Upcoming PodCamps in January & February 2010

Filling out your calendar for the coming 2010 year and need something new and interesting to do? Don’t forget to add the new PodCamps to your calendar if you live in Boulder or Western Mass! These events were just announced, so check out the links below for more information. If you are at all interested in podcasting, attending a local podcamp at least once is definitely something you should try.

About PodCamp

For those of you who are unfamiliar with PodCamp, it is a usually free BarCamp-style community UnConference for new media enthusiasts and professionals including bloggers, podcasters, YouTubers, social networkers, and anyone curious about new media. And it’s not just for podcasters, its for anyone interested in producing content for the web for social networks, podcasts, music, blogs, tweets… pretty much everything awesome.

Upcoming Events in January & February

• PodCamp Boulder 2 – January 22-23, 2010 in Boulder, CO
• PodCamp Western Mass 2 – February 6, 2010 at Westfield State College, Westfield, MA

Have fun, and report back as to the success of the event!

This is the special Christmas edition of the Podcast Alley Featured 5! Check out the shows below to get your mix of holiday music (traditional and… not so traditional), Christmas stories, Christmas video from Europe and more!

1. PodSafe Christmas
Do you get tired of the same old Christmas music being played in continuous loop on your local radio station? Are you looking for something that gets you in the Christmas mood without becoming overwhelming by the time you actually GET to Christmas? Podsafe Christmas gets you into that Christmas spirit with a quick shot of Christmas music every day during the Christmas season. Each 15-20 minute episode brings you new original and public domain Christmas songs that you often won?t hear anywhere else.

2. Christmas Stocking Podcast
Celebrating the happiest time of year, all year long. Listen to the latest summertime episode!

3. Rick Steves’ European Christmas
Rick Steves’ European Christmas gives viewers a look at sacred, intimate family Christmas traditions. From England to Norway, Burgundy to Bavaria, Rome to the top of the Swiss Alps, locals brimming with holiday cheer celebrate Christmas in seven European countries, including a very memorable Christmas Eve Mass at St. Peters in Rome.

4. Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes
Gather 30 children between the ages of 5 and 10 in a classroom at Christmastime… and what do you get? Some really cute points of view about the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas Through A Child’s Eyes.

5. A Childs Christmas In Wales by Matthew Harris
Choral Cantata based on the much loved memoir by the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (from A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, 1956 by New Directions. Used by permission), composed by Matthew Harris and premiered in this performance by the Harmonium Choral Society of Morristown, NJ, USA, Dr. Anne Matlack, Director of Music.

Want to stay up to date on the featured shows on Podcast Alley? Subscribe to the Featured 5 Podcast Alley RSS feed and never miss a show! You can also subscribe to the Podcast Alley Blog to get all the latest and greatest news on podcasting.

Myna Free Audio Recording Tool

If you are a podcaster who is creating content ALL the time, it can be a hassle (or honestly, a big expense) to have dedicated recording hardware and software. Imagine if you could hook a microphone into any computer that was connected to the internet and instantly record and publish a PRO quality podcast with all the bells and whistles of an expensive editor?! That time has come.

A few months ago Aviary, a company whose mission statement reads, “…on a mission to make creation accessible to artists of all genres, from graphic design to audio editing” launched a new online audio editing application called Myna.This browser based application is fairly revolutionary considering the features it has, all crammed into an online-only web application. They boast features that allow you to do the following:

Interesting Features:

• apply sound effects and equalizer functions
• record your own voice or instruments
• powerful clip editing
• automated fade-ins and outs
• multi-track editing
• audio/loop library
• export out of the browser into other editing programs (to .wav or .mp3)
• an intuitive user interface

Check them out here (where you will find a pre-filled demo of their audio tools and access to your FREE account).

Samson Mic & Headset Bundle

Looking for a nice headset and microphone combo that is SUPER EASY to hook up to any laptop? Look no further! B&H and Samson have hooked up to provide podcasters with a great portable podcasting studio.

This kit includes the following items:

• Professional Sounding Miniature USB Mic
• Clips to Laptop, Integrated Desk Stand
• Kit Includes Closed-Back Pro Headphones
• Cardioid & Omni Pick-Up Patterns
• No Drivers Need, Plug-and-Play Ease
• Mac and Windows Compatible

All this is only $63.95 now through 12/6/2009 (a $20 discount), so hurry over and buy it from B&H Now!

