Be The Media

David Mathison speaking to members of Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle (NY-NJ)

The Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle is for small business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and sales professionals who want to get more customers, generate more revenues, and share skills and experience. This Jersey City Chapter Meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 17 at the Jersey City Courtyard Marriott at 6:30pm.

David Mathison speaking about Twitter at Fair Media Council's “Connection Day” (Huntington, NY)

Be The Media author David Mathison will be speaking about Twitter at the Fair Media Council’s “Connection Day,” at the Long Island Hilton on Thursday, Oct 22, 2009 from 8am to 4pm.

More than 600 participants will join over 100 reporters, editors, social media experts, and communication professionals who will present a variety of educational workshops to the public.

See the full program of events here.

It is the only major conference in the country that brings the public together with the news media for a day of open dialogue, networking and professional development.

The event is designed for businesses, nonprofit organizations, students, concerned citizens and those with an interest in news. No matter what your profession, or skill level, there’s something for everyone at FMC’s Connection Day.

David Mathison will be speaking on the following topic:

8:45-10:00am: Guide to Twittering (And Why You Should)

• David Mathison: Author, BE THE MEDIA, former VP, Syndication, Reuters 
• Stephen Fink: Managin Editor, WCBStv.com
• Richard Kessel: President and CEO, NY Power Authority
• Jonathan Ezor: Asst Professor of Law and Technology Director, Institute for Business, Law, and Technology, Touro Law Center
• Jessica Levin: Chief Connector, Seven Degrees Communications

The luncheon features a keynote address by Wall Street Journal and WCBS Radio News 880's Joe Connolly.

One of the many great panels includes a session on "The Future of News, and Why You Should Care," featuring:

• Betty Ellen Berlamino, President & General Manager, WPIX
• Lew Leone, Vice President & General Manager, WNYW-FOX 5 & WWOR My9
• Thomas O’Brien, President & General Manager, WNBC-TV
• Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., President, NYIT/Member, Fair Media Council Board of Directors

The 30-year old Fair Media Council advocates for quality local news coverage, and educates the public to become media savvy.

Click here to register

David Mathison speaking to members of Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle (NY-NJ)

The Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle is for small business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and sales professionals who want to get more customers, generate more revenues, and share skills and experience. This Jersey City Chapter Meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 20 at the Jersey City Courtyard Marriott at 6:30pm.

Be The Media's David Mathison interviewed by Michael Ray Dresser

Be The Media compiler David Mathison was interviewed tonight by Michael Ray Dresser of Dresser After Dark, "the place for authors and experts to spread their word."

We discussed the negative impact of media ownership consolidation on content creation and distribution, as well as the new technologies and methods of grassroots, do-it-yourself publicity and marketing.


Michael: "The key is, I've been at this 27 years now. If I could have had this <Be The Media> early on, if I knew this information early on - things I had to learn the hard way - my goodness, how rapidly my career would have increased."

Listen as we discuss sustainable media, citizen journalism, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, community media, and all the ways of getting your message out to a niche or mass audience.

Listen to the 24-minute clip here

Tonight 8pm ET: sam Horn interviews David Mathison on "Social media strategies for BLOCKBUSTER sales!"

TONIGHT at 8pm ET (5pm PT), Sam Horn hosts a special tele-seminar with David Mathison, compiler of Be the Media.

Be The Media (available exclusively at http://www.BeTheMedia.com) teaches how entrepreneurs, speakers, authors, musicians, non-profit leaders, film-makers, people seeking venture capital - ANYONE with an idea, business, product or service -- can break it out via innovative, do-it-yourself marketing and strategic social media promotion - for a fraction of the price of a publicist or PR firm!

The call is hosted by Sam Horn, best-selling author of Tongue-Fu, and 16-time emcee of the prestigious Maui Writers conference.

Mathison will discuss the following, and more:

• The strategic (and fre*e!) use of social media to drive traffic and sales, such as blogs and RSS feeds, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, social news sites such as Digg and Reddit, and social bookmark services such as delicious. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook!
• How Mathison sold over 5,000 copies of his book in just 11 days to one new Twitter follower! See article in the Business section of the NY Times "Your Career: Developing Your Personal Brand"
• Learn how Mathison got Be The Media into the best Journalism, Media, and Communication schools throughout the country, such as Columbia University, the University of Missouri, Syracuse University, the University of Kansas, and the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University.

You don't want to miss this information-rich call! Due to overwhelming demand, yesterday Sam Horn had to upgrade her bridge line to accommodate everyone!

You'll need to register ASAP to secure your spot. We mean it - we are running out of lines.

Registration will be first-come, first-served, so be sure to do this right away:

1.  Email "info@samHorn" with "David Mathison interview" in the subject heading. We will email you the call-in information.

2. If you can't make the call but are interested in getting the MP3 or CD afterwards, please say "David Mathison CD-MP3" in the subject heading. NOTE: The live call is fre*e, but we will charge $19 for the CD/MP3 file.

For more info, contact Cheri at 1-800-SAM-3455 or Cheri@SamHorn.com.

David Mathison speaking at Hofstra University to School of Communication students on “Sustainable Journalism and the Media Revolution” on September 23 at 7 p.m. (Long Island, NY)

BE THE MEDIA author David Mathison will be speaking to Hofstra University students in the School of Communication’s NewsHub, a cutting edge converged newsroom and multimedia classroom in Dempster Hall.

Mathison will be speaking on “Sustainable Journalism and the Media Revolution” to complement the 70 copies of his book, Be The Media, that were delivered to communication students as part of a grant from the Harnisch Foundation.

Hofstra is the first school to receive books from this grant, with thousands of copies going out to the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University, the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard, and many others.

Mathison will review the challenges facing journalists, writers, authors, and other creatives (including filmmakers, musicians, bloggers, podcasters, etc), and explore the solutions revealed by the 50 media educators, experts, and activists who contributed chapters to this exhaustive 23 chapter, 536-page book.

Hofstra’s NewsHub was the focal point for live student coverage of the 3^rd Presidential Debate and the Presidential Election, making it the perfect platform for a discussion on sustainable media models. The goal of the grant is to empower young journalists with the tools to succeed in this new media environment.

The presentation begins at 7 p.m. in Dempster Hall, with coffee, cookies, and soda served beforehand. Signed copies of the book will be available to faculty and press. Please arrive early to take advantage of these opportunities.

The book is available exclusively online at Be The Media.

David Mathison speaking at Writer's Digest Conference: The Business of Getting Published (NYC)

Publishing is evolving at a remarkable pace. Today's successful authors make the most of new developments in technology and communication - and anticipate changes on the horizon.

At the Writer's Digest Conference, you'll learn to:
- Choose from a plethora of publishing options
- Ramp up your visibility with an author website
- Make a splash with a strong marketing platform
- Expand your reach via social networking
- Drive vigorous online book sales
- And much more!

David Mathison's Sessions

Saturday, September 19
7:00am-9:00am: Breakfast with the Stars
10:30am-12:pm: Click This! Build an Effective Author Website
2:30pm-4:00pm: Break Free of the Bookstore: Drive Your Online Book Sales

Sunday, September 20
7:00am-9:00am: Breakfast with the Stars

David Mathison will be speaking alongside April Hamilton, a driving force behind the indie author movement, and Chris Brogan, social media expert. This conference will take place at The New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York.

Be sure to register now!

 

David Mathison speaking to members of Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle (NY-NJ)

The Glazer-Kennedy Insider's Circle is for small business owners, entrepreneurs, executives, employees, and sales professionals who want to get more customers, generate more revenues, and share skills and experience. This Jersey City Chapter Meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 15 at the Jersey City Courtyard Marriott at 6:30pm.

