Whitney Hoffman and I spoke Sunday evening about the debate over the fee for the upcoming PodCamp Boston.  It seems that many people are quite upset about the fee and have used the argument that communities shouldn’t charge its members to participate in events.  That’s when we started to talk about physical communities and financial support they request.  Immediately, several communities came to mind including my own neighbourhood which asks households to contribute $5 to sustain the activities group (the fee is requested whether you participate in neighbourhood activities or not).

Perhaps the most significant — and oldest — community to expect members to contribute is the church.  Here’s an organization that does a collection from its congregation each week.  To be fair, synagogues have fundraising drives to sustain community activities.  It’s worth noting that these are communities that people are born into, not specifically adopted the way the social media community is.  Many would argue that these are communities that will play the guilt card.

Bob Goyetche said this past fall that social media is a hobby and in order to participate you need some money to buy at least the most basic of technology making us a community of disposable incomes of some degree or another.  Whitney supports this statement by offering demographic data that shows an overwhelming majority of PodCamp (that’s free PodCamp) attendees are professionals in their 30’s.  An increasing number travel great distances, stay in hotels and eat out to attend the events.

Smaller PodCamps like PodCamp Ottawa can be organized in a few days and run at absolutely no charge.  And because they are locally focused, it allows people in a geographic region to connect and form their own community without having to travel and stay in hotels.

PodCamp is a proven model.  An event fee equivalent to a few Starbucks coffees won’t change the content or delivery.  It will sustain it.

For a thin guy, I sure cast a giant shadow.

Even though I’m always transparent about the collaborative nature of the projects I’m involved in — Canadian Podcast Buffet, Podcasters Across Borders and Just One More Book to name a few — my collaborators including Bob Goyetche and his wife Cat, and my wife, my own wife, Andrea, always seem to be afterthoughts, if thoughts at all, in the eyes of others.

This is not a theory. This is a fact.

Let me offer some examples.

Example One: Comments and questions to the Canadian Podcast Buffet are often sent directly to me. That’s not all. Occasionally the contributor will directly address me alone. I also recall one instance in which Bob introduced himself to someone who was pleased to meet Bob and said something to the effect of “Oh. You’re Mark Blevis’ assistant”. Bob uses a different phrase to describe himself in these instances.

Example Two: Andrea and I have enjoyed a lot of press coverage about our children’s book podcast. While it’s not uncommon for journalists to mistake the odd fact, it’s consistent that the error misappropriates credit to me. And, for all of Andrea’s hours of research for our interviews (2-4 hours PER interview), scheduling and general promotion, our guests and listeners always attribute the success of the interviews to — you guessed it — me. Andrea has a collection of run-on phases to describe me in these instances.

I never chase credit. I never claim credit for things I don’t do. I deflect credit where it is not due. I’m a magnet. Somehow, I just attract credit.

Have you been Blevised?

By the way… Andrea named this post. Really!

Original photo by Mark Blevis Bruce Murray

Chris Sherry (creator the the Kaflooey podcast) dredged up this gem of Bob Goyetche and me following Podcasters Across Borders 2007. According to Chris, Photoshop was not involved.

Original photo by Nico.

I have been participating in a dialog on Chris Brogan’s site (Thoughts for Future PodCamps). As part of the conversation, Joel Mark Witt says of PodCamp Ottawa, “I think it is important not to have Podcamps become glorified ‘teetups’ ‘tweetups’. Not saying that yours did - just worried that they will become too informal“.

Joel’s point is very well taken and I thought I’d use this opportunity to explain a bit about PodCamp Ottawa and Zero to Podcasting since they have both attracted the attention of the PodCamp community. That thought process has led me to build on thoughts of others (Chris Brogan, Chris Penn, Whitney Hoffman, Sara Streeter, Tommy Vallier, Bob Goyetche, Andrea Ross, etc…) to share my own thoughts on the future of PodCamp.

Aside from having scheduled specific discussion topics for the day, PodCamp Ottawa was admittedly informal (we sat and lay on pillows on the carpet and did away with computers and projectors). In many respects that was the beauty of the event. The environment facilitated an open discussion where everyone (three-year veterans and those who have never spoken into a microphone) felt welcome and valued. The resulting discussion left everyone in the room thinking very differently about new and social media. There was a bi-directional mentorship that advanced the newcomers and re-energized and re-focused the veterans.

As a result of the impact of the PodCamp Ottawa discussions, several of the participants conceived and mapped out Zero to Podcasting. It was a seed-to-forest workshop that aimed at striking a balance between sitting on the carpet and sitting in a lecture hall. While we did well, I think there is a lot that we could have done better while still respecting the web streaming equipment that cut the room in half (not all conferences will have this problem).

We have received a lot of feedback on the Z2P workshop. The feedback that struck me the most was told to me by several people: where most sessions and workshops explain what to do, Z2P explained and actually demonstrated how to do things and why to do them. The discussion resulted in the exploration of options and the facilitators tracked the key points and relevant URLs on a virtual whiteboard that will be organized and made available for the community in the coming days (follow the Canadian Podcast Buffet and the CPB Wiki).

