution" is a concept that has been discussed for years in public broadcasting. We sense that we need to become one (especially in order to be in the running for significant local funding) and that it means something more than just our airwaves.
“ Attending a #pmdmc philanthropy panel on creating a significant community org. Hoping to learn from other #pubmedia perspectives.
“ Lauri Frick, Hillman Foundation: the foundation looks to fund projects relevant to the applying organization. Org has to explain that #pmdmc
“ Correction: Lauri Fink #pmdmc
“ Nancy Moulton, Pitt. Zoo Society: likes to see physical evidence of gift; she tours organizations #pmdmc
“ Fink: many nonprofits don't understand the importance of outcomes. What is the impact of your program? How are you measuring it? #pmdmc
“ Moulton: warning signs: when she sees no evidence org is living up to mission, personal agendas, uncaring employees #pmdmc
“ Fink: frustrating when an org can't live up to its promises because it lacks staff & programs. Foundation will fund needed staff #pmdmc
“ Biggest lesson from #pmdmc panel on creating a significant community org: have measurable outcomes you can demonstrate.
“ Fink: success in #pubmedia hard to measure, but they look to fund discussions of issues not covered in other news media. #pmdmc
“ Moulton: perception of #pubmedia important. Many don't understand fed funding to #pubmedia #pmdmc
“ Moulton: #pubmedia needs to be studying their community and getting demographic info all the time. Know your community. #pmdmc
“ Moulton: programming idea: study the layperson's growing ambivalence to politics. That's an example of relevant. #pmdmc
“ Moulton: be willing to partner both with smaller orgs that show promise and bigger orgs. #pmdmc
“ Fink: in-house stats more important to her foundation than other stats. What successes has your org had? How are they recorded? #pmdmc
Developing Underwriting Models for Collaborative Content Initiative Public radio stations are exploring new collaborative models for local, regional, and national journalism -- think Local Journalism Centers (LJCs), Project Argo and others. Now the big question: how do these initiatives become sustainable?
“ Next up: developing underwriting models for collaborative content initiatives #pmdmc
“ Jim Taszarek Jr., managing director for Market Enginuity, talking about funding for Fronteras at #pmdmc
“ Fronteras is a collaboration between seven #pubmedia stations to collect stories about the changing southwest #pmdmc
Law enforcement officials said the operation disrupted a Mexican drug trafficking organization operating in Las Vegas. Drug cartels are taking advantage of the federal effort to beef up border security by corrupting agents of Customs and Border Protection, the nation's largest law enforcement agency.
“ Did I hear that right? Fronteras produced 600 stories in four months? #pmdmc
“ $310,000 in corporate support biggest piece of funding for Fronteras. Stations gave 6 on air pledge spots per week for project. #pmdmc
“ Correction: not 6 pledge spots, on air spots were for underwriters #PMDMC
“ Taszarek: created YouTube video for project and emailed it to potential funders, who appreciated it #pmdmc
“ Fronterasdesk.org is site, money raised by member stations goes to project, not member stations #PMDMC
“ Taszarek notes it was a content-first project in response to question about whether or not stories all air at same time #PMDMC
“ It might've been easier to sell if funders knew when they could hear program. <- why marketing and news need to communicate #PMDMC
“ Juan Vazquez from WXXI now talking about Innovation Trail, looking at tech, energy, etc and economy in New York State. 8 stations. #PMDMC
In case you missed it, This American Life producer Sarah Koenig dedicated the entire July 8 episode to hydrofracking and the effect that natural gas exploitation is having on Pennsylvania's economy. A professor in Pennsylvania makes a calculation, to discover that his state is sitting atop a massive reserve of natural gas-enough to revolutionize how America gets its energy.
“ Vazquez: Sold spots that say funding goes to Innovation Trail. Spots don't need to run next to stories. #PMDMC
“ Vazquez: challenge was that for typical spots, stations each had different rates and systems for determing rates. #PMDMC
“ Vazquez: So a rate card was created so that packages could be sold across all stations based on each station's rate #PMDMC
“ Vazquez: created 15 second spots that could be edited for time, language. Flexibility was important. #PMDMC
“ Vazquez: "I learned more about Excel than I ever wanted to know." #pmdmc
“ Vazquez: Station that sells the package bills the client. #pmdmc
“ Vazquez: also faced challenges in inventory, so every seller had to check with other stations in package #PMDMC
“ Vazquez: communication is key, need go-to person who can be pointed to as the boss. #pmdmc
“ Vazquez: but that boss also must create compromises #pmdmc
Building Buzz & Community Engagement This panel will examine how public media outlets -- from the largest to the smallest -- are managing their social media presence for marketing and audience engagement.