NYC/NJ Social Media Cruise "Be The Media Book Signing"

The Cruise will take place from 7:15pm-9:00pm on Thursday August 27, 2009.
NYCNY Waterways Twilight Cruise - Pier 78
38th Street & 12th Ave at Hudson River Park, NYC

Tickets are $26 for Adults and $15 for Children ages 12 and under.

This business meeting hosted by Eva Abreu will include a book signing with Author David Mathison. Copies of his book Be The Media will be available but you must pre-register to reserve your advanced copy.

RSVP via Twitter or join the Facebook group

To learn more about the Cruise here

David Mathison to meet University of Missouri School of Journalism Faculty and Students at "Lunchstorm" (Columbia, MO)

On Wednesday August 26th from noon to 1pm in the Reynolds Journalism Institute Room 203A, Fellow Bill Densmore invites you to bring your brown bag lunch for this "Lunchstorm" chat with David Mathison, author of the book, "Be The Media."

As the result of a grant from the Harnish Foundation, faculty who would like to use Be the Media as a class resource can order sufficient copies for their classes for free.

David Mathison speaking at University of Missouri to School of Journalism students on "Journalism & Democracy" (Columbia, MO)

The University of Missouri (or "Mizzou”), is home to the world's first and now the largest school of journalism in 1908, founded by Walker Williams. According to their web site, “Today some of the best journalists in the world have learned their profession through the Missouri Method, which provides practical hands-on training in real-world news media and a strategic communication agency."

Mathison will be speaking to students in Jacqui Banaszynski’s "Journalism & Democracy" class, which is intended as a wrap-up for seniors graduating out of the print & digital (news-ed) sequence. It underscores all they've learned in their time at the J-school about principles, purposes, ethics, etc. Banaszynski holds the Knight Chair in Editing at the Missouri School of Journalism and is on the visiting faculty of The Poynter Institute.  She spent 18 years as a beat and enterprise reporter and she has worked as a reporter and editor for more than 30 years, most recently as Associate Managing Editor of The Seattle Times, where she was in charge of special projects and staff development.

Be The Media contributor Douglas Rushkoff on Colbert Report

Douglas Rushkoff, who wrote one of the Forewords to Be the Media, appeared recently on the Colbert Report promoting his new Book, Life, Inc.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Douglas Rushkoff
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Meryl Streep

"Reinventing Journalism and Yourself: One Tweet, One Friend at a Time" Conference, August 4, 2009

BE THE MEDIA's David Mathison is hosting a table and participating in Reinventing Journalism and Yourself: One Tweet, One Friend at a Time.

The conference will be held at The Sheraton Boston Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts on August 4, 2009 from 4:00pm to 9:30pm.

We'll give Be the Media books to all 100 participants.

This conference is sponsored by Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University, Baruch College, and The Center for Sustainable Journalism at Kennesaw State College.

Read more about the conference here 

Learn how to create a Community Media Center

Marin gets voice on television as new chief of revamped center invites public, nonprofits to produce more local progamming

 by Jim Welte
"The center took over the community access channels from Comcast, which turned over operations to the Marin Telecommunications Agency, along with a one-time $3 million grant as part of Comcast's franchise extension.  The MTA allotted $2.5 million of that money for capital expenses, such as leasing its new space at 819 A Street in San Rafael and turning it into a modern video production facility.

Eisenmenger and his two full-time employees have compiled a wide array of video equipment, including 20 cameras and 12 Apple workstations for audio and video editing.  The renovation of the space is nearly complete, with work on its four-camera studio and control room the final hurdles."

Learn more on how to create a media center in Chapter 18 of BE THE MEDIA "How to Create a Community Media Center"

Find out more

How to Create a Community Media Center

Upfront: Lights...camera...public access!
Don't touch that dial—Marin is back on the airwaves...

by Peter Seidman
"When the Community Media Center of Marin threw the switch June 15 to launch programming on a newly invigorated Community Channel (Channel 26) and a brand new government channel (Channel 27), Marin entered a new media landscape.

The two channels are a key part of a 2006 franchise renewal agreement between the Marin Telecommunications Agency (MTA) and Comcast. It was a long slog from there to here."

The creation of this media center is covered in Chapter 18 of BE THE MEDIA "How to Create a Community Media Center"

Find out more!

Author of BE THE MEDIA, David Mathison speaks at the Publishers Association of Los Angeles on Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:00 p.m

David Mathison will be speaking at the Publishers Association of Los Angeles on Monday, June 15, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. on Social Media for Authors and Publishers. 

The meeting will take place at the Felicia Mahood Senior Center in West L.A.

It is $5.00 for PALA members and $15.00 for non-members.  If you have any questions or are looking for more information you can contact Sharon Goldinger at pplspeak@att.net or visit the PALA website.

May 26-28, 2009: PMA's Publishing University: The Future of Publishing: How to Thrive in a Digital World. David Mathison presenting ADVANCED TRACK class on Web 2.0; featured in ASK THE EXPERTS sections (New York City, NY)

Founded in 1983, The Independent Book Publishers Association (formerly PMA) is a trade association of more than 4,000 independent publishers that serves book, audio, and video publishers in the US and abroad through cooperative marketing programs, education, and advocacy.

Publishing University, sponsored by PMA, is the most comprehensive and respected educational program in the publishing industry. Publishing University features three days of programming with four keynote speakers, early bird sessions, the Benjamin Franklin Awards Ceremony, and 85 courses in eight tracks:

● Internet
● Marketing
● Sales
● Basic Publicity
● Advanced Publicity
● Editorial and Production
● General Publishing, Legal and Finance
● Advanced Track (See Advanced Track attendee pre-requisites, below)

2009 Publishing University: May 26-28 at the Roosevelt Hotel, 45 East 45th Street New York. Register now.  

Wednesday, May 27 7:00-8:15am: ASK THE EXPERTS

ASK THE EXPERTS, featuring David Mathison
Back by popular demand! Last year, attendees who were able to brave the early hours received thousands of dollars of FREE consulting advice. Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet with speakers and industry veterans for brief, one-on-one, private consultations on a wide range of publishing topics. They can review your publishing direction, book jackets, marketing plans, or anything else on which you’d like feedback. Bring your materials and bring your questions. You will have the opportunity to meet with several experts while enjoying coffee and a continental breakfast.

Wednesday, May 27 (10:30-12pm): David Mathison will present a class on Web 2.0 tools for authors and publishers with publicist and journalist Nettie Hartsock of Hartsock Communications:

Web 2.0 and Social-Media Tools and Techniques: What You Need to Know About Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Social-Media Releases, Blogs, and Microblogging
If you’re ready to boost your social-media savvy but aren’t sure which tools will work most powerfully, you’ll enjoy this class. We will focus on blogging and Web 2.0 social-media tips, tools, and traps; Facebook; and LinkedIn. We’ll also review the advantages of MySpace; why AmazonConnect may be your book’s best friend; and new free tools for optimizing your Web site and press releases. We’ll devote time to what social media can and cannot do for you and take a hard look at the top ten tips for reaching out to bloggers. Microblogging (e.g., Twitter) is rapidly becoming the next cool tool, and you’ll want to find out more. Don’t miss this advanced opportunity to learn how to use and apply the strategies of Web 2.0 communications in your business.

Thursday, May 28 (2-3:30pm): David Mathison will present a class on using advanced social-media tools for authors and publishers with publicist and journalist Nettie Hartsock of Hartsock Communications:

Using Advanced Social-Media Tools for Book Web 2.0 Exposure
You’ve heard about book authors setting up Facebook pages. You’ve watched how quickly blogs can spread a powerful viral message. This hands-on class will give you a step-by-step practical guide to understanding and using various online social-networking tools, channels, and sites for book-publicity purposes. We’ll show you how to avoid common pitfalls. Hear about building blogs, microblogs (Twitter), podcasts, media sharing (Flickr, YouTube), social reference (Wikipedia), social news (digg), social bookmarking (del.icio.us), and even virtual worlds (SecondLife). We’ll also address the new Social Media press release for building online buzz for a book launch. Attendees will leave with a small e-book titled “Get Your Social Media On”—filled with takeaways, action items, two case studies, and a how-to template.

