Back in 1985, when I was working at WVUD-FM in Dayton (now WLQT), CBS Radio affiliates were given early access, via network satellite, to “We Are The World” before records (yes records) got mailed to stations. WVUD as a CBS affiliate could download it and as production manager, that’s what I did, running the cart down to the on-air studio so Pat Haverland, our midday guy, could be first to air it in the market; he did and we were.

So the song has always had a special place within me…and (for different reasons) just about everybody else.

I will grant you that 25 years ago and then again this year, the professional singers who participated in the recordings had the best of intentions and indeed turned in fine performances.

But when I saw George Whittam’s facebook posting of this very unique video of a less famous rendition, it made me think that maybe this was how it was supposed to be performed in the first place. Social media done extremely well? What do you think?

Tags: commentary, radio, social media, youtube by peter o'connell voiceover
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Yes, I had a blog before my web designers had a blog.

They helped me design it, upload it and maintain it. They thought it was really swell.

And then they sat for about a hundred years on the blogosphere sidelines. Oy! Well, they were busy doing a ton of highly successful web projects for big name companies in the meantime, so I kinda understand the delay.

But only kinda.

You can lead web geeks to water but you cannot make them drink the blog kool-aid…initially. But now that they have tasted it, they may become addicted and we will all be better for it.

Craig Chapman and his team at Rare Earth Interactive have created their own blog and it will be tremendous. There are oodles of factoids on web design, search engine optimization, content, flash and loads of other helpful stuff that they will likely offer on their blog. It will be good stuff.

They’ve been a great partner for me and I hope you’ll take time to enjoy their ride as well.

Tags: blogs, commentary, social media, technology by peter o'connell voiceover
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The more I hear and read about Fred Rogers, the more I am saddened by the fact that I never got to meet the man. His focus on helping children develop into the best people they could be, his efforts to help them understand the world around them and their new feelings and experiences as a part of that world were trail blazing, understated and worthy of praise beyond words.

As a kid, I didn’t get. As a parent I do.

I bring this up because my friends over at the Copyblogger blog, specifically the author Karl Staib, wrote a wonderful post today about how bloggers can improve their blogs by really caring about their readers as much as Fred Rogers cared about the children he worked with and broadcast to.

To me, considering the high esteem with which I hold the work of Fred Rogers, that’s a tall order but its wonderful advice none the less and its something I will work towards. I have told you before in this forum how much I appreciate your subscription here but it bears repeating – thank you!

Of special note in the Copyblogger post is the wonderful video, also posted here previously, featuring Mr. Rogers speaking before Congress about a funding bill for PBS in the 60’s that President Nixon wanted cut. His was not a very friendly audience but Fred Rogers spoke with the calm, rationale manner he always did, spoke from the heart (nary a script in sight) and won the battle and the hearts of Washington, D.C. on that day.

To me, that was reality TV!

I hope you’ll read the post and watch the video and if you have a blog, take the advice.

Tags: PBS, blogs, social media by peter o'connell voiceover
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Bobbin Beam - Female Voice Talent

Happy Blogiversary to a wonderful person and voice talent Bobbin Beam, who celebrates her third year in the blogosphere.

As a long and loyal subscriber, I thank her for her blog work and for almost as long, I thank her for her friendship.

Tags: blogs, social media, voice talent, voiceover by peter o'connell voiceover
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the audio'connell YouTube page

I am not a pioneer on most things, including social media. I like to see where things are going, if they are going to build up a big enough head of steam and then decide to join in.

It was that way for me with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and now with YouTube where I have create my own page and produced my first video. Why?

Well, my college degree is in Radio/Television communication and I did own a video production company for six years so this is not totally unfamiliar territory. But I wasn’t sure on many fronts if I wanted to dip my toe in the video waters via social media.

Two things changed that.

One was when Jeff Kafer said he wanted to produce a video of the VO-BB voice talents recreating “The Night Before Christmas”. I didn’t have any of the tools needed at the time or a clue about the new way video worked but I decided to plod through it (embrace change etc., blah, blah). My finished work for that piece wasn’t stellar and Jeff had to tweak it a lot to make it presentable but it put me in to a more “I can do it” frame of mind. So thank you Jeff for that.

Next was the technology. I tried a Logitech camera for the VO-BB video but I thought it wasn’t sharp enough (or maybe the dullness was a result of the talent within my lens). Then I attended an Ad Club of Buffalo presentation featuring Kodak’s Chief Blogger, the very kind and knowledgeable Jennifer Cisney. Part of her presentation, not surprisingly included mention of some Kodak products including their Zi8 portable video camera. At the same time Steve Garfield, who I had met briefly some years ago at Podcamp Boston, published his new book (which I bought) on video and spoke highly of that same camera which had an input for external audio (which most cameras don’t have and which was something of importance to me). At $200 I figured I could make an educated mistake.

Calling around to some friends for editing tools advice and with my own trail and error (as is the way we all seem to learn, technologically, these days) I was ready to make my mistakes more publicly.

I am quite sure that after I do this for a while, I’ll look back at this video in disgust for its poor quality in any number of areas but for now, it’s not the worst thing I’ve seen and hopefully the content is a bit different.

I hope you’ll subscribe to my YouTube page and lets enjoy this ride together. Thanks.

Tags: commentary, facebook, linkedin, social media, tv, twitter, voice talent, voiceover, youtube by peter o'connell voiceover
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I was advised that there might be a audio script promo coming for Podcamp Toronto 2010 but I never saw it…maybe I missed it.

At any rate, I decided to write my own tonight and this silliness is what I came up with. Please tweet it, facebook it, linked in it etc.

If you have a podcast you want to use it in or some other proper venue to promote Podcamp Toronto 2010, please feel free to use it.

I’ll see you there…and if you see me first, please say hi.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Click here to download the promo!

Tags: blogs, commentary, podcamp, podcamptoronto, podcamptoronto2010, podcasting, silliness, social media, social networking by peter o'connell voiceover
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