April 25,2008
CRS – TECH TRACK WRAPUP
by Jay Frank - CMT
Rick Kelly - Marco Promotions
Chad Shultz - MOZES

 

If you missed the tech track's first year, then you're probably on your dial up modem on your Commodore 64 computer on prodigy… ;) Seriously, the overwhelming feedback we got was that all the panels were GREAT and if anything, it needs to be included and maybe even expanded next year.

4 hours of intensive tech issues. Our audience grew with each successive panel, which we took as a sign of increased interest. General feedback we got was that people came for one of the earliest panels and they were interested enough to stay for the next, and the one after that, etc…  The design and flow worked very well to retain audience interest.

There was lots of learning.  From the beginning, the early panels provided knowledge ranging from social networking and widgets to online streaming. Benefits audience members walked away with were a basic overview of the "Digital Landscape", as it pertains to their industry which was helpful, but we also realized that some of it was a bit rudimentary for many of the attendees.  The mobile panel proved comprehensive with many radio stations picking up ideas on how to better utilize this fast-growing platform.

Panels were a great idea and not the same old thing.  Most of the panelists and many audience members said that the tech track was a great idea.  It's becoming more and more obvious that this information is important to seminar attendees and there is a definite need to provide more of it.  Highlights from attendees were that this wasn't more of the "same old panels" you see sometimes over and over. They actually walked away with tangible information (sites, links and understanding of entirely new concepts.)  People found the panels entertaining and fun – they all seemed to provoke debate and thought within the audience. Feedback was that they were glad that they got to hear concrete examples of how this technology could be used (and is being used) in their industry on all sides.

There is room to grow.  One suggestion made was a smaller, digital "mentoring" session for an hour may be more effective than a “Bytes and Bagels” panel. Kind of along the lines of the "Extreme Networking" session already in place – except more digitally focused.

We feel like this is a real leap forward in the education and dissemination of information for the CRS. Both radio and records are undergoing drastic changes in their business models, and the more information we can impart to them on how to navigate the business environment of the 21st Century, the more likely both industries will be able to thrive in the coming years.