This feedback has made me realize that as conference participants (speakers/facilitators and audience) we need to look beyond ‘the event itself’ and start thinking about the goals and approaches of the individual sessions.

The more I think about it, the more I believe that the future strength of PodCamp is in three verticals… vertically-focused events, structured vertical tracks, and embedded mentorship programs that build on the strengths of (and levels) both ends of vertical relationships.

It was a full house in Studio A of Ryerson University when Jay Moonah kicked off PodCamp Toronto 2008 with a direct question: “How many of you are not yet podcasting?”. Well, I can’t remember the exact wording of the question, but it was along those lines. The last time I saw that many hands go up that quickly was when the crowd at the final game of the Ottawa Lynx sent the team off with ‘a wave’.

If I had to guess, 80% of the room was there to learn about becoming a podcaster which is probably why so many stuck around in Studio A for the Zero to Podcasting workshop when the Podcamp sessions began. The room of about 40 people were engaged in the discussion, sharing their thoughts and asking the kinds of questions that podcast veterans forget about all to easily once they establish a rhythm in their recording and production.

Rob Lee and Katherine Matthews (purldiving.com) kicked off the day, leading campfire discussions on picking a topic for your podcast, planning your podcast and selecting technology. Among other things, Sage Tyrtle (Quirky Nomads) offered her experiences on scripting her entire show and explained why she has made a conscious decision to not publish her scripts online. Scarborough Dude showed off his coveted iRiver 795 and explained how he uses it with his ‘pencil mic’ to record DicksnJanes anywhere and anytime.

Following lunch, Bob Goyetche and I led a workshop during which we recorded, edited, mixed and produced a podcast called ‘Hiding in the Closet’. It was not the kind of show the average podcaster would ever produce since the entire room contributed recorded elements including group sound effects (cheers, laughs, scowls, etc…), audio comments and fictitious listener phone calls. One participant was selected as a host who recorded intros for the show and individual segments, and a show extro. Derek Miller’s Fakeout was selected as the theme music for the show and then the entire package was threaded together in front of the room as part of a demonstration of Audacity.

As the show was put together, we repeatedly reminded the room that most shows are recorded and published with very little editing which doesn’t afford much of an opportunity to showcase the amazing things that can be done, easily, with Audacity. In fact, several veteran Audacity users approached us after the workshop to announce that they never knew some of the features that Bob demonstrated with just a keystroke or click during the session — features that could have saved them days of time over the last few years.

Before the day was over, we created a new account on Libsyn, added relevant information about the podcast in the account, uploaded the show that was produced during the workshop, added ID3 tags, created a post, published it to the site and then subscribed to and downloaded the show using iTunes.

As the day wrapped up, the group discussed some of the ways to promote a podcast including directories such as iTunes and CanadaPodcasts.ca. Our brains were all pretty full by that point and we could tell that everyone in the room (ourselves included) needed to shut down for the day.

Zero to Podcasting continues at 10:00am today with the following agenda:

• Owning your online presence (30 min) — Campfire / Circle Discussion
• YourName.com (with GoDaddy) (30 min) — Workshop
• Your own WordPress site with a Libsyn back end (2 parts; 30 min each with break in between) — Workshop
• The Podpress plugin (2 parts; 30 min each with break in between) — Workshop
• Portable recording (30 min) — Campfire / Circle Discussion
• Next steps (2 parts; 30 min each with break in between) — Campfire / Circle Discussion

 

 Hiding in the Closet [1:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

You may have noticed that episode 88 of the Canadian Podcast Buffet is two days late. We’re having database problems on the CPB website and have been unable to publish the show. So, I’ve decided to post it here to limit the show’s delay.

By the way… We’ve also discovered that the CPB on the iTunes Music Store is stuck around episode 83. This means that if you’ve subscribed to the Buffet through the iTunes Music Store, you haven’t picked up anything since November 29. We’re looking into that, too.

NEWS & COMMENTARY

• One week of advanced registration for PAB2008 coming January 27th!
• Now accepting speaking proposals for PAB2008

EVENTS

• PodCamp Toronto
  February 23-24, 2008
  Rogers Communications Centre, Ryerson University

CANADAPODCASTS.CA

• Life Works
• Xtalks
• Fat 2 Fit Radio
• After the Credits (update)

TALK OF THE WEEK

• Dealing with criticism

AUDIO DESSERT

• CBC’s Alan Neal on hosting and planning your podcast
  Ottawa Podcast and New Media Group Meetup, January 24

EXTRO AND CONTACT INFO

• website: www.CanadianPodcastBuffet.ca
• email: canadianpodcastbuffet@gmail.com
• facebook group: Canadian Podcast Buffet
• feedback: +1-267-220-3701
• forums: CPB
• wiki: canadianpodcastbuffet.ca/wiki

 

 CPB-088: The early bird gets the deal, dealing with criticism and tips from a pro [24:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A group of ‘veteran’ podcasters are collaborating to deliver a two day workshop called Zero to Podcasting (Z2P) this February as part the PodCamp Toronto program. The sessions will be a mix of campfire/circle discussions and technical presentations aimed at helping everyone, from newcomers to advanced podcasters, start from nothing and then learn and shake up the skills necessary to plan, prepare, produce, publish and promote their podcasts.