Thursday, May 28 7-8:15am: ASK THE EXPERTS

ASK THE EXPERTS, featuring David Mathison
Back by popular demand! Last year, attendees who were able to brave the early hours received thousands of dollars of FREE consulting advice. Don’t miss this special opportunity to meet with speakers and industry veterans for brief, one-on-one, private consultations on a wide range of publishing topics. They can review your publishing direction, book jackets, marketing plans, or anything else on which you’d like feedback. Bring your materials and bring your questions. You will have the opportunity to meet with several experts while enjoying coffee and a continental breakfast.

May 28-May 31 2009: David Mathison autographing; BE THE MEDIA exhibiting at Book Expo America (New York City, NY)

Last year, BEA had over 37,000 registered attendees and approximately 1,000 media representatives, including all major national news outlets.

Here's how you can "BEA" THE MEDIA:

Booth 4447: We are in booth 4447. You can purchase the book online or on-site.

New Title Showcase: BE THE MEDIA galleys will also be available for review in the New Title showcase.

Free autographed copies: David Mathison will autograph a limited number of free BE THE MEDIA copies on Saturday, May 30 from 3:30-4:30pm at Table 24

NOTE: Joining Mathison in this autograph session will be:

● Table 14: Kathie Lee Gifford: Signing Just When I Thought I Dropped My Last Egg
● Table 15: MJ Rose: Autographing The Memorist
● Table 24: David Mathison: Autographing BE THE MEDIA
● Table 29: Tom Wilson: Autographing Ziggy Hot Off The Presses
● Table 30: Lynn Johnson: Just A Simple Wedding: A For Better or For Worse Collection

This 3:30-4:30 pm Saturday autograph time slot is celebrity-packed. Free copies will be autographed on a first come, first served basis - so be sure to get there early.

Krishna De interviews Be The Media author David Mathison Weds April 29 at 3pm EDT

In today's changing landscape of the traditional media, what opportunities does that present us as business leaders and entrepreneurs if we want to build visibility and our reputation?

Join award-winning branding expert Krishna De and media consultant and author David Mathison as we share tips and strategies about how to connect to your audience directly.


You will find David's new new book, BE THE MEDIA, here.

Connect with David on Twitter. and Krishna on Twitter.

Join the conversation today here, or click on the play button below to listen at your leisure:

David Mathison of Be The Media to make an appearance at the Marin Peace and Justice Coalition's Web 2.0 Potluck on April 27

David Mathison will be making an appearance at the Marin Peace and Justice Coalition's "Fourth Monday Web 2.0 Potluck" on April 27 in San Rafael, CA, to discuss using social media for exposure and advocacy.

The Potluck will focus on how organizations and communities can use social media to spread their message.

Mathison will explain how he successfuly used social media tools such as Twitter and Facebook for networking and promotion. His new book Be The Media focuses on participatory, community-driven media in the Web 2.0 age.

Join Mathison and MPJC Monday night if you want to learn why everyone who has a message now has a platform to share it!

The Potluck will be held at the First United Methodist Church, 9 Ross Valley Drive, San Rafael

David Mathison of Be The Media speaks at "Re-Inventing the World & Facing Global Crisis" conference at SF State University on April 25

Join author David Mathison in a discussion about the changing face of new media and its effect on our culture and society.

On Saturday, April 25, San Francisco State University will be hosting the “Re-Inventing the World & Facing Global Crisis” conference on the complex issues facing our world and how to solve them.

Everyone is welcome to join and invite others to this open space event and even to facilitate the discussion:

"Open Space is a social organizing tool that catalyzes transformative education and supports a community finding itself, helping the energy and wisdom of a group emerge. Participants gather around a topic and create breakout sessions about whatever they personally love, or feel most urgently about."

In his new book, Be The Media, Mathison explains how individuals and communities can partake in the digital revolution for a more open, democratic, and participatory media.

The conference will be in the SF State Student Center – Jack Adam’s Hall. Check in is at 9:00 – 9:30 am and the event will take place 9:30 – 4:00.

Sharon Capehart interviews Be The Media author David Mathison April 23 at 2pm EDT

Listen in today as Sharon Capehart interviews Be The Media author David Mathison about his new book, BE THE MEDIA.

Sharon Capehart, Empress of Empowerment, is an Author, Coach, Speaker and Entrepreneur.

Sharon makes it her mission to “wake up” women everywhere to the incredible potential they have long forgotten they possess.

Sharon is the author of “The Power 2 Be You!,” creator of “A Woman’s Path to Success” as well publisher of the FREE Power Up! ezine.

Sharon’s breakthrough “Path To Success” series helps women build a solid foundation for success. For more information please visit www.positivelywomen.com

David Mathison is a media consultant, speaker, entrepreneur, and publisher of a brand new book: BE THE MEDIA.

This book has something for everyone: From the 21 million self-employed people to small business owners, authors to filmmakers, rock bands to bloggers, talk show hosts to podcasters, you’ll find everything you need to go from concept to consumer, from inspiration to inbox with your message or products.

Be The Media unveils the latest and greatest ways to market and sell your books, music, films, information products and services.

Buy Be The Media now, and get access to their Blockbuster Media Success package - over $10,000 worth of free gifts from over 100 media experts.

You can listen to the interview by clicking the play button below:

Jay Aaron hosts David Mathison on Twitternar Tuesdays on April 14, 2009 at 9 p.m. Eastern

I will be teaching you how to use social media to increase your audience, serve more people, make more profits.

TONIGHT! Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

 
David Mathison

Social Media Sells Books, Products: Publicity hound Joan Stewart interviews BE THE MEDIA's David Mathison on Wednesday April 8 from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time

Puzzled about the return on investment you'll get by participating in social media?

David Mathison, an unknown author, has one success story after another to share about what has happened to him as a result of joining the conversation at sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

While writing his book "Be the Media: How to Create and Accelerate Your Message...Your Way," he spent time on those sites and others.

As a result:

• He pre-sold 5,004 books in just 11 days through one Twitter connection.
• He used Twitter to get invited to a prestigious university symposium--and was invited back a second time.
• He collected thousands of email addresses and now markets to those people.
• He used Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to create an unbeatable, lead-qualifying machine.
• He made friends with more than 3,500 Facebook users and enlisted them to help sell his book.

Not bad, and that's just for starters. David will join me for a complimentary teleseminar from 3 to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 8, and explain how to use social media to create a huge following and sell more books, products or services.

Only 200 people will be able to participate.

Register here

David Mathison of Be the Media is interviewed by Sandra Lee Schubert of Wild Woman Network Radio on April 7 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time

Do artists really have to sell their royalties, rights, and souls to hit the big time? David Mathison's new book, Be the Media, shows artists, step by step, how to leverage technology to get their art to the masses and promote it widely.

The interview will be broadcast on April 7, 2009 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, or you can listen right here by clicking the play button below.

Author David Mathison talks about Be The Media with Jared James on April 3 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time

Listen to Jared James interview David Mathison, author of Be The Media.

In this interview, we talk about how you can take your talents and passions and turn that into a profitable, independent business.

This interview also covers licensing in detail for graphic artists, authors, musicians, and cartoonists.

The interview will be broadcast on April 3, 2009 at 4 p.m. Eastern Time, or you can listen right here by clicking the play button below.

BE THE MEDIA Virtual Book Tour with David Mathison, hosted by Alex Mandossian

Listen in as Alex Mandossian interviews author David Mathison about his new book, BE THE MEDIA.

The free replay for this VIRTUAL book tour can be found here.

We discuss everything you need to know about BE THE MEDIA:

The 500+ page book shows the latest and greatest ways to market and sell your books, music, films, information products and services.