About B&H

If you are into audio, video or photography and you don’t know about b&h you must be living under a rock. They are one of, if not the largest, retailers of audio, video and photography equipment in the US. They have a 70,000+ square foot facility in New York City to browse and an enormous online store. Don’t be afraid to check them out. Visit B&H Online Now.

MicheBelz Hollywood

MicheBelz Hollywood

Michelle Belaskie is an entertainment journalist and theatre critic bringing you the latest news from tinsel town, along with movie reviews, TV happenings and more. Get your dose of Hollywood including in depth coverage of awards shows like the Emmys, Oscars and Golden Globes. Read the interview with Michelle and subscribe to MicheBelz Hollywood so you dont miss an episode.

About the Show, from the Author

Michelle Belaskie talks about what she knows best. (OK, after sex…) Hollywood! Featured segments include commentary about film, TV, Second Life, music, radio (terrestrial and otherwise), theatre, maybe even books. Entertainment explored in depth from someone living and breathing Hollywood (literally). Local LA bands are a regular segment as well. The INDIE AIRWAVE used to focus on Indie 103.1, the only terrestrial radio that mattered before it became Internet only (now the INDIE AIRSTREAM). A special spotlight is given to analysis of the awards shows, specifically the Emmys and the Oscars, with a dash of Golden Globes thrown in. Listen to someone who really knows Hollywood, and isn’t snarky or condescending about it. No random celebrity gossip, just a good eye and ear.

About the 6.5 Questions

Featured on the home page of Podcast Alley, the 6.5 questions give you insight into the life of the podcast producer, and a bit of information about their show as well. This is not just a another featured podcast, its a unique interview created just for Podcast Alley.  You can always find the latest featured podcaster interviews on the home page of the Podcast Alley site or if you like, subscribe directly to the Podcast Alley Featured Podcaster Interviews feed. Do you have a show that you think is good enough to be featured on Podcast Alley? Submit the show in the comment, or email me: info at podcastalley.com!

If you are a podcaster or blogger with an advertiser or a show sponsor, you need to be prepared for the the new FTC rules coming into effect in December 2009. If you do not comply with their demands, they could fine you $11,000 per failure to disclose a paid endorsement! That’s right, they will find you $11,000 for not letting your subscribers know you are being paid to talk about a sponsor!

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued revised Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising to include blog posts, word of mouth campaigns and even twitter messages. These revised rules take effect on December 1, 2009 but, until today, there was no established structure or format for disclosures to follow. “Given that social media has become such a significant player in the advertising area, we thought it was necessary to address social media as well,” said Richard Cleland, assistant director for the division of advertising practices at the FTC. So what are we to do? Enter CMP.LY.

What is CMP.LY?

CMP.LY with the FTC

CMP.LY is a web service created in response to a continued push for transparency and honesty in blogging and within social media. According to their website, CMP.ly disclosures follow a standard naming convention that is easy for readers to understand and can be used for disclosures in print, online, SMS, tweets or other digital communications.

While you could just come up with a standardized way to mention that your episode, show or blog post was part of a sponsorship, CMP.LY provides a clear, simple way to repeatedly offer disclosures for your content.

The 6 Levels of Disclosure:

• CMP.LY Disclosure 0
  No connection, unpaid, my own opinions
• CMP.LY Disclosure 1
  Based upon a review copy
• CMP.LY Disclosure 2
  Given a sample by vendor/agency/brand
• CMP.LY Disclosure 3
  Paid post – cash payment or other compensation
• CMP.LY Disclosure 4
  Employee/shareholder/business relationship
• CMP.LY Disclosure 5
  Custom Disclosure

What Will it Look Like in My Blog Post?

The following is all you need to do (or simply provide a link) any time you need to disclose information.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: http://cmp.ly/0

Below is what the landing page looks like when you click on the link.

Landing Page

Hopefully you have all read up on your rights, and your requirements, for what you will need to be doing leading into the month of December.

As mentioned previously, the 2009 Podcast Awards are now open for voting! It is super easy to do, and you can return daily to vote for all of your favorite shows.

