» Multimedia Management

You can’t label me

staci baird — Fri, 14 Apr 2006 02:59:08 +0000

I spend most of my free time working on and around computers. I enjoy relieving a little stress by kicking, punching and throwing my boyfriend around in Dead or Alive 4 on the xBox360. I consume a lot of coffee and sushi. I also drink martinis (dirty with an extra olive please). I try to go to the gym at least three times a week, and I park my grey Ford Taurus in the far lot so I have to walk a little further to get to the office. I watch South Park, My Name is Earl and the Gilmore Girls (all on Tivo so I can SKIP the commercials). I get my news from NPR, CNN and The Lawrence Journal-World. I cruise blogs, Google news, and my friend’s personal web sites. I watch some of the funnier and/or more ironic commercials online after my friends send a link to me via email. I just saw Ice Age II: The Meltdown at the local theater, and next weekend I plan to meet some friends at a little bar downtown. I use email, instant messenger and text messaging to communicate with my friends. I am over thirty, recently divorced and don’t have any children; but I have a new puppy. I’m a full-time employee with benefits and a part-time graduate student. Is there a niche publication for me?

I used to love advertising and marketing. In fact, I wanted to be in the business. But over time, I have come to almost despise the games advertisers play. Over time, I have begun to ignore many of the messages they so carefully craft in order to get me to buy the latest thingymajig.

I am a human being, not a demographic sector. I am not a seat, an eyeball, an end user or a consumer (The Cluetrain Manifesto, 2000).

What shocks and disturbs me, today, is that now newspapers, magazines and television stations are falling pray to the marketer’s cry to focus on demographics. We’ve had several guests come to our management class this semester who talked about targeting content to niche markets. I have to agree, from a theoretical standpoint, it makes sense. But as a potential reader who is choosing to ignore the status quo, it doesn’t make any sense at all. I don’t think you can put a label on me or my interests.

Lori Buselt from The Wichita Eagle came to our class and talked about the new WichiTalk magazine the Eagle launched this year. According to Buselt, the magazine is targeted to working women, specifically working mothers. Of course, the advertising department loves this kind of niche publication because they can sell advertisers a target demographic. But what if I, demographically speaking, fit the target market, but have no interest in reading about “Kids activities” or “10 great ways to survive the early years of motherhood in style.”

Wait. I do have to give some props to WichitTalk. When I visited the Kansas.com web site there were a few articles that peeked my interest, specifically, “Our guide to the martini.” (Do I really need a guide?)

When are these newspaper people going to wake up and smell the cold hard facts? More than likely, they aren’t going to be able to lure any of the 18 and younger crowd to read, let alone buy, a print newspaper, no matter how creatively they target this niche market. Print is dead. Oh, I’m sorry, according to Jeff Jarvis, a former print editor, now a consultant and blogger at BuzzMachine.com, “Print is not dead. Print is where words go to die,” (Fast Company, Dec. 2005).

One current theme I’ve heard from journalism educators, researchers, and even media professionals themselves is that today’s young audience wants (and I say expects) to get the content they want, when they want it, how they want it. Jarvis reiterated this theme, claiming that the media makes the mistake of defining themselves by the pipes that feed them, even though the public does not, (Fast Company, http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/101/open-debate-extra.html). “Conversation is the kingdom, trust is king,” Jarvis said. There is value in the community that gathers around the content the media produces (Fast Company, http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/101/open-debate-extra.html).

I belong to many different communities and I have many different interests. To me, and perhaps others in my generation, to define myself as just one “thing” would be the ultimate life killer. It would prevent me from living, exploring and growing. Jarvis’ advice to the media is to “Rethink their business model, their values and their relationships to the marketplace”
Buzzmachine.com). The authors of the Cluetrain Manifesto would most definitely agree that the way to succeed in the world today is to be open-minded and unafraid of the marketplace and the conversations that are taking place between people and corporations everyday.

And Columbus rolls over in his grave…

staci baird — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 21:32:15 +0000

Yes, it was snowing in Western Kansas. And no, I70 is not that exciting.

On the way back from our spring break getaway, while traveling at a speed of 80 mph, my friend logged onto a computer, helped troubleshoot a server and recommended a new phone system for his expanding company all via a sleek Samsung A900 cell phone. He also captured select images of the scenery along I70.

Meanwhile, in the passenger seat, I utilized a Sprint PCI card to connect to the Internet, and punched out this essay on my 12” Mac Powerbook, while switching between listening to U2 on the XM satellite radio and Johnny Cash on the iPod. I love technology, I would die if I had to disconnect. But, I’m afraid even I am behind the times.