In one single volume, BE THE MEDIA includes 23 chapters on all conceivable media fields.

Every aspect of media is covered, with details, resources, and suggestions you simply won’t find anywhere else.

This book has something for everyone: From the 1.2 million self-employed people to small business owners, from authors to filmmakers, rock bands to bloggers, talk show hosts to podcasters.

You’ll find everything you need to go from concept to consumer, from inspiration to inbox with your message or products.

In other words, it’s a terrific handbook for promoting your business, your cause, or your products with the same level of professionalism a publicist might employ.

Buy BE THE MEDIA Below:

Twitter Secrets with Robert Scoble, David Mathison, Joel Comm, Peter Shankman, Warren Whitlock, Doug MacMillan and others on March 31 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time

Are you on Twitter yet? People in the know say you should be! The possibilities are amazing! Join the throngs of tweeters.

This show is for fellow journalists, authors, thought leaders, business people, busy moms, health counselors, nutrition-conscious M.D.s, etc. - in short, just about anybody!

No matter what your focus, job or mindset, Twitter can be useful for you. To bring you up to speed - especially journalists and authors, moms and business people.

I'm interviewing hot gurus in the know. You'll get help from:

• Joel Comm: Editor of the new book, Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet At a Time
• Robert Scoble: Technology enthusiast
• Peter Shankman: Head of The Geek Factory, author and founder of Help A Reporter
  
• Warren Whitlock: Marketing whiz for authors and co-author of Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business and Market Online
• Doug MacMillan: Technology reporter for BusinessWeek.com
• David Mathison: Author of Be the Media
• Julio Ojeda-Zapata: Technology writer & columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and author of Twitter Means Business
• Bryan Brinkman: Whose Twitter following skyrocketed after a brief appearance on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

For more info, visit the companion blog. Send us your questions. What would you like to know? And which tweeter with a huge following would you like to hear? Send questions ahead of time by posting comments on www.GabWithTheGurusBlog.com 

The interview will be broadcast on March 31, 2009 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, or you can listen right here by clicking the play button below.

Rebooting the American Dream (Part One of Five)

This is an excerpt of the Introduction to Part One of BE THE MEDIA by David Mathison. Since this is long, we will be posting this in five parts.    If you like you can download a free version of the full introduction at www.bethemedia.com

BE THE MEDIA: Introduction to Part One: Rebooting the American Dream
by David Mathison
(PART ONE OF FIVE)

“What this is really about is the American dream.” Simon Cowell, American Idol

If you have any message at all, in any form, that you want to convey to the world, you now have a platform to do so. If you have something to say, or sing, or film, or write about, you have direct access to anyone who wants to hear, listen to, watch, or read it.

“You” means not only “you” the writer, musician, filmmaker, journalist, blogger, podcaster, or talk show host, but you the activist, publicist, religious leader, cartoonist, businessperson, politician, or virtually anyone else.  

Your fans and supporters are never more than a click or two away, and they're ready to help you make history—or change it.

Be the Media tells you—in detail—how to reach these fans. You’ll not only find everything you need to spread your message, but you’ll be able to do so without traditional publishers, music labels, broadcast networks, commercial film studios, and similar behemoths.

Our main message? You can do it. And you can do it by yourself, with a little help from your friends. Consider this book one of them.

The American Dream, or…Dream On?

The American dream—the belief that with talent, hard work, persistence, and perhaps a bit of luck, anyone can be successful—appears to be increasingly out of reach.

The gap between rich and poor Americans is wider than it has been since the Great Depression. The top 1 percent of Americans earns more income than the bottom 50 percent. The top 1 percent owns more wealth than the bottom 90 percent.

Millions of Americans are working without a living wage or adequate health care. Their homes, pensions, and savings—all components of a traditional version of the American dream—are at risk under a trickle-down mentality that favors and rewards the wealthy few over the hardworking masses.

And what if the all-American dreamer happens to be an artist of any medium? Fat chance at quitting your day job, right? Or so it may have seemed lately. But take courage and read on.

These days, getting a deal from a major music label, book publisher, broadcast network, or movie studio lies far out of reach for more and more people. The major players in the entertainment industry mostly want bands that can move hundreds of thousands of CDs, authors who can sell tens of thousands of books, and filmmakers who can generate a hundred million dollars in ticket sales at the box office on opening night, plus DVDs later at retail and rental.

They want artists who can be promoted with minimal development costs, a built-in audience hungry to buy whatever is offered, and an extensive platform—a roster of appearances on the Today Show, Oprah, and Dr. Phil, not to mention keynote speaking engagements, a newsletter, a popular web site, and a well-read blog.

In other words, the biggies mostly want you only after you too have become a biggie in your own right.

Those “lucky” few who do secure a contract from a major player typically are not so lucky, after all. They are “rewarded” by giving up their rights, forking over most of the royalties, and ceding control over the marketing, publicity, and distribution of their creations, or even their very identity. Nor do they receive much money for advances, promotion, touring, and support.

So much for luck.

“American Idol”…the Small Print

A classic example of this expropriated version of the American dream is none other than the hugely popular show American Idol. Many consider winning Idol the ultimate sign of success. The show introduces the winner to an enormous audience of adoring fans, accompanied by international press coverage, an extensive distribution network, substantial revenues, and the freedom to create more products.

But in Slaves of Celebrity, journalist Eric Olsen argues that the Idol version of the American dream is an illusion:

“At first glance, [Idol winner] Kelly Clarkson would seem to have it made. But… Clarkson and the other finalists signed an unusually onerous contract with ‘19 Group,’ headed by British pop entrepreneur Simon Fuller. These young performers are wrapped up for recording, management and merchandising under the most restrictive terms imaginable: Their careers are literally not their own.” [emphasis added]

The one-sided terms in the contract from the first season revealed that Fuller and his company own the names, likenesses, and voices of Idol finalists, forever, anywhere in the cosmos:

“…I hereby grant to Producer the unconditional right throughout the universe in perpetuity to use, simulate or portray…my name, likeness,…voice, personality, personal identification or personal experiences, my life story, biographical data, incidents, situations, and events. I may reveal and/or relate…information about me of a personal, private, intimate, surprising, defamatory, disparaging, embarrassing or unfavorable nature, that may be factual and/or fictional.”

American Idol is the fulfillment of a distorted version of the American dream—a dream, that is, for the rich Australian-born Rupert Murdoch, head of Fox and News Corp, the rich Briton Simon Fuller, and the rich Briton Simon Cowell, who recently signed a five-year contract worth $50 million—every year.

Idol is also fulfilling a dream for Fremantle Media, the company that produces the show. In 2007 alone, it earned $1.8 billion in revenues and $200 million in profit. 

In an article titled "Idol Winners Aren't Singing All the Way to the Bank," Cox News Service's Rodney Ho wrote, "American Idol is a monstrous moneymaker- for creater Simon Fuller, for the judges, for Fox. Except, perhaps, for the once-unknown singers" [emphasis added]

And, perhaps, except for the show’s writers and producers. Employees of Fremantle Media filed more than $250,000 in claims with the California Labor Commission, which cited the company for wage and hour violations. Employees work 15–20 hour days with “mandatory 6-day workweeks, no benefits, no health insurance, or pension contribution.”

The Writers Guild of America noted that writers “do not deserve to be cheated, abused and exploited…so that a few executives can rake in massive amounts of profits.”

Such people and companies are not—mostly—playing illegally, just extremely well. If Simon Fuller, Simon Cowell, and Rupert Murdoch were to retire tomorrow, someone else would surely take their place. It’s not the individuals or the corporations that are to blame; rather, it’s the incentive and reward structure of the major label, publisher, and studio system that needs to change. 

And it is changing, thanks to the technological revolution, as well as to artists and transformed consumers, like us.

