Meet Up pt. 2

Last night's meet up was not quite what I expected. There were too many people, spread over too large an area to have a single conversation. However, in smaller groups, we did stick to the proposed topic(s). I also understand, though not from Tod himself, that there was some hostility to the idea of recording the conversation on how to apply what we've learned outside to build a better CBC and giving it to management.

I find it very unfortunate that this did not happen. It's something that I think many in management need to hear. The argument, apparently, was that as long as we're locked out we shouldn't do anything to help them. I understand people's feelings on this but at the same time; while we may be in a state of mutiny right now, we do not want to sink the ship. If the CBC goes down, we all go with it.

At any rate, while it was not a single conversation there seemed to be consensus on several points (at least amoung those I talked to.)

1) Blogging and podcasting are here to stay and video podcasting is coming. There are already cell phones and iPod like devices that handle video, and there will be more. Long before most people have a HD television, most (or at least a great many) will have mobile devices that handle phone calls, email, play music and video files.

2) Once this lockout is over CBC's lawyers need to spend the next 16 months on internet clearances for all of CBC's content - in short everything we still have copies of radio and television inclusive.

3) The CBC will have to start producing alot more content, though as the lockout has shown this need not be terribly expensive.

While the traditional radio, television and cbc.ca audiences will still be there (assuming we can get them back), in the year 2012 a good part of our audience may work something like this:

Joe gets on the commuter train, he sits down, flips open his phone and checks his email where he also gets the latest headlines from CBC.ca, he watches last nights National on the screen. Joe skips over the ads with the press of a button. (say goodbye to most ad revenue). When a story appears about wildfires in BC Joe is interested because he is on his way to the airport to board a plane to BC so he clicks on a link on his screen and goes to the blog or podcast from the reporter covering the BC fires to get the latest update. The toddler next to Joe is restless so he then switches his phone/tv over to CBCKids to appease the toddler so that he can take a nap before he gets to the airport. On the plane Joe has to close his internet connection, so he listens to his favorite CBC radio shows (which he archived to the MP3 player the night before). He also might watch some episodes of This Hour has 22 minutes which he pulled from the archives.

This is not science fiction, it is going to happen, and it likely will happen before 2012. If you don't believe me, have a look at the MIT Oxygen Project . Everyone ready?