Of course, out here on the open road, wireless signals can only go about as far as Salina, so I had to disconnect and use my low-tech devices – books and magazines – to remain productive. I usually get motion sickness reading in the car, but since it is almost a ten hour drive (times two) from Lawrence to Colorado Springs, I needed to use my time wisely. So far, I have finished reading The Cluetrain Manifesto, caught up on four months worth of Wired magazine and started reading The World is Flat. Most of this was required reading for my management class, but I have to admit, and I’m not kissing up, the books and articles I have read for this class have been more than enjoyable, in fact, they have been eye-opening and inspirational. I even tried to pick up a copy of The Tipping Point, a book on my professor’s must-read list that came highly recommended by Dan Cox, Director of New Media for the World Company, in a Boulder Borders, but they were sold out.

Here’s a brief summary of what I have learned in the first half of The World is Flat.

There is a McDonald’s in Missouri, that takes your drive thru order from a call center, in Colorado. In fact, there are at least two other McDonald’s franchises using this form of outsourcing: one in Mass. and one in Minn. Apparently, when you drive up and place an order, they snap your picture along with your order and send it back to the cooks at your local restaurant. What’s next, will the food be made by robots. Come on, you know that’s coming.
The 27/7 Call Center company in India trains its employees to dull their Indian accents and speak in either a more Brittish, Canadian or American accent. This company however also provides medical insurance to the entire family and pays for lunch/dinner as well as transportation to and from work for its employees. My first reaction is to ask, “Do you want to move to India?” He said, “No” because there are like 300 billion people living in a country the size of Texas. So, it’s overcrowded. Big deal. The Indians are innovative. The Indians are inventing and really going places.
JetBlue’s phone reservation system consists of 250-some housewives working out of their homes in Utah. JetBlue’s CEO is a Mormon and believes women should be able to stay at home to take care of the kids but still earn money. We both agree that allowing employees to work from home can save a company a lot of money. Most, if not all, computer-related jobs – everything from programming to system administration and network security – can be done remotely, why not take advantage? JetBlue’s CEO claims a 30 percent increase in productivity due to happier employees, employees who are allowed the flexibility and freedom to work from home.

We only have six hours left on the road and I have 281 pages left to read. But first, it’s time for a break to stretch our legs and get something to eat. I wonder if we can find a McDonald’s?

Historical look at my bosses

staci baird — Wed, 08 Mar 2006 00:13:45 +0000

I’ve decided, at my next job interview, I’m going to turn the tables and interview my potential boss. I don’t mean to come across sounding cocky, but I believe it’s just as important for me to know the management style of my prospective boss as it is for she/he to know what I am going to contribute to the job.

Over the years, I have had a variety of bosses. I was contemplating their different management styles after class last week.

My first boss, at Baskin Robbins was more on the lassie faire side of the management scale. In fact, at only fifteen-years-old, I was running the store. I managed inventory, created work schedules, filled store orders and counted the drawer after every shift. I loved my job, the freedom the responsibility, until I got robbed at knife-point. That sorta turned me off of my dream of managing my own Baskin Robbins franchise someday.

My next boss, at Sutherland’s Lumber Yard was more of a authoritarian dictator. One night when I was closing, I had left my credit card receipts at the front counter, so I left my drawer in the back office and ran out to get the receipts. The store was closed, and no one but my manager and two other clerks were in the back office. When I got back to my drawer all the bills were gone. I freaked. I was only gone for thirty seconds. My manager suddenly appeared and asked what was wrong, I told him, shaking all the while, and he pulled the bills out from a bag and set them on the desk. He told me he wanted to teach me a lesson about leaving my drawer unguarded. Sheesh. I left the job soon after the incident. I couldn’t leave with the threat of that sort of panic attack.

After taking a few classes at KU, I decided to take a break from school and took a full-time job in Kansas City as an inside sales representative for a computer and electronics store called Elek Tek. Some of you might remember the store on 95th and Quiveria in Overland Park. I was so excited to have my first “real” job with a “real” salary. I can barely remember my boss at Elek Tek, I relied more on the other sales reps for training and advice. I latched on to one older rep who had worked with computers since before I was born. I was like a sponge trying to soak up as much as I could about computers, and he patiently answered all my questions. I made some good friends and learned a lot at Elek Tek.

I’ve worked other jobs since then, several actually, and all of my bosses have had different approaches to management.

My current boss, has been the best (for my personality and work ethics) so far. He manages people – err – he manages emotions. That’s what he’s always telling me. He’s really good at what he does, but sometimes I feel like he knows me too well. Can’t I have a bad day once in awhile? Let me sit in silence and brood. I’ll come around soon enough.