Meanwhile, the majors who rule this system and love their money-making stars have an unspoken message for independent musicians, writers, and filmmakers, not to mention new media creative people. It is this: “You’re on your own.”

This leads us back to our major message: “Congratulations!” So you don’t have a publisher wooing you, a record company knocking on your door,

Hollywood begging to option your film. You may be much better off. If you are careful—that is, if you follow our advice—you’ll maintain control over your content and keep most of the proceeds.

You will, however, need to do a great deal of work.

The good news? You are not alone. Keep reading. We’ll tell you how to work the new (and ever-evolving) innovations, and be your own media. 

Stay tuned for the second excerpt, or
Download free PDF of Intro to Part One

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Rebooting the American Dream (Part Two of Five)

This is an excerpt of the Introduction to Part One of BE THE MEDIA by David Mathison. Since this is long, we will be posting this in five parts.    If you like you can download a free version of the full introduction at www.bethemedia.com

BE THE MEDIA: Introduction to Part One: Rebooting the American Dream
by David Mathison
(PART TWO OF FIVE)

Let’s face it. The past systems mostly sucked. 

Before 2000, artists, media company executives, and consumers all had limited choices. The functions of recording, publishing, and distribution were controlled by media conglomerates that had vast resources to take the risks involved in creating, marketing, and selling potential blockbusters. They owned the plants that printed the books, pressed the albums, and processed and distributed the films. 

There were few other ways that creative artists could get their songs heard or their books published, and there were limited opportunities for them to develop a direct relationship with fans. With everybody competing for the elusive major deal, supplicants had no choice but to accept egregious contract terms.

High-quality, low-cost digital tools, along with the power and scope of the Internet, have changed everything.

Now anyone—this means you!—can have a global sales, marketing, distribution, and fulfillment infrastructure that rivals that of the majors. Furthermore, this digital media renaissance has made possible a flowering of creativity. 

Smart artists today don’t chase publishers, labels, studios, and distributors. Like their progenitors in the punk movement in the 1970s, the cassette-culture boom of the ’80s, and hip-hop entrepreneurs in the ’90s, these new DIYers take their career into their own hands and forge direct relationships with their audience. They are not relying on a lucky break, becoming the next American Idol, or garnering an appearance on Oprah. They are building their own future themselves.

Before, the options were either stardom…or anonymity.

Today, there is a middle way, proposed by media futurists such as Brian Austin Whitney, Kevin Kelly, Jenny Toomey, Barry Bergman, Gerd Leonhard, Peter Broderick, and Janet Switzer. 

In 2004, Brian Austin Whitney wrote, “I think a new definition of success will be the artist who has 5000 passionate fans who spend $20–$30 a year on [the artist’s] creative output.” That adds up to $100,000 per year, or more: enough to quit your day job, have health insurance, and own a car. 

In 2008, Kevin Kelly amplified this with his viral article 1,000 True Fans (see BE THE MEIDA Foreword). True fans, he wrote, are people who will purchase everything you produce. “You don’t need a million fans to justify producing something new. A mere one thousand is sufficient. You don’t need a hit to survive. You make a living instead of a fortune.”

The very technology that enables this flowering of creativity, however, simultaneously holds the biggest challenge. How does an artist attract enough fans and create enough products to earn a respectable living, such as $100,000 a year? 

With the help of fans like us. 

In the past, conglomerates were enriched at the expense of consumers—yes, us—who unwittingly enabled and perpetuated a system rife with short-term greed, questionable accounting, and unequal rewards. The majority of revenues from our purchase of that $20 CD or book went to support executives, lawyers, accountants, distributors, retailers, and promoters—everyone but the artist.  

It was not, and still is not, uncommon for even famous, talented artists to go without health care or a pension plan for a secure and dignified retirement, because at a young age they were exploited by abusive, one-sided American Idol–style contracts…and ended up with pennies on the dollar. 

Many consumers simply did not, and do not, realize that buying through a reseller (such as Wal-Mart or Amazon) gives 50 to 60 percent of the revenue to that reseller, instead of to the creator of the work.

So, what’s different now?  Today, you can rescue your favorite artists from the captive economics of the past. You can reward them directly by buying from their websites, blogs, or widgets. 

Peter Broderick refers to this as moving from “consumers of a product to patrons of an artist.” Direct patronage ensures that your favorite artists have sufficient resources to create more products for your enjoyment. What could be more satisfying than that?  

Today, fans or patrons—that’s us again—act as publicists, distributors, affiliates, and even salespeople. Fans forward e-mails and links to friends and family of their favorite blog posts, books, music, and videos; they share music playlists at iTunes, eMusic, Internet radio stations, and music blogs; book selections at Amazon; photos on Flickr; favorite songs and films on social networks like MySpace and Facebook.

Fans—not corporate executives or focus groups backed by multimillion-dollar promotional campaigns—pick the hits. A fan’s reward is not money, but the satisfaction of turning friends on to the hot new band, book, blog post, or film. (See BE THE MEDIA Chapters 4 and 15, music and social networks.)

Of course, today’s technology also makes it easy to copy a CD or song and share it, but that’s stealing, after all, and it means none of the revenue goes to the artist we love.

In other words, when eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.

Rebooting the American Dream

It’s indisputable. Over the past few decades, the American dream has been hijacked little by little and more and more by winner-take-all pirates and their intermediaries, who turned it into a nightmare of a system that benefitted only them and a few chosen “winners.”

The effect of this cultural hijacking, on most entrepreneurs, artists, and society itself, has been unfair, unequal, exploitative, and—let’s face it—in the products it presents to audiences, often boring.  

Then, just when it looked like most creative people might as well let their dream die, rescue arrived in the form of a technological and populist revolution. 

This ongoing revolution—some, like our contributing author Douglas Rushkoff, consider it a renaissance—is right now rebooting the American dream. It is giving it new life. It is bringing back the traditional all-American dream, one that is fair and just and that provides equality and opportunity to any and all dreamers, not merely corporate executives.

Together we can wrest the dream back and not only reboot it, but also upgrade it, so that the rightful owners—the artists and their fans—can use it democratically and benefit equally from it. 

After all, every one of us dreams.

But how does a dream become reality? As the following chapters in Be the Media will make clear, in as few or as many details as you want, there are three basic steps:

1. Cultivate a Core Audience: Create a direct relationship with your fans, thus cutting out the intermediaries. This enhances the bond between you and the fans, while also increasing both opportunities and profits.

2. Own Your Rights: Control your material so that you have the freedom to create new products and to “repurpose” existing products differently. Artists should avoid exploitative agreements that take all rights exclusively and in perpetuity (which are truly a pact with the devil.)

3. Repurpose Your Work: Because you own the rights, you can constantly reconfigure your material and expertise into a range of progressively higher-value products and personalized experiences for your fans or your clientele.

Stay tuned for the third excerpt, or
Download free PDF of Intro to Part One

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Rebooting the American Dream (Part Three of Five)

This is an excerpt of the Introduction to Part One of BE THE MEDIA by David Mathison. Since this is long, we will be posting this in five parts.    If you like you can download a free version of the full introduction at www.bethemedia.com

BE THE MEDIA: Introduction to Part One: Rebooting the American Dream
by David Mathison
(PART THREE OF FIVE)

A Repurpose-Driven Life

Meet a leading light of repurposing, particularly in the field of publishing: Janet Switzer, the marketing guru behind some of the more successful publishing empires on the planet. She created no fewer than 327 new products for Jay Abraham, who had just a few products and a handful of special reports when they met.

With Jack Canfield, she cowrote The Success Principles, which hit the best-seller lists of the New York Times and USA Today. She helped build the megaempire for Mark Victor Hansen’s Chicken Soup for the Soul, which has spawned numerous offshoots.

Switzer has since published the Instant Income series and Publishing Mavericks: How Experts Build Empires, which teach people to package their expertise into new products and services at higher prices.

