Another great speech about Music and the Future of New Media on IT Conversations

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Here is a nuanced analysis on the current state of Music and New Media by Jeremy Silver, CEO of Sibelius software.

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3839.html


First paragraph of the introduction from the IT Conversations site:
"The general perception is that the music industry is in flames. But music is such an extraordinary experience that it has power to carry on regardless of what happens in the industry. Jeremy Silver discusses the fertile and dynamic world of digital music on the internet which is a scary place for an industry trying to make money. Silver advocates for the success of the music industry as an important contributor to the economy and to the preservation of musicians in society. But no one knows the direction to take the industry for growth."
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Currently in my 'Vidcasts' playlist...

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I don't watch TV anymore. That is, I have put away my TV tuner. I still watch a lot of video content, including shows that are available on TV. One of the legal ways to get TV shows is through the iTunes store.

However there is a lot of great content available for free as well.
Here is my current video playlist in iTunes:
and of course Diggnation

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Ultimate guide for Podcast recording with Skype from the Conversations network

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A few years after the bulk of my posts about recording podcasts with Skype and Audio Hijack Pro I still get follow up questions. It's great that the basic principles still work. Today I got a question on how to record using Audio Hijack Pro so that the "sides" of a Skype call are split in separate tracks.

Rogue Amoeba, the creators of Audio Hijack Pro link to a great tutorial by Doug Kaye and Paul Figgiani from the Conversations network. The "split tracks" question is answered as well as many, many more. This is a "must watch" presentation for anyone recording Skype interviews.

Here it is:
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Podcast advertising: more effective

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A Bizreport article showed up in my Google alerts with some numbers that support what many Podcasters have been saying for some time: Podcast audiences respond well to the advertising that is tailored to them.
Some of the reasons mentioned: niche audiences that actively choose to subscribe to particular podcasts and audiences that follow and trust hosts/presenters.

Adam Curry's Podshow... Eh... Mevio among others was built with the goal of doing advertising the right way for podcasting and avoiding the failures of traditional media. Although, failures... perhaps inefficiency is a better word. Returns are harder to measure and audiences harder to target in 'traditional' media.
I think that the current good results are partly due to the 'newness': a large percentage of early adopters in the audience, podcasters who are really passionate about their content and advertisers who are in tune with the early adopters (and who are early adopters themselves).

Some things that may happen over time:
- Audience grows: on average less engaged, majority adoption -> more difficult to target.
- Podcasters (sources of content) diffuse: on average less engaged, less passionate, less niche -> more difficult to target. Example: CNN 'Now in the News' podcast.
- Advertisers have more choice: more chance to spend money on less effective podcasts.

Advantages of podcasting over TV/Radio/Print that will remain are:
- Improved measurement of effectiveness
- Potential for easier targeting of audiences
- Potential for Personalisation
- Lower financial risk: lower production and distribution costs

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