“ The awesomest #pmdmc panel ever - building #socialmedia buzz w/ @Jim_Anderson1 @alilozoff & yours truly, 2:15pm in Frick!
Why people follow brands on Facebook - something I'll discuss tomorrow on my #pmdmc panel. (I want that 18%) http://yfrog.com/kkbvcfjjianhillmedia · July 14, 2011
Reasons people follow brands on #twitter; a higher % for content means news does better on Twitter than FB #PMDMC http://yfrog.com/kiblmdmjianhillmedia · July 14, 2011
Finally, why this is important to you #marketing folks. Graphic by @satisfaction. #PMDMC http://yfrog.com/kfjhgpjianhillmedia · July 14, 2011
On Friday I was part of a panel on building buzz through social media and community engagement at DEI's 2011 Public Media Development and Marketing Conference in Pittsburgh. Ali Lozoff of American Public Media, Jim Anderson of GoalBusters and I talked about how we used social media in our respective positions to get communities involved with different projects and stations.
“ . @AliLozoff doing a great job showing how social media can be used in a product launch #pmdmc #awesomestpanelever
“ . @AliLozoff talks about selling vs. celebrating - a great concept #pmdmc
“ . @Jim_Anderson1 opens by asking how many stations have all the resources they want for #socialmedia; no hands raised #pmdmc
“ . @Jim_Anderson1: don't talk about why it work, think about why it will work. #PMDMC
“ . @Jim_Anderson1: provide information, education and/or opportunity in every #Facebook post #pmdmc
Listening and Storytelling Social media has amplified the voices of media consumers, and your station can do the same. Social platforms provide public media outlets new opportunities to collaborate with audiences to create more informed and relevant content. Building a community is all about creating valued, interactive content.
“ Come hear @lindafantin @annieshreff and I talk about storytelling and #socialmedia, now in Frick! #PMDMC #awesomestpanelever2
“ I'll be talking about @storify! #pmdmc
“ . @lindafantin #socialmedia is about asking, listening and learning #pmdmc
“ . @lindafantin talking about librarius, a very cool project that asks people to share stories about their libraries #pmdmc
LibrariUS | How are you using the library today?
Welcome to the library! Whether you're here in person or accessing the library online, we're curious why you're here, and what you are seeking. Your insights and experiences will create a dynamic picture of your community - and the country - viewed through the lens of local libraries.
Saturday Leadership Address: Paul and Fred Jacobs on the State and Future of Public Media Paul and Fred Jacobs are widely regarded as two of the most thoughtful and forward-looking media strategists and analysts in America. They"ve accepted our request to offer us their "of the moment" insights into the challenges and opportunities in front of public media as a business.