The visualization of this model is the Product Pricing Curve, which can be used by virtually anyone with something to, well, emote.

According to Switzer,

“As the sophistication of your buyer increases on the left (from book buyers up to corporations), the products they will buy also get more elaborate along the bottom (from digital ezines to corporate contracts).”

 

Product Pricing Curve and Author Publishing Model © 2006 Janet Switzer.
All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Where Are You on the Product Pricing Curve?

Most artists are in the lower left corner of the Curve—blithely giving away digital samples and offering a single product: a $20 book, or CD, or DVD. Once the patron makes a purchase, even directly from you, the artist, there is nothing else to buy.

Offering more products enables you to increase the potential lifetime value of each customer, which is worth vastly more than, say, a $20 book that will be read once.

Why is this important? As Switzer says,

“Your book may never lead to a viable business model. Books are the lowest profit margined item in an information empire.”

The same can be said for sales of one-off songs, CDs, and DVDs. 

Kevin Kelly agrees. Because multiple copies of anything have little or no value and are no longer the basis of wealth, he argues,

“The key is to offer valuable intangibles that can not be reproduced at zero cost, and will thus be paid for. Such intangibles might include accessibility to the artist; authenticity; immediacy and priority access; patronage; curation; personalized products and experiences; support and guidance.”

Think of the businesspeople, politicians, and journalists who get big money to consult or give keynote speeches; they know their way up the Curve.

We all learn and experience things in different ways. Therefore, offering a variety of audio, video, print products, and live events will satisfy the unique needs of a larger audience, expand your opportunities and distribution outlets, and increase the likelihood of making sales that continue into your rosy future. 

Media conglomerates know this well. They create multiple streams of income by selling products in various formats—print, audio, video, and digital products—as well as experiences such as conferences, concerts, and workshops.

Why should conglomerates do all the conglomerating?

By packaging your expertise into various media properties, you too can create multiple streams of income.

Let’s summarize three scenarios for three different creative arenas.

Example 1: Authors, Writers, and Internet Entrepreneurs

Experts at all levels—no matter whether they are just beginning their career, or already have a big following—can modify and leverage Switzer’s Product Pricing Curve.

“Ezine Queen” Alexandria Brown went from struggling author “in tons of debt” (her own words) to a successful entrepreneur in just a few years. After having only one product to offer for two years, she packaged her expertise into information products and services, and now earns an average of $100,000—each month!

Robert Kiyosaki, the ultrawealthy author of the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series (see BE THE MEDIA Chapter 2, books) is another person who has climbed the Curve.

Look closely at the chart and see where it starts. On the bottom-left, the focus should be on low-cost ways to get prospects into the marketing “funnel.” In exchange for a prospect’s e-mail address (which is crucial for building your “true patron” database), offer digital downloads that have no costs for shipping and handling, storage, fulfillment, or returns.

For example, by giving away her free digital ezine, Brown grew her list to over thirty thousand subscribers. Other giveaways could include a special report, an MP3 file, a video trailer, or a digital course via autoresponder.

You can also generate leads inexpensively by blogging, podcasting, optimizing search engines, and linking to affiliate programs. (See BE THE MEDIA Chapters 1, 5, and 9.)

As you move up and to the right on the Curve, you offer higher-value products such as your book, CD, or DVD for $30, or you provide a $40 teleseminar or audio book.

Based on her subscriber’s interests, Ali Brown created new products to satisfy their varying requests—a $19 book called Power and Soul and a six-CD audio series for $297 called Think to Grow Rich.

It’s easy to generate audio products by recording your concerts, lectures, training sessions, workshops, speaking engagements, seminars, phone calls, and radio interviews.

In the $497–$997 range, Brown offers a variety of full multimedia systems, which consist of print manuals, audio CDs, and video.

Multimedia products improve the perceived value of a business and increase the likelihood of selling work through catalog companies such as Nightingale Conant.

Kiyosaki augments his sales of print, audio, and video products with interactive software at $29.95, his $195 board game Cashflow, and annual subscriptions to his online community at $99.70 per year.

For those who prefer live training, Brown offers a three-day event for $3,995 called the Online Success Blueprint Workshop, as well as a $1,497 Home Study set, a recorded version of the Online Workshop on twenty-one CDs.

At an average royalty of $1 per book sold, an author would need to sell fifteen hundred books to equal the income from just one sale of this CD audio series.

The most expensive offerings are personalized programs that provide greater access to the artist.

Brown’s Silver MasterMind has one hundred eighty superpatrons paying $560 per year (over $100,000) for monthly phone calls with her for ongoing advice.

In 2006 she released a Platinum MasterMind inner-circle program, with just fifteen superpatrons paying $19,000 each ($280,000 per year). Members meet three times a year at luxury hotels.

It’s easier to manage fifteen superpatrons paying $20,000 a year (or a hundred and eighty paying $560 per year) than three thousand patrons paying only $100.

But these are not mutually exclusive.

There is no reason you can’t have them all.

And this is exactly how Ali Brown works the Curve to earn over $100,000—every month.

Why, you ask, would someone pay $20,000 for VIP consulting?

Simple.

It may be a wise investment.

Say that you as an author use a traditional publisher and sell ten thousand books at $30 a book with a softcover royalty of 7.5 percent. Even if you earn the full percent royalty, which is most unlikely, you net only $22,500 of the $300,000 total revenue pool, some or all of which may be needed to pay back your advance.

By contrast, if you self-publish and sell ten thousand books at $30 per book, the entire $300,000 in revenue is yours, after covering costs.

From this $300,000 in revenues, subtract the $20,000 fee plus the $22,500 you would have earned under the traditional publishing model, and you are still $257,500 ahead of the game!

Engaging the right consultant may be well worth the investment. (See BE THE MEDIA Chapter 2, books.)

After all, as Janet Switzer says, “People buy results, not products.”

Stay tuned for the fourth excerpt, or
Download free PDF of Intro to Part One

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Rebooting the American Dream (Part Four of Five)

This is an excerpt of the Introduction to Part One of BE THE MEDIA by David Mathison. Since this is long, we will be posting this in five parts.    If you like you can download a free version of the full introduction at www.bethemedia.com

BE THE MEDIA: Introduction to Part One: Rebooting the American Dream
by David Mathison
(PART FOUR OF FIVE)

Example 2: Musicians

Like most authors, many musicians are stuck in the lower left corner of the Curve, giving away free digital song samples and selling CDs. But folks who buy CDs should not be their sole source of income.

To paraphrase musician Robert Rich, “An animal that relies solely upon the fruit of one tree to survive is following a recipe for extinction.”

If you’re a musician trying to build an audience of repeat buyers, in exchange for a prospect’s e-mail address (again, crucial for building a fan database) you can use free MP3 files as social discovery tools, or use digital artwork, posters, ringtones, or behind-the-scenes photos: whatever your imagination dreams up.

As leads enter the funnel, you can start selling direct from your website or blog.

For example, fans downloaded hundreds of thousands of free songs from musician Jonathan Coulton’s website. He then sold songs both directly from his site and indirectly through Apples iTunes, earning a “reasonable middle class living—between $3,000 and $5,000 a month.”

Selling this way lets you keep most of the income, amass the critical customer contact information, and also earn tip jar donations or advertising revenues from Google.

Further on up the Curve, offers could include digital songs for as little as $0.99, albums for $20. Physical goods could include branded merchandise such as T-shirts and other apparel for $30–$40.

Indirect sales can come through widgets, social networks, iTunes, eMusic, or affiliates. By using them, you’ll give up a percentage of revenues, true; but you’ll gain access to a wider potential audience, which is your long-term goal.

As you move to the right on the Curve, you’ll see the lucrative option to license to other artists or corporations.

Since you own the rights, you can also set the terms and conditions, and control all uses of your music. License it to TV shows, cell phones, ads, films, trailers, podcasts, retail, interactive applications, video games, ringtones, samples for other artists, and music libraries.

