The New Media Expo 2008 …Not So Much
Well first thing, I lived to tell about the New Media Expo. It was a very nice time. I got to see lots of friends and make lots more. It was a very nice time. Now for the part that many of you might not agree with me on. So, I am just going to put it out there. As I have not seen much chatter about it on the ‘net, twitter, facebook or any social networking sites. The New Media Expo this year..well.. it was…kind of weak. Yes, there I said it. Don’t hate me. Let me compare it for you to say last year with my thoughts. Let’s do it in list form, because people like lists.
The differences from this year and last year:
-2007 was in Ontario, California this year was Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas in great and all, but it was way to spread out. With all this space it was hard to run into people and network. If you have ever been to Ontario you’ll know what I mean about the location.
-The expo floor was a lot smaller. Not sure why, since they picked up sponsers like Sony, but there was not a lot going on when you hit the floor
-The speaker list was basically the same as last year. Been there, heard them, done that.
-There were no Podcasting awards. I know the term “Pod” has a stigma around it and the changed the name to drop Podcasting. Fine, but the awards were fun!!! They created buzz ahead of time.
- Parties! Where were the Parties? Maybe I am not cool and people don’t want me at their parties. But I remember all kinds of parties last year. The only thing going on was the Coverville 500 Concert. This was $25.00 to get in the door.
-The lack of information on Twitter. I would update and check Twitter and Summzie.com. Not a lot of conversations and comments going on. Heck TheNewMediaExpo twitter feed was not even being updated! They have 4900 people following them what a waste of a tool that could be used to create buzz and give information.
-Where were you: Chris Brogan? Rumorgirls? Cali Lewis? Ewan Spence? Eric Rice? Hayden Black? Just to name a few. Heck Podsho.. I mean Mevio did not even try the whole unconfrence thing.
- A Lack of moments like this
So, do I think I will go back next year? Kind of doubt it. Needless to say I was very disappointed.
Next month I head back to Las Vegas for Blogworld & New Media Expo I have hope this will be a lot better. The speaker list looks amazing.
Where you there? What did you think? Did you not go? Why Not? Am I wrong?
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August 19th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I completely agree with you 1000%
You said everything I was thinking and more.
So will I be attending next year?
*shakes the magic 8ball*
“Outlook not so good”
August 19th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I think you pretty much hit the reason on the head there at the end… BWE is next month in Vegas… just like it was last year. And those guys went to great lengths to get great speakers and to generate buzz since last winter.
So when it came down to “which do I do? NME or BWE in Vegas?” given that they were only 1 month apart, I think most folks opted to do BWE.
I expect next month to be amazing. Pretty much everyone I’d want to hear is going to be there - it’s going to be tough to choose which talks to go to in most of the time slots!
Sorry NME didn’t live up to its reputation this year. Hopefully they learned a lesson and will move it away from Vegas and promote the heck out of while getting great speakers.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I wasn’t there, but let me just say this:
I was checking all weekend for Twitter updates, and flickr pics. They were scarce to non-existent.
I think the location eclipsed the conference. Whenever I go to look for pics of the PEOPLE at NME on Flickr, I’m met with half the pics being pictures of things in/around Vegas and the hotel. It’s like the whole thing was a “vacation/meetup” and not a true conference.
Contrast to last year when I saw tons up Twitter updates AND when I searched for pics they were plentiful and always of the PEOPLE at the conference and the parties.
They need to realize Ontario was actually a GREAT location - because it allowed folks to focus on the conference, networking and meeting folks, and less on being in Vegas.
–*Rob
–*Rob
August 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am
You’re pretty spot on with your comments Dave. I know Tim and Emile personally and I like them alot. They’re great guys trying to do good for Podcasting and New Media. But the show was weak this year. It was a big risk going to Vegas and I’m not sure it paid off. Some have suggested a compromise, moving the show to LA or Anaheim.
I did not miss the Podcast awards though. As Michael Butler call it, they’re more like the circle jerk awards. But there was a distinct lack of parties as more people preferred to to out to dinner or see a show. I also very much missed the Podango booth and their speaker series that they did last year.
I wish the expo team all the best and hope they can retool and figure a way to make the show really work next year. I would have loved to go to BlogWorld but I have a wedding to go to. Next year for sure.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:27 am
I got lost at the Vegas airport and just wandered around it for three days until it was time for me to fly back. Damn Twitter GPS Beta.
