In just a couple weeks, something amazing is about to take place in Pittsburgh. And unless you’re in public radio, you probably have no idea it’s even happening.
You see, public radio programmers have their own dedicated organziation – PRPD – dedicated to working with content creators in their system to make better radio. While commercial broadcasters have a lot of different conventions, there is nothing like the PRPD Convention in all of radio.
For some time now, these gatherings have provided stimulation, thoughtful discussion, and a chance to learn from one another. But new PRPD head Jody Evans has set out to reimagine this year’s conference with the goal of delivering “an unforgettable professional development experience.”
In her first year, PRPD will be redefined. In the past, the conference has often scheduled concurrent sessions. And well, you know how that can go. Oftentimes, there are two different presentations or panels you want to see, and you can’t be in two places at the same time.
For this year’s PRPD Convention, upwards of 500 programming types will be together in one room with the goal of having a mass conversation about the tectonic changes in radio in general, and the public radio sector specifically.
And there will be innovative sessions. Public Radio PDs will spend time with revenue thought leaders, because after all, we all know that content cannot survive without a sound financial model. Another session will feature a live focus group of public radio donors in front of the entire conference. Yes, I’ll be moderating that grand experiment, and you can only imagine what a high wire/no net proposition it will be. And that’s what makes it exciting. I’ve never presided over a focus group with 500 very smart programmers looking on.
I’m also very curious about another session that will bring together three researchers in the public radio space. Dave Sullivan from the Radio Research Consortium (RRC), Edison Research’s Larry Rosin, and yours truly. We’ll each present the greatest hits from our own research studies, and then we’ll have a conversation with all these PDs, any of whom could be up on that stage.
I’ve got some fresh data from our recently completed Public Radio Techsurvey 7 where 54 public radio stations across the U.S. came together to contribute nearly 20,000 completed interviews. This year, the data tell an amazing story about change, personalization, control, and the generational differences that are defining the public radio challenge at this time.
To keep things spiced up, Chris Price, an outstanding UK-based media strategist will give a presentation about music, programming, and new media issues. As will David Remnick, Editor In Chief of the New Yorker. In that capacity, he’s essentially the program director of that august publication – assessing, analyzing, and trying to make his writers better. These are both outstanding media thought leaders, and the PRPD crowd will be hanging on their every word.
You get some insight into the mind of Remnick and how he approaches interviewing famous people, including profiling Bruce Springsteen back in the early ‘70s, here’s a video:
Email recipients can watch the video here.
I am able to attend a lot of media and broadcast-centric conferences each year, so I have a high bar for what keeps me interested and stimulated. And while PRPD always delivers, this year promises to be even more innovative and surprising, thanks to the deep planning of Jody and public radio vet Mikel Ellcessor.
It will be a crazy period for me because PRPD and The Radio Show fall in the same week. I am both honored and blessed to be presenting at both conferences. So some well-planned shuttle broadcast conferencing is in order as I start the week in Pittsburgh and then end up in Atlanta.
But that also makes me one of the luckiest people in radio because I continue to see the industry from both sides of the fence. Both commercial and public radio are struggling to figure it all out, albeit coming from very different perspectives.
I’m expecting to come away from both events learning very different things, and hopefully, being able to tie those threads together. If it all works out, you’ll read about it here because the trials, the tribulations, the struggles, and the successes of radio – public and commercial – go to the heart of the questions we continue to ask each other every day of the week.
We learn from each other, and ultimately, a great broadcast conference is defined by what you bring home Monday morning, and can apply to your station, your company, your career, and yourself.
I know I won’t see you in both places, but hopefully, I’ll see you at one or the other of these storied conferences. There are lots small packets of peanuts in my immediate future.
Safe travels to Pittsburgh.
Safe travels to Atlanta.
Radio’s Most Innovative is taking a well-deserved day off. It returns one week from today.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Shame for the overlap, both events essential. “How can you be in two places at once, when you’re not anywhere at all?” boom boom. – Firesign Theater, circa the 60’s.
Clark
That Firesign Theatre album may have predicated multi-tasking. Thanks, Clark!
Bravos to Jody and her team for daring to make a great conference better.
Fred, as you know, commercial radio once had a terrific programming conference. During his watch leading Radio at the NAB, Wayne Cornils created the association’s annual RPC (Radio Programming Conference). As one of the minions on Wayne’s steering committee, I had an insider’s view of the hard work and political capital he put into making each RPC a truly epic event. We even had our own radio station led by programming ace Thom O’Hair. Each year the FCC granted us a temporary operating permit. Those were the days.
While I would love to attend at least one of your sessions, there’s a conflict – Advertising Week in New York. Travel safe. Break a leg. Looking forward to your tweets from the events.
Dave, enjoy Advertising Week. In the meantime, I’m excited to be attending both shows. Details to follow. Thanks for reading the blog and taking the time to comment.