As ex–Talking Head frontman David Byrne wrote in Wired, “I make very little from actual record sales. I make probably the most from licensing stuff; not to commercials, I license to films and television shows.” (See Chapters 4 and 11 for more.)

Music fans will gladly pay extra bucks to get as up-close and personal with musicians as they can, at least in the experience of Maria Schneider, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, and the German rockers Einstuerzende Neubauten. Their fans buy such items as printed scores, VIP tickets, autographed posters, “Deluxe Limited Edition” CD and DVD sets, and access to live webcasts of the band rehearsing, recording, and in concert.

Patrons will also gladly pay for that scarce commodity—the ability to interact live with the artist. Once you're a semi-big deal, consider offering premium concert tickets, “meet and greet” sessions, and personal backstage tours.

Many musicians augment earnings by helping other artists in a variety of ways, both artistic and technical. Singer-songwriter Bonnie Hayes consults with songwriters; produces other artists; has written hit songs for Cher, Santana, and Bonnie Raitt; and is a director and instructor at the Blue Bear School of Music in San Francisco.

Another way to earn recurring revenue streams is to start a fan club. Nine Inch Nails members get priority entrance and/or seating at concerts. Aerosmith’s Aero Force One club offers a host of “flights,” from a free basic membership in exchange for a fan’s (all important) e-mail address; to a $29.99 Gold membership in exchange for an Aerosmith T-shirt, membership card, pin, and welcome letter; to a $59.99 Platinum membership that includes online video clips. Other perks could include decals, backstage passes, or preferred parking.

Today’s fans are even funding new albums. Getting a quality recording with top-flight engineers, producers, musicians, and studio time used to mean securing a decent advance and a label contract (which, as you know by now, meant losing rights to the songs). Not anymore.

Instead of going to a label, singer Jill Sobule created JillsNextRecord.com to solicit donations, ranging from $10 to $10,000, from her fans. She wrote, “It would be sort of a patronage thing, where you guys are the Medici family” (referring to the dynasty of zillionaires who supported artists during the Renaissance). Her site features free music downloads, a discussion board, and funny, engaging, and authentic blog posts. Her fans feel like they are interacting with the “real” Jill, and meanwhile she is securing their loyalty by keeping them interested.  

Here’s Jill’s bill of fare:

• “MicroPatrons” (mini-Medicis) who donate $10 get a free digital download of the album.
• For $100, they receive an advance copy of the CD and a T-shirt with Junior Executive Producer on it.
• $200 gets fans free admission to Jill’s shows for a year.
• $250 gives fans membership to her “Secret Society Producer’s Club,” a website where she posts rough tracks.
• For $500, she will mention the patron’s name at the end of the CD.
• “Macropatrons” shelling out $1,000 will have a theme song written for them by the grateful Jill.
• $2,500 will get them Executive Producer credit on the album.
• Jill will perform a personal house concert for $5,000
• People parting with $10,000 get to sing on her CD.

Brave Jill. Bravo, patrons!

Her goal was to raise $75,000 in online contributions; in two months, she raised $85,000. Furthermore, thanks to fan-financing, this is the first album that Jill fully owns and controls.

Example 3: Filmmakers

Any would-be filmmaker knows that creating a film of quality can be too expensive even to contemplate. And, as with music, filmgoers and film renters used to be consumers only: anonymous people who paid for their ticket with money that, for the most part, did not go to the filmmaker.

That reel has changed.

Today, because filmgoers and film viewers are both identifiable and reachable, filmmakers can go the extra step by establishing a direct connection with them and thereby solicit donations.

Director Robert Greenwald sold twenty-three thousand DVDs of his film Uncovered through affiliate websites in just two days, and ultimately sold more than 120,000 copies. Armed with e-mail addresses from many of these purchasers, he now has a large, appreciative audience that can—and sometimes does—fund new films with donations in exchange for production credits. For his documentary Iraq for Sale, Greenwald raised $385,000 in online contributions in only ten days.

Kevin Smith, who directed Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jersey Girl, also built a large fan base and has sold lots of merchandise from his website. If he makes a new film, he could easily generate enough sales on his website alone to cover a million-dollar budget.

You as a filmmaker could offer your supporters free video trailers. The e-mail addresses from that giveaway will help you build a mailing list of buyers who then might buy the $25 DVD direct from your website. Thus you reap as much as $20 in profit for each DVD. (According to Peter Broderick, a retail sale of the same DVD only nets $2.50 via a typical 20 percent royalty video deal.)

If you sell an educational copy from the website directly to a college for $250 (a typical price), you can net up to $240.

Higher-value items and “upsells” could include enhanced versions of the film, related products (books, posters, CDs), branded merchandise (apparel, and so on), soundtracks, limited editions, and previous work.

By owning and controlling your work, you also can create higher-value products by splitting up and selling various rights. That way, you can make separate or hybrid deals for theatrical distribution, nontheatrical, retail (Netflix, Amazon, and stores such as Blockbuster), home video, airlines, television, cable, advertising, educational, library, nonprofits, video-on-demand, digital (iTunes and others), and foreign sales. (See Chapters 7 and 8 for more.)

And the Curve Goes On…for Polticians, Activists….

As indicated earlier, the Product Pricing Curve model is not limited to artists, but works for anyone with a message and some marketing savvy. A stunning example is that of the Barack Obama 2008 presidential campaign.

• Senator Obama had almost two thousand free videos available on his site and on YouTube (viewed 110 million times), helping him to attract an audience to his message of change.
  
• He built an email list of 11 million names.
  
• Over a million people signed up on his website to work on his campaign.
  
• They held more than eighty thousand offline events, where they were given free buttons, decals, T-shirts, and bumper stickers to help market their main man.
  
• Then there were donations. Obama raised over $200 million from more than 1.5 million “micropatrons” who gave an average of $197 each.

As in any field, superpatrons are willing to give more to get more—in this case, a personal audience with the hot presidential candidate. Obama’s higher-value offerings included backstage access to his speaking events, phone calls from him or his staff, autographed photos and copies of his book, a trip to the national convention, and VIP fund-raisers.

In September 2008, he raised more than $9 million from superdonors willing to spend $28,500 each to spend an evening with the candidate at a California event.

In October, twenty-five hundred people paid between $500 and $10,000 to attend a benefit concert in New York City featuring celebrity musicians Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen.

Stay tuned for the fifth and final excerpt, or
Download free PDF of Intro to Part One

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Rebooting the American Dream (Part Five of Five)

This is an excerpt of the Introduction to Part One of BE THE MEDIA by David Mathison. Since this is long, we will be posting this in five parts.    If you like you can download a free version of the full introduction at www.bethemedia.com

BE THE MEDIA: Introduction to Part One: Rebooting the American Dream
by David Mathison
(PART FIVE OF FIVE)

The Outsource Option; or, Read This Before Groaning

Obviously, not everyone possesses the skills, inclination, or patience to find and nurture patrons. Promotion can be a full-time job, and a wearying one. Most artists, in particular, just want to create art. Fortunately, an “artist services model” is emerging so artists can outsource the nonart activities, such as distribution, advertising, publicity, marketing, and booking. For instance, when consultant Peter Broderick helps filmmakers sell DVDs directly from their websites, the filmmakers earn up to nine times the profit per sale as compared to retail.

In other words, as you’ll see in the outsourcing sections of the chapters on books (Chapter 2), music (Chapter 4), film (Chapter 8), and the Internet (Chapter 9), you are not alone. We’re all in this together. Help is at hand and, in fact, in hand since you have this book to guide you.

