WMC 2009 Blogging, Podcasting and RSS Panelists

The Blogging, Podcasting and RSS panel at WMC 2009 focused on the various ways to get out the message through blogging, podcasting and RSS. Although BPM.FM and Play.FM are more streaming services than podcast outlests, the point was that Dance music radio has moved online and is where many people are accessing their favorite mix shows and artists.

The conversation turned to the new Flip video recorder, which is, for some, equivalent to the iPod for music. It’s a nifty $150 device ($200 for more storage) that has a built-in USB output, which means not having to worry about carrying around a USB cable. And, it syncs your video direct to YouTube for instant web channel publishing. The company was recently acquired by Cisco.

Flip Video (Photo courtesty of Pure Digital)

We also covered the power of WordPress and it’s over 2,500 3rd party supported plug-ins, which enhances the power of the popular Open Source to a full blown CMS, if that’s what you need.

From left to right: panel moderator Laura Betterly (Yada Yada Marketing), Stuart Miller (Smart Move Music), Jamie Peterson (BPM.fm), Diego Sanchez (DMSR.com), Tony Zeoli (Netmix.com) and Thomas Buchstaetter (Play.fm).

Here’s a short clip of New York’s Dance music leader, Pulse 87.7 Program Director, Joel Salkowitz, discussing how the station came about, his role in it, and the recent action by Arbitron to add stations in the 87.7 range to their regular books. Other panelists included Vic Latino from Long Island, New York pop station, Party 105.5; Mike Spinella, Director of Industry Relations at AOL Music; and Skyy from Sirus Satellite Radio.

I just got this pill bottle from DJ Elyse (systemaddix.com). It’s got a USB drive containing her latest mix show. I knew this was gonna happen one day, I just didn’t know when. Props to Elyse for the ingenuous marketing idea of the day.

On the label, she wrote:

“Take as often as needed”

“Unlimited Refills”

“Making Productions America Trusts”

“May Cause Euphoria. Alcohol May Intensify This Effect. Use Care When Operating A Car Or Other Damgerous Machinery.”

This is just genius!

An extraordinary discussion led by BT around the implications surrounding the mainstreaming and commercialization of dance music. One conference delegate questioned the push for greater exposure for electronic dance music and DJ culture, wondering why we seek greater exposure when our audience is perfectly content keeping the music for themselves.

There has always been a push for greater access to the mainstream by underground artists, but those artists may get co-opted in the process, leaving them without the recognition due for their genius and musicianship, while enriching others on the mainstreaming of their work.

BT says, “People knowing it, doesn’t make it bad.” But, he validated the delegate’s question with a very distinct viewpoint on the issue. “Why can we acknowledge that guy that made the record” right now?, before it’s “saturation” into the mainstream.

Sharam points out that it may be someone’s dream to win a Grammy for their work, so why not push for that type of accesibility in the same way others have in the past, with the realization that with mainstreaming comes a trade-off, and there is little control over music once it leaves an artist’s studio.

I really enjoyed this discussion and think it’s one of the finer moments in Winter Music Conference history.

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