“ Paul and Fred Jacobs of Jacobs Media discussing #pubmedia's future at #PMDMC
“ #pubmedia's challenge is to collaborate with new organizations, not compete. #PMDMC
“ #pubmedia: 40 million listeners weekly "you don't look to shortcuts and quick hits like other media" #PMDMC
“ #pubmedia is not efficient, fragmented; weakness of structure has been shown. Where does the buck stop? #PMDMC
“ . @fnjacobs: it's about the customer, she's in charge. It's no longer about you and your program clock. #PMDMC
“ Examples given are of people trying to bring their companies up to 2006 standards. We're way past this. #PMDMC
“ Paul: #pubmedia: lots of smart voices speaking different languages at the same time #PMDMC
The presentation included slide with the logos of Apple, Twitter and other tech and social media companies. They referred to the companies as public media's competition. This is how I reacted:
“ NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO #PMDMC
“ #pubmedia needs to work with Apple, etc. if those companies want a local presence, not compete! #pubmedia can't win that fight. #PMDMC
“ Because of its mission, #pubmedia is in a unique position to succeed through collaboration. Think cooperation before competition #PMDMC
Back to the presentation:
“ Paul: #pubmedia's goal should be to reach biggest audience and create diverse and desirable programming #PMDMC
“ Paul: potential donors confused, put off by multiple #pubmedia stations in same markets competing for same dollars #PMDMC
“ . @fnjacobs: #pubmedia should find a middle ground online between efficiency and focus on local community #PMDMC
“ Paul: what is #pubmedia's programming strategy? Is there a program for grooming the next great producers? #PMDMC
“ 10 yrs ago, #pubmedia appealed to white baby boomers in their 40s-50s. Today, it appeals to white baby boomers 50s-60s. Not good #PMDMC
“ . @fnjacobs: #pubmedia needs to experiment and be willing to risk failure to create great programs and hosts. #PMDMC
“ Paul: W/o great content, websites are justs lines of code #PMDMC
“ . @fnjacobs: #pubmedia needs to create online content targeting different audiences #PMDMC
“ Paul of @jacobsmedia: Stations missing an opportunity to have a two-way conversation w/ fans online #PMDMC
“ Paul: don't let your #FB page lie dormant. #PMDMC
“ . @fnjacobs: your audience is the marketing #PMDMC
The presentation also included a video about the #backchannel project by WXYZ in Detroit.
I have good news and bad news to report in this space today. First, the good news: I just had my weekly weigh in and have officially lost 35 pounds in six weeks. You might remember from some of previous posts I'm not actually on a diet.
» Detroit station taps #backchannel to make ‘good news’
Don't just complain about sad news - do something about it! That's what viewers of and staffers from WXYZ in Detroit did, using the power of social media in the community. Using the Twitter hashtag #backchannel and Facebook, a group of more than a hundred people gathered to help clean up Detroit.
I Tweeted a few thoughts on the project.
“ #PMDMC, it's important to note that the back channel idea is not unique. Other stations have live online communications during broadcasts.
“ #PMDMC other broadcasters are adopting this idea quickly. Some are doing Google+ hangouts during broadcasts.
“ #PMDMC Google 'social entertainment' and you can learn more about how broadcasters are using social.
Search the world's information, including webpages, images, videos and more. Google has many special features to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
MediaShift . KOMU-TV Puts Google+ Hangout Video Chat on the Air | PBS
by Sarah Hill, July 7, 2011 Tagged: broadcast news, google+, google+ hangout, hangout, interaction, komu-tv, tv news, video chat As a reporter and anchor for KOMU-TV, the NBC affiliate in Columbia, Mo., and the broadcast lab for the Missouri School of Journalism, I already chat with viewers via Facebook and Twitter on our "Livestream" behind-the-scenes webcam mounted on the news set.
“ #PMDMC also something important to note: the anchor is Tweeting as himself, not as his channel.
I also Tweeted one of my take-aways from the Jacobs' presentation.
“ A good idea for #pubmedia: don't think about making online users into listeners. Focus on giving listeners more to do online. #PMDMC
The Engaged Station: Content that Meets a Community Need The point of listening to your community is to hear its needs and aspirations. In this session, we"ll hear from some stations and content producers who have reached out to and worked with their communities to identify, create, fund and disseminate "content that meets a community need" -- both on the air and off.
“ Keys to community engagement from Texas Public Radio: identify community need that resonates w/ audience... #PMDMC
“ Identify partners, engage all parties doing what they do best, and engage all departments at your station. #PMDMC
Write a Fantastic On-Air Promo in 60 Seconds Promo writing isn"t hard once you focus on who you are talking to and what you need to tell them. This session will walk you through an exercise that"s regularly used with the staffs of NPR programs like Morning Edition, Fresh Air, and All Things Considered to write great promos that help raise awareness (and listening) to programs on your station.
“ . @ericnuzum: content producers are best equipped to write on air promos.
“ . @ericnuzum: 1. define program attributes; 2. make an elevator pitch, give listener clear idea of program in 22 sec.
“ . @ericnuzum: 3. avoid terrible language; 4. write the promo.
“ #PMDMC sessions are done, now it's time to answer the most important question: how will you apply what you learned? #pubmedia
