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Author Archives: Todd
CES Shows in Progress
Both myslef and Andy McCaskey from Slashdot Review are in the thick of it here at CES and have posted three podcasts each on the coverage. We will have a lot of post show commentary and interviews that need editing. But thus far the number of downloads of each of our shows are seeing record traffic.
To all those we are meeting at CES we will be sending out follow up e-mails as soon as we can breath. Visit Geek News Central and Slashdot Review and be sure to attend the Live TechPodcasts.com RoundTable this coming Saturday!
Podcast Connect will be at the Consumer Electronics Show!
I will be headed to the Consumer Electronics Show for the full 4 days, this is a three tier trip, to talk to companies about advertising and sponsorship opportunities with the TechPodcasts.com and PodcasterNews.com. I will also be looking to expand our product and software review program at Geek News Central. I will create a number of CES special Podcasts.
On January 7th I will participate in a CES review during the TechPodcasts.com Roundtable. It will be a busy week so keep your eyes on GeekNewsCentral.com and TechPodcasts.com
Jason Calacanis and a Podcast Predictions
Hey Jason got a question for you and it is in reference to this prediction:
12. No podcasting company will have any significant success in 2006, but a number of podcasters will be offered great jobs at Sirius and XM Radio.
How can you say no one will have significant success in 2006, when Podcast Connect has seen huge success this year. I don’t measure success in millions of dollars like you do, but I do measure success in several other ways.
Success is TechPodcasts.com and the reporting Affiliates are reaching 500,000 plus individual listeners each month, with podcasters putting some sponsorship money in their pockets for the past 6 months. Some of the podcasters are paying their house payments with their earnings. I think that is success don’t you!
Success is the launch of the very first Citizen Media Podcast News Outlet at PodcasterNews.com which in it’s first 30 days has built up to 50 content producers contributing weekly content, by creating short five minute podcasts on news, lifestyle and general interest stories. Don’t even get me started on the mechanics of the engine that runs podcasternews.com, we are now licensing that engine to various organizations nationwide that are rolling out podcasting solutions. Pretty good for a startup that is being built while we all have day jobs!
We have had a great 2005, and I expect 2006 to be that much better and then some. If XM or Sirius want to talk we will be happy to talk to them but guess what are making this evolution happen without them. For that I am making it my personal challenge to insure that prediction #12 is wrong! [Jason Calacanis]
Podcast Connect New Site Design
When I moved from the old server to the new one I decided to stop using Joomla and move to MovableType and although the site is not back to 100% functionality I can update the site much easier and having a robust template design can proceed.
Company update we have been just 100% up to our ears in Podcasting consulting and helping podcasters find sponsors etc. We have a pile of applications to go through and we will be doing the site reviews over the holidays and dropping you notices on our plans.
Podcast Awards 2005
Now that we have the first year of the Podcast Awards behind us it is time to kick it up for 2006, I want to kick it up in a big way. In order to do that and make it like the Grammys we will need to raise a small fortune in cash. Here is what I am thinking.
500 Person Banquet Ticket Price Subsidized
Top Notch Keynote Speaker
Video Simulcast
Major Prize Packages
Of the top of my head I think this will run about $50,000 if I want to really kick this thing up we can fly the winners in, and will need to raise even more money. To pull this off I am going to need someone that can help secure some major sponsors. If you want to be involved in what could turn out to be the beginning of something really big and will draw major press coverage send me a e-mail podcast@podcastconnect.com this position will be commission based.
Podcast Connect and Podcast Awards
Their seems to be some confusion out their and we want to make sure that anyone that is looking for information on the People’s Choice Podcast Awards at www.podcastawards.com has the full story.
Podcast Connect Inc. founder Todd Cochrane envisioned the People’s Choice Podcast Awards and had the PodcastAwards.com website built, Podcast Connect put in place the procedures for the nominations, evaluation of nominees and voting. Podcast Connect staff were responsible for securing the sponsors and putting together the nearly $4000.00 in awards and prizes to the 20 category winners.
We partnered with the folks at the Portable Media and Podcast Expo to participate in a joint ceremony so that we could honor the People’s Choice Podcast Awards Winners and hand out the 20 awards plus cash and prizes.