What’s new in China?

staci baird — Sat, 04 Mar 2006 04:23:44 +0000

Lately, China has been in the news a lot. There’s an on-going saga about how U.S. technology companies like Yahoo, Google and Cisco are cooperating with the Chinese government’s censorship policies. The tension between China and Taiwan and the scare about the avian flu spreading across Asia.

Despite the negative news surrounding Asia these days, I am fascinated by Chinese politics and Chinese culture. There continues to be an amazing transformation in China, something the West never would have imagined. The country is becoming a valid competitor to the U.S.

Part of my recent interest in China could be chalked up to the fact that my younger sister lives in China. She has lived there for almost a year. She’s studying Chinese and modern Chinese politics at The Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. I’m not sure what “turned” her on to Chinese; she majored in creative writing and Italian as an undergraduate. I too believe there are some interesting things to observe in China, especially when it comes to communication, media and the web.

The Internet had, and continues to have, a profound effect on China. The World Wide Web has infiltrated Chinese culture. There are now more than 16 million people blogging in China, and the Chinese see the Internet, “as a platform to express their views.”

Globally speaking, the Internet has become the most important source for information today. Many company’s flourish because of it, others crumble. For more than a hundred years mass production, mass marketing and mass media have been the norm in the West, and businesses have experienced generous payoffs because of it (The Cluetrain Manifesto, p 12). “Almost overnight, global competition turned mass markets into thousands of micro markets, and the organizational core has melted down” (The Cluetrain Manifesto, p 13).

National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, did an excellent series on China last summer. One story in particular, China profiles: Jack Ma, Internet CEO, stuck out in my mind.

I think Ma’s approach to business management is unique, even by Western standards. How many CEO’s do you know who put their customers and employees on the 10th floor, while they work on the bottom floor? I can’t think of any. This is just one of many examples of Chinese people who are willing, and able to do things different. I look forward to seeing how China continues to progress over the next few years. I believe China is in for a radical change, thanks to the Internet and other emergency technology.

Changing with the times

staci baird — Tue, 28 Feb 2006 02:52:12 +0000

As a journalism graduate student attending the University of Kansas, I can’t help but hear about Rob Curley, Lawrence.com and the “award winning” innovations created by the World Company. Why aren’t more newspapers, and television stations for that matter, doing these new, revolutionary, cool, exciting things?

Many editors and managers have come to Lawrence and lamented about a lack of talent, but really, all it is is a lack of vision. There are many talented designers, programmers and editors graduating from journalism schools every year. Why not give them the resources and the power to change your product?

I think Disney CEO, Bob Iger provides an excellent example how, by focusing on producing “world-class content” and exploiting new technology, a media company, even a large organization like Disney, can survive, even thrive. Shouldn’t creating great content be the goal for every newspaper and television outlet? It should, and I believe it is, for most. But saying it, and doing it, are two very different things. In today’s digital and information-obsessed world, how can any business expect to survive without innovation and technology? This isn’t the beginning of the end for mass media, it is an opportunity for revolution.

In a recent BusinessWeek online article, Disney Builds a Better Mousetrap, Iger was quoted as saying to investors, “Our No. 1 strategic priority is creating great content… And No. 2 is the application of technology to improve our production’s distribution.”

Disney controls few TV stations; only ten in top markets around the U.S., so, Disney is looking for ways to get in.

While most media companies freak-out at the thought of distributing content via iPods, Disney took a chance and ended up selling more than $1.5 million downloads through iTunes.

“We won’t let traditional business practices stand in the way of delivering our content to consumers,” Iger told analysts. Disney, he said, has to be “committed to innovation and experimentation.”

According to Disney’s CFO, Tom Staggs, the sales on iTunes did not reduce other income streams like advertising and syndication. And, Disney executives predict that two new series, “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” will generate more than $1 billion in profit.

Just look at “Lost,” it’s the most popular downloaded TV show on iTunes (‘Lost’ leads TV past the screen, The Kansas City Star, Jan. 23, 2006). “Lost” is thinking outside the box, marketing to a new age, with a new kind of multimedia model. Stephen McPherson, president of ABC prime-time entertainment said, “the idea that great content can be used in a multitude of different ways is a wonderful challenge and a wonderful opportunity” (‘Lost’ leads TV past the screen, The Kansas City Star, Jan. 23, 2006). This series was “the test case for the marriage between new technology and creative content” (‘Lost’ leads TV past the screen, The Kansas City Star, Jan. 23, 2006).

Watch and learn media executives, watch and learn. The future is now, and if you don’t change, someone else will come along and sweep you under the carpet. It’s not too late. There’s still time to hire creative forward-thinking individuals. There’s still time to transform. If the World Company can do it, if Disney can do it, so can you.