Shows are categorized into 22 different categories and all you need to do is select one of your favorite podcasts from each of the categories and be proud knowing you are supporting the shows that create great content for you!

The image here is an example of one group of shows that are up for voting this year…. so you can see there is a good assortment of well known and more independent shows to choose from.

To Vote:

1. Go to www.podcastawards.com
2. Choose the shows you want to win by checking the box (choose 1, or 1 from each category)
3. Add your name and email at the bottom
4. Submit the form
5. Return again tomorrow to vote again!

Voting ends November 30th, 2009 — so make sure you get your votes in now for your favorite podcasts!

Photo from Photos8.com on flickr

Adam Curry (from the Mevio Network) said he has three podcasters that will make between $500,000 to $1,000,000 this year. If you are a podcaster, don’t deny yourself the opportunity to learn, at any level or audience size, how to make money with your show. Even if your show is a part time gig, there are systems in place that will allow you to make money. You just have to find what works for you: do you want to let someone else sell advertising on your behalf like RawVoice and Mevio do? Or would you rather keep the show free and offer companion content or iPhone apps like Wizzard Media does?

The Mashable list titled “9 Successful Techniques for Making Money with Podcasting” is an amazing introduction to anyone looking to monetize their brand and podcast. A lot of thought went into the list covering all aspects, and all levels, of monetization. Seriously, this is not an article you want to miss. Kudos to David Spark from Mashable for creating another great resource for podcasters!

ReadWriteWeb

Podcasters want to share their information with the world and to build their audience. There are a ridiculous number of services out there to help do this, it is hard to figure out where to start. Which site do you upload to? Which will net you the most bang for your buck? You have to worry about comments, plays and people recommending your show to their friends… not to mention revenue! This is no easy task, but there are resources out there for you. Below is one idea.

ReadWriteStart is the new section of the ReadWriteWeb blog that covers startups and entrepreneurs. In a recent post they created a List of Easy Video Aggregation Tools which highlighted services used to curate videos from your different networks across the net. This list of services is designed for your audience members. Your job, as a content creator, is to connect with your audience in the places they visit already. This means that you have to talk to your fans, find out what sites they use… and be there!

The list featured by ReadWriteStart includes companies such as VodPod, and Redux (my favorite) where users can create channels of their favorite videos, watch videos suggested by their friends, comment on the videos and share them with their friends. But how do you get onto these sites? It’s easy.

5 Steps to Getting Distribution through Video Aggregators

1. Create a Video
2. Upload it to 25+ video sites at once using TubeMogul
3. Create accounts at the Top Video Aggregator sites like PopScreen, Mevio or Yubby
4. Add your videos to the new aggregator sites
5. Connect with your audience through these new aggregator sites!

I know it’s not easy to curate your community and your branding across multiple websites. But getting out there to the sites people are already using and are familiar with is what you need to do. Just like in traditional marketing, the more people see your name and your videos, the more they will start to trust and pay attention to you.  Now go… create great content, and distribute it everywhere!

Another great collection for you this week featuring great shows from the Mevio Network. These are the featured 5 for the week of November 2, 2009.

1. The C-Realm Podcast
C stands for consciousness. Each week, host KMO interviews knowledgeable folks on topics related to entheogens and the Drug War, the notion of a technological singularity, and small-scale alternative agriculture.

2. The Chronic Rift Podcast
Clinically Proven to Do Nothing

3. The Liverpool Stories Podcast
We cover a wide variety of quality stories in a short documentary style covering music, personal stories, events around the city. New episodes are published 2 – 3 times a month.

4. The Nerd Stalker Podcast
Nerd Stalker covers all things tech with an emphasis on startups, research labs, conferences, meetups, and design houses.

5. Trip on a Deal Podcast
Trip on a Deal is a weekly show featuring unique vacation ideas and hard to beat travel deals across the web. Informative, fun and loaded with bargains, destinations and entertainment … all in just five minutes a week! Whew!

Want to stay up to date on the featured shows on Podcast Alley? Subscribe to the Featured 5 Podcast Alley RSS feed and never miss a show! You can also subscribe to the Podcast Alley Blog to get all the latest and greatest news on podcasting.