Actually, I was doing this: http://www.abigailsxratedteendiary.com
August 19th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Dave, you are spot on with this one. I don’t think there were any parties, few meet ups, or any other cool shit goin down. We at extremepods tried to get Mevio involved but Curry was having nothing to do with it. Quite the attitude for the “podfather” to take in my opinion. That just shows true support for your industry. Or the industry you are trying to build. (If that is your true goal.) I wonder?
Isn’t that like the true blogger not going to blog world?
Maybe LaPorte should take the crown of the King of Podcasting or Netcasting or whatever you want to call it. He was there with his bells on!
August 19th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I agree with a lot of the points made in this post. It is ironic, though, that NME’s loss might be BlogWorld’s gain. In my opinion, NME is and was a much better-run show, with more thought given to its attendees than I experience ad las year’s BlogWorld Expo. But I think Vegas is simply the wrong venue for this event, and that a combination of a genuine lack of growth and excitement in podcasting, combined with a bad economy, and a poorly-suited location, have really heart NME.
-shelly
August 19th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Wow.. its nice to know I am not alone and you all agree with me. Sounds like as a whole everyone thinks the location was the problem. Any other changes they should make?
August 19th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Too many podcamps that, instead of being local affairs, were platforms for people to treat as tour stops (and even then, they became social media camps). I think that was the problem last year also. I went to NME last year, paid, didn’t go to a single session. The expo is a huge part of it, but no real compelling reason to spend the money to go.
And yeah, those awards, come on. Some YouTubers can come in and slaughter you. Feels like a bad prom in there.
I think there is still residual podcasting perceptions about it– part of what needs to die about podcasting is the focus on the technology-as-genre and more on brand-as-genre. It’s a hard hard thing that conference organizers have to deal with. Podcasting as a skill should be a reflex, like doing video and blogging– or posting pictures to flickr. When it’s singled out, it becomes a hyperniche.
Note: not going to Blogworld, never considered it.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I also agree with it all. Vegas, for the most part, overshadowed the Expo. In Ontario, the event was a “big fish in a little pond” so to speak. This year, in Vegas, pretty much the opposite. Still, it was cool to see some old faces and network with some new ones. Leo interviewed me and fellow New Media Voice Guy Bill Fortune on TWIT Live and we talked about the launch of our expanded company, so that was nice. The lack of parties was disappointing, especially the event being in the biggest of all party towns! I don’t regret attending, as I did enjoy the event and a chance to hang out with my associates, colleagues and, of course, partners in crime! Oh, and it was cool hanging out with Jeff Sr. by the Hilton pool Wednesday night!
August 19th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I’ve only been to one Expo- last year, the one you seemed to remember fondly… and though the people and the moments were great, I remember thinking the same thing… is this all there is?
PodCamps seem to have a lot more MEAT to them, even if they’re starting to pop up every ten feet from each other.
Just my opinion, tho… and to be honest, I still wish I could’ve gone. Geoff Smith sounded like he was having a lot of fun!
Pax,
Matthew
–
http://matthewebel.com
August 19th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
As I couldn’t afford the Expo this year, I was looking forward to seeing how things changed with the move to Vegas. It looks as though the city dominated the event as many had feared. I fully expected to be depressed in hearing all the great things going on via Twitter. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one that noticed the lack of the back channel. Of course, last year’s expo was a little slimmer than the year before as well, and it appears the trend continued.
Either way, it was nice to peak in on Gary Vaynerchuck’s keynote and Leo broadcasting live. It’ll be interesting to see how things progress for next year’s show. Let’s change the name again… media expo?
August 19th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Allright already, since you keep showing up in my Twitter searches with reposts, I’ll bite. As you can imagine, I disagree with you on several points and so do others who have posted about their positive experiences at the Expo.
First, the Expo floor was the same size as last year. We picked up a few new companies and lost a few.
If the number of Twitter messages is the gauge of the quality of the event, I don’t know what to tell you. I saw many, but the number of course would depend on who you follow. Many people who attended the conference sessions were pleased and several have said they were busy learning and didn’t Twitter until they returned home. (C’mon Matthew, more “meat” at a podcamp? How can you say that if you didn’t even attend this year? I expect better from you my friend.)
The speaker list was NOT the same as last year. There were folks that spoke last year and this year, but there were many, many new speakers as well.
The networking happened for those who wanted it to happen. Networking is something that rarely happens by accident. If you want to meet other and discuss, you have to make some effort to do so. We had more meetups on the Wiki and forums than ever before - it was there - you just had to take some initiative.
You can’t please everyone with an event this size. But I take every piece of feedback seriously and work to improve each time.
