http://www.nextmediaevents.com/banff/The world of new media is both inspiring and daunting, as I'm sure everyone can agree.
I'd say that this conference has got to be one of the best returns on the dollar I have ever spent. The world races on and we sprint to keep up. As I sit here now, the tabs on my browser peak out expressing my social networking plethora. Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Hootsuite, and this blog. Sheesh. Not easy to maintain. Something's gotta give.
So to start with, our weekend conference held an exciting debate. Sarah Diamond from OECD made a bold statement about the need for new media funding that is not contingent on a broadcaster license. I almost lept from my seat to kiss her on the mouth. This is a big problem regarding how bass ackwards things are, and NOT forward thinking when they are basing things on the archaic forms of the past.
Then Michael Geist of the University of Ottawa called David Neale from Telus out on Net Neutrality. News to me, but unlike in the US, our ISPs are able to throttle back our internet signal at will if they deem the recipient to be unworthy of the cost of providing it at full speed. Yet they will still charge for the max bps. It seemed Geist wanted an admission of guilt as to whether or not the law was broken when Telus inadvertently blocked access to several sites a few years ago. Neale was so amazingly gracious in his rebuttle and admitted some 'incompetence' on their part. He did deny the claims that Canada trails to world in internet stats, and the jury is still out on whose information is most accurate. I notice today that Bell is launching their own traffic 'shaping' way forward. The regulations debate rolls on.
The 2.0 presentation by Alexander Manu was definately a favorite of everyone there- likely due to the amount of laughter he incited. A few of my favorite quotes:
Technology can not be monetized, only behaviour can.
Your desire for coffee created slavery.
Community preceeds the network.
Empowerment is a precondition, and an expectation.
The #1 business model is hope. (Obama anyone?)
And on the last note he makes a beautiful point throughout the talk about the dreamcatcher. A wonderful business model. No one knows if it works, but it holds the promise that it will.
Next up, Mike Farrell from Youthography shared some facts about the Millenial generation. This demographic is very ellusive to the old gaurd. They resist all things created by the establishment and generally opose brands and advertising. Yet they are willing to support a company that they believe is congruent with their values. Enter the world of sponsored programming. Glee for me, as we are looking at an environmental project targeting this audience that could use some valuable sponsorship. Hmm. Encouraging.
www.oceangybe.comThe Bell New Media fund presented
http://www.bellfundbliki.ca/ and Omni was used as a test case for the assembled panel to advise on their online approach for Buffalo Air- a series being produced for History Television. Hmmm, thinks I. Our Exec Prod said that when she sold
http://www.theimmortalbeaver.com/ to History it wasn't really what they were doing and they took it on more as a favour to her. Yet they went on to buy the Flightpath series, and now this. Did our project bring the enthusiastic aviation audience to the forefront for them with our strong viewership numbers? One would like to think. Anyways, the interim site for this project can be found at
http://www.iflewthenorth.com/ RSS feeds, mobile content, podcasts, viewing trends, platforms, applications, metrics, Google's brilliant Adsense, brands, engagement, disruption. My notes are extensive.
The final hurrah was likened to the openning debate. A standoff between Dave Purdy of Rogers and Eric Klinker from Bit Torrent. It was cute to see Dave hurling sideways jabs at Eric regarding the legalities of peer to peer. I have to say that the organizers did an amazing thing by bringing the spectrum of the industry on stage together. Not your average fluff stuff of talks full of everything you already knew.
My noteworthy quote from this fight: Technology is likened to gravity. You can't have an argument with gravity. - Klinker
Generally the theme of the conference would be the challenge of catering to an audience and a generation that wants to watch their video on their own time, when they want it, in the place of their choosing. Sounds like a spoiled kid, but I guess it is becomming our right as audience members more and more.
