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Portable Media Expo - Seriously Considering Not Going

Posted on July 27, 2006
Filed Under Conferences, Daily Links, Portable Media Expo |

Brian Ibbot and SO This has been in my head for a few days, and I’d appreciate all your thoughts. Those in podcasting circles will realise Tim Bourquin’s Portable Media Expo (PME) is coming at the end of September, and if I’m to go over (as I did last year) then I need to committ to going within the next two weeks.

The problem is, I’m not sure whether I should be going or not. Now ‘Ewan’s Book of New Media Business’ does have a bit on conferences, and it simply says, if it’s worth it, go. And calculating the value of PME is a tricky one. The majority of people there are in the friends category, and while it would be great to catch up with CC Chapman, Robert Scoble and Brian Ibbot (to name three), what serious issues would we cover at the conference that can’t be handled by email or Skype?

Yes there are some nice panels that if I was there I’d stick my head in, but to be honest I know my business model, advertising requires the industry to catch up, how to break into local Talk radio, and when I work at it, I can get cash for casts (see the Tech Conference show in March and the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe Podcast). And sure there’s an awards ceremony, but hey, I’ve a British Academy nomination under my belt.

As to the new networking, the people who are turning up are all great friends (or at least we can talk to each oither and know who we all are), but how many genuinely new people are going to be there? The companies in the exhibitors hall are going to be hit by a hundred and one people all looking for two things - free stuff and an advertising run. Okay I struck lucky last year, but it didn’t cover the costs.

If I could shave $400 or so off the cost (or $600 in other business somewhere in the US) I think it would be worth it. What did (metaphorically) cover the costs last year was I had other business that I could do in Seattle and San Francisco that did tip the balance. At the moment there’s nothing solid enough on the horizon that would allow me to make that commitment (unless you know different - in which case email me). And right now while I know I can get together the £800/$1400 or so the trip would need, that’s a lot to put out just to see the same faces I chat to on IM all day; have a presence there that some people might remember; and have a slim gamble that something at the PME pays of financially down the line (I’m thinking 5% chance on that).

And that’s where my head is - it’s not a 50/50 decision (I always gamble on those) it’s more 40/60 against going. Which right now isn’t enough for me to reach a tipping point. Am I missing anything? Thoughts welcome, either in the comments or to ewanspence@gmail.com.

Comments

7 Responses to “Portable Media Expo - Seriously Considering Not Going”

Eric Skiff on July 27th, 2006 19:37

You know we’re happy to have you, Ewan, but I’m in exactly the same frame of mind that you are. I just don’t know if this is going to be worth the expense of the trip. I’m taking an awfully hard look at my bank statements to see if I can even make the PME trip happen this year.

-Eric
Tim Bourquin on July 27th, 2006 19:46

Ewan,

Thanks for your thoughtful post. I’m a bit biased in this area of course, but I will tell you that there will be A LOT of new folks at this year’s event. Because we as podcasters are in this space every day doing our shows, podcasting seems like old news for us. But for many, many people, they are just now seeing the fun and opportunities podcasting presents and are coming to learn and meet folks that can help them.

There are thousands of people who are in the same place we all were in January 2005 - but for them it is happening now. Often times, it is the fresh faces in any industry that have the most interesting ideas because for them it is all new.

In any case, I hope you decide to come - even if it’s for the free pass. I’d love to catch up and see the “veterans” of podcasting helping out the newbies.

Tim Bourquin
Founder
Podcast & Portable Media Expo
mark - tartanpodcast.com on July 28th, 2006 9:46

I’m in the same boat in a sense. Last year I made it thanks in a great way to the generosity of my listeners and the money I made from pimping Absolut.

I didn’t have a ’send me to the Expo’ campaign this year nor did I have any advertising $s coming in. So from that side of things, i.e. financially, it can’t happen.

Secondly I didn’t make any worthwhile contacts last year. Granted, the opportunity to meet podcast friends was great and ultimately made the trip enjoyable. My problem was borne of a lack of confidence; I didn’t put myself out there at the Expo last year the way Ewan is able to. Therefore I didn’t make the networking connections and gain the additional exposure that the trip was supposed to achieve.

But as I didn’t have to fork out any of my own cash last year (Absolut money and listener contributions plus the generous sponsorship from one listener’s company sent me there) it wasn’t a wasted venture.

To spend my own hard earned this year isn’t justifiable, unfortunately. The cost to attend the Expo could pay for a decent family holiday…

Here’s hoping next year flying out from Scotland to the Expo will be a business necessity, paid for by earnings from podcasting.
» Blog Archive » I won’t be at the Podcast Expo this year on July 28th, 2006 10:08

[…] It was important for me to be there last year as one of the few European podcasters that were able to make the trip. My plan was to gain more exposure, and as a result, listeners, to my podcast through my attendance. But for reasons I detail in the comments here, it didn’t quite turn out that way.Here’s hoping I can be there next year, as the chance to meet podcast friends and experience the warm Californian air is something I’m looking forward to doing again. Tag: podcast expo […]
Comic Strip Blogger on July 29th, 2006 23:52

surely you should go there! not for others like stupid Oz-owned podcast network, but for yourself.
The All New Ewan’s Musings » Upcoming Travels in September on August 8th, 2006 21:47

[…] Thanks to all of you who got in touch regarding my potential trip to Ontario, CA to attend the Portable Media Expo. While I’m still deciding, it looks a little more likely that I will be attending. I’ll be making a final decision around the 15th/16th August and will let you all know what I’ll be doing. […]
The All New Ewan’s Musings » Blog Archive » What Should I Do This September in the USA? on May 22nd, 2007 0:36

[…] of the year is the third Portable and New Media Expo, which I should be attending this year. I know last year I questioned the value of the event as it was on a knife edge, but it’s a bit more clear cut this year, both in terms of my […]