Meeting Recap - WorldSpace University Kickoff

Regarding yesterday's inaugural WorldSpace University meeting - I hope everybody found it informative and helpful. There are many important points about this new media content initiative which we have discussed at various points - but I think there are a few which should be highlighted:

- It’s still about the content

o Our goal remains the same – which is to create unique and compelling content that reaches and serves the communities of people that we are already serving with our radio channels.

o And just as you put the time, effort and creativity into creating content for your radio channel, you need to put the same into creating content for the web

- We’re not abandoning the radio channels

o This is where it is all heading anyway so we have to do this. But when you add in our current situation it’s even more imperative that we turn our attention and focus to creating great content for the web. The long-term goal is to have both the radio channel and the website equally as strong and complementing each other.

- Don’t get hung up on the technology or terminology

o It’s about the content; not the technology.

o Don’t be intimidated by the fact that you’ve never written a blog or about the fact that all the “big” players are doing it. The internet is the great equalizer – everyone can have a voice and a voice that matters to a lot of people.

- Refresh, Refresh, Refresh

o The only way that we can make our pages destination sites is to ensure that the content is constantly refreshed. It’s about the content.

As mentioned in the meeting, there are a ton of resources on the web that can help you in the creation of your blogs. There are a number of sites that teach you how to create a good blog; there are sites that aggregate and/or rate the 'best' blogs; and of course there are the sites that are actual blogs. Take a look at all the various blogs out there - they come in all styles, formats and with points of view that are as far and wide as there are points of view.There's a TON of great stuff out there and here are just a couple to serve as examples.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/ - great blog on business marketing

http://www.chrisg.com/ - a blog on the business of blogging

http://2007.weblogawards.org/ - lists of the "best" blogs from various categories and countries

http://www.hear2.com/

http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/get_a_life_blog/ - about entrepreneurs

Go to Radio station sites and look at their blogs - see what they're doing. And yes, to to the "big" media sites - the Rolling Stone magazines of the world, ESPN - and see what they're doing and how they're doing it.

And finally, I'm looking for people's feedback about what should be covered next and when we should do it? I'm thinking that in addition to continuing full-tilt on the new-media learning, we should discuss networking skills. Whadda think?