August 19th, 2008 at 11:27 pm
My thoughts exactly! Weak. I was expecting much more glitz and glam for the location shift, but it was so small and really tough to touch base with all the people who attended. I am sure I missed many people who were there just for the lack of chance running into them in a hall.
I’m sticking with podcamp as my preferred new media meetups. They tend to provide much more networking and information sharing without the huge expense and in your face sponsors, which even at NME seemed to be lacking!
I must say that the Seesmic booth was the highlight of the convention floor.
I’ll remain undecided on attending again. I did enjoy being in Vegas and connecting with the many who I did, but meh.
I’d love to hear what the organizers have to say about it in afterthoughts.
August 20th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
This was my second time attending the event. In both years, I’ve really gotten a lot out of the conference! Last year, we were and idea and a business card. The people we met at PNME helped us with all the questions we had to get launched.
This year, we had questions about community growth and business, and the attendee’s we networked with offered so much great advice.
The sessions provided lot’s of great tips as well. My partner and I often “split up” to maximize our information intake!
Sure, we spent a little more money on drinks this year, with the lack of parties, but the meet-ups at the bars proved to be great networking opportunities.
Some of the great one-on-one conversations we had this year were with: Brett Bumeter, Mike McAllen (hosted a meet-up first night), Jason Van Orden, Michael Goehegan, Leesa Barnes, Joe Klein & Bill Fortune, Paul Colligan, Mark Linder, Evo Terra… and that’s just naming a few.
We feel we got our money’s worth and more! Can’t wait for next year…
August 21st, 2008 at 2:31 am
[...] Peck voiced his dissatisfaction here. Part of the complaints in the comments were about the shift to Las Vegas (from Ontario, [...]
August 21st, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Wow the honeymoon is sure over for you Dave.
I have to say I really enjoyed this New Media Expo more than the other three in Ontario. I enjoyed meeting you briefly this year.
The old NME shows were great and crazy fun but things change. I for one got a TON of information and met a ton of really cool folks. I saw a couple of speakers for the second time like Paul Colligan who presented a WHOLE new presentation which was a life changer for our podcast.
I do agree if you are looking for parties and awards it really isnt the same as the Ontario experience but every session I went to was useful. I attended 5-6 meetups and didn’t even have enough time to check the whole expo floor with the hallway conversations.
I found this show was way better than blogworld was last year.
I would go to the NME again in a second. I also will be going to Blogworld.
Lets have a beer and talk about your issues.
I am hear to listen Dave.
Here is my recap of the event: http://tinyurl.com/56scx3
Mike
August 21st, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Mike
I want that beer. So plan on it at Blogworld!
Dave
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:13 am
Interesting point on the typical speakers list. That’s something I’ve have many conversations with people about. I’ve never been to PME. I had considered going last year and this and in both cases I was talked out of it by PME veterans who said that the same people were presenting on the same issues. By the way, all conferences struggle to keep things fresh at the event and at the podium. We’ve done our best to have speaker and topic churn each year for PAB. It’s not easy especially when you have ready access to someone who’s “a draw” and a group of people you know you can count on to deliver.
Organizing a conference is about taking a risk with each decision you make, whether it’s to keep doing something the same, tweak something or completely drop or add something. The scary part is that you can’t forecast the outcome, you can only watch it unfold.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I have attended the NMW several times, and I was really missing Ontario. When the NME is hosted there, you own the town. You can walk from the airport to the hotel, and to all the events and parties.
Vegas is a $20 cab ride every time you blink. Even the monorail is $5 one way, and forget about walking anywhere when it’s 107 degrees out. $9 Coronas? Screw Las Vegas.
Here’s my quick list of the good and bad:
Pros: Appearances by great new media peeps — especially Felecia Day and Sara O’Donnell (Average Betty), The Big Fantastic, Sunny Gault, the Wood Whisperer, and the many other great folks refining the biz. Some of the sessions were great too, others were lame — and I don’t mean the encoder.
Cons: Las Vegas, $9 Coronas, too much focus on audio podacasting in the sessions, not enough on video (IMO), absence of Dusty Wright and Culture Catch, absence of fun vendors like the UE bunch, small vendor floor, inability to hang outside without roasting, too big to catch the party buzz or locate your friends, and the death of serendipity.
If the venue remains Vegas, I probably won’t be back. Maybe this is an opportunity to explore other places.
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
[...] Rather graciously, David Peck wonders where all the cool kids were at last month’s New Media Expo in Las Vegas - for some strange reason he includes me in that list. [...]