Z2P is designed to arm the absolute newcomer with the skills and ideas to start podcasting by the end of day one, and help with additional skills such as portable recording and establishing and owning their Internet presence during day two. Regardless of your level of experience, the program is designed to help establish, strengthen and refresh all of your skills.

The collaborators include Katherine Matthews and Rob Lee (Purl Diving), Sage Tyrtle (Quirky Nomads), Scarborough Dude (DicksNJanes), and Bob Goyetche and Mark Blevis (Canadian Podcast Buffet and many others).

The full Z2P program and schedule will be available on the PodCamp Toronto website. A summary and sequence of the sessions appears here for your information:

DAY ONE: BEGINNER (SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2008)

• Picking a topic and planning the podcast
• Technology selection
• Recording the show
• Editing, mixing and producing the show (using Audacity)
• Getting started with Libsyn (including uploading and publishing your show)
• Directories and promotion

DAY TWO: ADVANCED (SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2008)

• Owning your online presence
• YourName.com (with GoDaddy)
• Your own WordPress site with a Libsyn back end
• The Podpress plugin
• Portable recording
• Next steps

Cross posted on CanadianPodcastBuffet.ca

I listened to some old podcasts while reorganizing my home office, yesterday. When I say old, I mean episodes that were published so long ago, podcasters were still encouraging their listeners to register monthly votes at Podcast Alley and pin Frappr Maps. Yeah! That long ago. The amazing thing is that those services still exist. I was amazed to discover that my Frappr Map is intact. Wow!

One of the shows I listened to, Zee and Zed, stepped down in its prime with a show that included some interesting commentary about the podcast movement. Ross and Karen’s follow-up podcast, Dry Shave, made a much quieter exit this past summer.

Another show that took a pragmatic view of podcasting is the Ottawa Local Podcast. This evening I noticed that the feed for that show is gone so I called Arthur Masters to find out why he pulled the plug.

Notwithstanding work and life demands that led to the evaporation of his podcast production time, Arthur made some interesting comments about where podcasting is now. I’ll paraphrase. He suggested that podcasting is pervasive now. Back when the veterans got their start, radio was well into a creative and identity void, CBC wasn’t podcasting and the corporate world hadn’t figured this thing out. The podcasters were changing the way media was being used and perceived. Many people who like to be different find themselves being part of the ’same’ now.

To clarify… Arthur never suggested that he’s out because his show is now part of the mainstream. I’m just latching on to some specific comments he made.

During our drive from Boston to Ottawa in October, Bob Goyetche suggested that one reason why people have generally become complacent about podcasts is because there has been very little technological innovation in the space since iTunes v4.9 was launched in June 2005.

To me, podcasting is now in a state of maturity. The production tools have plateaued for the time being allowing, perhaps forcing, producers to focus on developing their content and delivery styles. Likewise, the tools for promotion and community development are fundamentally the same; they just exist in different places and have different names.

Some people have suggested that podcasting is dead. I disagree.

Like a rocket on course to use the gravity of a moon to slingshot it to a distant planet, podcasting is prime for its next explosive development cycle.

This is our opportunity to refine, and perhaps shake up, our shows and figure out what we want next. We can set the course for what the podcast channel will look and feel like.

What do you want?

Photo: jurvetson

Like many people immersed in social and new media technologies, I regularly receive friend requests through services like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. About 60% of the time, I know or have met the person from whom the request originates. The rest of the requests come from people I’ve never heard of.

So, how do I know if these people are friends? I don’t. My approach is to assess their existing friends and followers for people I trust. If I see a name like Bob Goyetche or Whitney Hoffman (among others), I immediately accept the request.

How does your trusted network work for you?

If you’ve been in audio for a while, chances are you have a lot of stories about lost audio. I have a few. Perhaps one of the most painful, certainly the most current, is the phantom recording I did last evening from the back seat of a taxi I was sharing with Bill Deys, Neil Gorman and Bob Goyetche.

The brilliance of the recording was that it captured a fight that took place between CC Chapman and our Russian cab driver as we were preparing to leave. CC’s directions were a bit confusing and the cabbie was a very direct communicator. The argument that ensued between them was both hilarious and stressful. It was tough to fight the laughter knowing that I had my trusty Zoom H2 recorder capturing the exchange - for Bill (who was in the front seat) more than me.

I plugged my H2 in to my laptop a few minutes ago and smiled knowing that all of the recordings I made yesterday were waiting for me. All, as it turns out, except for the exchange in the cab.

Like my Edirol R1, the Zoom H2 requires you to double-clutch the record button to begin the recording. The first press gets you into record-ready state and the second press starts the recording.

Trust me, the record-ready-recording of the fight between CC and the cabbie was a classic recording that never happened.

Epilogue: During last year’s PodCamp Boston, I shared a cab back to my hotel with Julien Smith. After a while of driving around aimlessly, Julien, in a sarcastic way that only Julien can deliver, leaned forward and said to our very aggressive and impatient cabbie, “Dude! You do know where you’re going, right?”

Off to PodCamp Boston 2, day 1.