It should be noted that TNC Media had their own separate independent process in selecting their two podcast award winners. TNC Media honored their two podcast winners during the same joint ceremony. I have seen several press releases that give TNC media credit for the “People’s Choice Podcast Awards” that was sponsored by Podcast Connect. So we wanted to clarify that although the awards ceremony was held jointly TNC Media and Podcast Connect had two independent awards process’s
We would not have been able to honor our podcast winners the way we did without the help of TNC Media and are grateful for them allowing us the opportunity to work with them.
Podcast Connect Inc is the owner and administrator of the People’s Choice Podcast Awards and we look forward to working with TNC Media for the 2006 event. We have invested literally thousands of dollars into podcastawards.com which is a one of a kind unique voting engine that took over 3 months to design test and implement.
Staff
Podcast Connect Inc.
podcast@podcastconnect.com
Podcast Advertising
If anybody knows anything about advertising and podcasting I do. I don’t claim to be a expert but I have probably signed more deals for podcasters than anyone in the industry at this point. Having a advertiser on a podcast is a lot of work and making sure that the right advertiser is partnered with the podcaster is a challenge as well. When I heard about Fruitcast last night I went over and looked at their site. Everything looked good till I found one item that projected that podcasters would earn .25 cents per listener it made me pause.
I know the detailed information you have to provide to advertisers to get a deal and they want assurances that you are going to reach the demographic they are looking for, they want ad placements that are typically 30 seconds, very few will buy a spot unless it is at least 30 seconds and they want that placement in a strategic portion of the show. This also includes banner ads on the site, text announcements on the page and a mention in the show notes. Oh and the most important thing they want to track the ROI, thus you have to be creative with promotion codes or specific URL’s or mediaplex codes to track everything. Once they are sure you have that in place you can likely sign deals. But you better be able to deliver a ROI or they will drop you like a hot potato.
What this boils down to is this, if Fruitcast can deliver .25 cents per 1000 listeners I will give them everything in my inventory today. I have sent them a note and told them I can deliver now 1.2 million listens a month on the shows that I have signing power for. But they will have to make a few modifications to their program to not alienate the audience. I will be asking if they have done polling to determine what podcasts listeners want, and I will also demand that we get to choose which advertisers are aligned with those we represent. [FruitCast]
I have seen some positive reviews of their site but lets see some deals signed and some testimonials that they can hit that magic number they have come out with.
Todd
Podcast Connect
Podcast Expo and Awards Ceremony
We have been really busy getting ready for the Podcast Awards ceremony at Podcast Expo. Trophies are due to be finished next week, the grand prize awards have been ordered. The ceremony program is in it’s final design phase, that will be going to the printer next week. We have some big banners to be order at Kinkos this Saturday and a couple of the guys from techpodcasts.com will be photographing the event.
We need someone to video tape the event, looking for a podcaster of video caster volunteer.
We are pretty excited about November as thier are several major initiatives that are underway. My partners and I formed a new company to manage the Podcaster News Network and that site after months of work is set to launch very soon and I am really excited about that. The list does not stop there, we are looking for a marketing manager and content manager to join the team at RawVoice.
The gang is working hard at over at TechPodcasts.com in getting ready to move forward with phase two of that site, and I have some things up my sleeve that I have been working on here at Podcast Connect. We continue to look for podcasters that want to be involved with a new initaitive.
I plan on having a bag of swag when I show up at the Podcast Expo so if you come talk to me I will be sure to have something for ya to take home. We are working very hard to make sure we have a live stream of the Podcast Awards Ceremony, should be a lot of fun for all! Their is nothing like boot strapping a business though lots of fun, but exhausting to say the least.
Attention Podcasters
Are you a podcaster looking for help commercializing and building your podcast listenership, do you want to be aligned with a company with a proven track record? Do you want a chance to be part of a ground floor opportunity that is being put together! We want to work with podcasters that want to kick it up a notch who are highly motivated. Drop us an email to podcast@podcastconnect.com and we will send you a questionnaire that you can submit to be considered for a possible invitation to an opportunity that will be part of a new initiative here at Podcast Connect.