Fair and Balanced

The Idol version of the American Dream—the distorted, “winner-takes-all” model—is the ultimate version of an unfair system that continues to dominate the entertainment industry, as well as other areas of American life. The system relies on remote others’ ownership and control of the creative output of some of our nation’s most talented and beloved artists, as well as an upward redistribution of capital from hardworking consumers to a handful of already wealthy executives and corporations, which neither deserve it nor need it.

As Be the Media will point out in the following chapters, however, the hijacked American Dream, which too often lately has resembled a nightmare, is in the process of being rescued. The new, emerging model gives many, many artists and others the resources, freedom, and opportunity to succeed. Thanks to the participation and direct support of millions of people like you, unprecedented opportunities enable artists to control their own destiny.

The hope and promise of rebooting the American dream is to create a sustainable system that is more fair, balanced, and egalitarian; one that works for the people—from the bottom up—instead of enabling a few squillionaires to control the media (and the message) from the top down.

True, there are challenges and risks, and no guarantees of success. We face uncertain times in both the entertainment industry and the economy in general, making it even more critical for independents to repurpose their offerings to create multiple streams of income from diversified sources. Likewise, patrons should realize who benefits from every dollar they spend. Instead of supporting corporations and executives, a fan’s hard-earned money should directly reward their favorite artists, so that those artists can keep a higher percentage of the revenues to grow, thrive, and prosper – and create more great products.

Our commitment is to stay on top of the changes and keep this book and website updated to help you, perhaps sooner than later, live your version of the classic American Dream—that is, to put in an honest day’s work on your art or passion, earn a living wage from it, have adequate health care, provide a decent education for your children, save enough for a secure and dignified retirement, and leave this world a better place.

Send your feedback to us at info@bethemedia.com. Tell us how we’re doing, and how you’re doing.

If nothing else, I hope this book inspires, motivates, and empowers you to create and accelerate your own message, in your own way. 

"Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number—
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you—
Ye are many—they are few."

"The Call to Freedom," by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1819)

Download free PDF of Intro to Part One

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Warren Whitlock’s TwitCastRadio: How David Mathison pre-sold 5,004 books through one new Twitter connection in 11 days

Warren Whitlock, co-author of Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online.

Warren's TwitCastRadio is a weekly show to help you grow your network, find new friends, lead and customers and market yourself on Twitter and other social media.

On this show David Mathison discuses how he pre-sold 5,004 books through one new Twitter connection in 11 days.

The interview will be broadcast on February 27, 2009 at 10 p.m. Eastern Time, or you can listen right here by clicking the play button below.

Wasabi Publicity: How David Mathison pre-sold 5,004 books through one new Twitter connection in 11 days

We'd like to invite you to attend a special Wasabi Club teleseminar this week with David Mathison of Be The Media. Be The Media is the ultimate Independent Media handbook.

If you find yourself to be someone who likes to get results by yourself off the beaten path, this Wasabi Club is for you! Join us to learn how David Mathison sold 5000 books in one pop on Twitter. 

Recording of the call here.

Transcript here. 

Check out this new free service that lets you Be the Media by moving the best experts to the front of the line for journalists - PitchRate.com.

Be Happy for the Holidays: "Super Bowl Single Girl's" Marketing Gimmick; "Be the Media" & HFCS Facts on December 9 at 3 p.m. Easten Time

Join us for an exciting show. We begin with help on How to be Happy Over the Holidays with:

• Miriam E. Cameron: (Ph.D., M.S., M.A., R.N.) author of Karma & Happiness
  
• Amy Borkowsky: the self-described Super Bowl Single Girl will tell you about her wildly creative way of finding love -- by trying to raise enough money to take an ad on the Superbowl.
  
• David Mathison: author of Be the Media
  
• Dr. Richard Johnson: author of The Sugar Fix, about the new high fructose corn syrup ads.

The interview will be broadcast on December 9, 2008 at 3 p.m. Eastern Time, or you can listen right here by clicking the play button below.

Lullalee Presents an Art for Literacy Benefit Concert and Silent Auction (San Francisco)

Lullalee will be hosting its first annual Art for Literacy Benefit Concert and Silent Auction.  According to their website "More than 500 of California’s most influential educational and cultural leaders as well as fine art connoisseurs will gather to support and celebrate the strides we are making to promote literacy for children."

"Lullalee has entertained, educated, and promoted smiles to over 8,500 children world-wide, including hospital patients and their families, through innovative learning programs and book grants. We provide magical literacy events and free books to children whose road to literacy is challenged financially and/or physically. We are grassroots, we are pure hearts, and we are motivating children to embrace literacy."

The event will take place in the Fairmont Hotel's Grand Ballroom in San Francisco, CA.   Robert Strong The Comedy Magician will be the master of ceremonies and the event also will be featuring the Sensational Louis Prima Jr.

BE THE MEDIA is a sponsor of this important event.

Recently, they were featured on CNN’s iReport website celebrating their successes. Take a look for yourself, “One Woman Helps Kids Read”

You will have the opportunity to meet 15 renowned Bay Area Fine Artists and bid on their work.

The event starts at 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm.  Champagne and Hors D'Oeuvres Reception.

Click here to find more information and to purchase your tickets.

Please join us in showing your commitment to literacy for all children.

Teleseminar Secrets with Co-Trainers Alex Mandossian and David Mathison (November 12, 2008)

One of the fastest ways to sell more books, information products, and services based on your expertise is to do telephone seminars (aka “teleseminars”).

Join BE THE MEDIA authors ALEX MANDOSSIAN and DAVID MATHISON for a free 90-minute telephone seminar on Wednesday November 12, 2008 (4pm Pacific, 6pm Central, 7pm Eastern).

We will arm you with battle-tested teleseminar secrets that boost your sales and profits - without making you spend a single cent more on advertising costs.

If you are an entrepreneur, author, public speaker, or small business owner, YOU MUST BE ON THIS CALL!

You will learn:

● Eight models for using teleseminars to sell more books, information products, and services
● How Alex sold over 3,023 books in a single teleseminar
● A case history on how Alex used teleseminars to help a first-time author hit the NY Times Best Seller list
● Motivate and persuade more prospects to sign up
● Automatically build more responsive email lists
● Why you’re lucky to get 25 people (if that!) at a traditional bookstore signing, but Alex routinely gets 1,200+ people on teleseminars with his ‘virtual book tour’ strategy

Register for this free call here now: http://www.bethemediateleseminar.com/preview

Still not convinced? Don’t take our word for it. Click on the link to scan through the 21 rave reviews for Alex’s work from some of the world’s most respected, best-selling authors, such as:

● Jack Canfield (The Success Principles)
● Mark Victor Hansen (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
● David Bach (Finish Rich series)
● Dr Joe Vitale (author of #1 best seller, The Attractor Factor)
● World-renowned speakers and trainers such as Tom Antion and Les Brown.

To read the rave reviews and register for this free call, go here now: http://www.bethemediateleseminar.com/preview

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IMPORTANT REMINDER:

BE THE MEDIA features more than over fifty media experts, educators, and activists (such as David Mathison and Alex Mandossian) who teach you the latest and greatest ways to market and sell your books, music, films, information products and services.

The book includes more than 500 pages of material to help you control your rights, have a direct relationship with your audience, and earn more royalties.

Be sure to pick up your copy of BE THE MEDIA by clicking Add to Cart below.

David Mathison to deliver "Access Without Borders" keynote at the Alliance for Community Media conference in Denver, CO (Oct 24-25, 2008)

Be The Media's David Mathison will deliver the keynote address at the Alliance for Community Media (West) conference.

The conference will be held at the Cable Center in Denver, Colorado from October 24-25, 2008, and is appropriately titled: “Access Without Borders: New Frontiers in Community Media,”

According to the ACM West website:

“We’re hoping to inspire folks in our movement to more fully embrace the efficiencies, the community media tools, and the participatory aspects of using technology to generate future (and present) self-sufficiency, increased community engagement, and save time and money."

"We will be highlighting the new media technologies that can be incorporated into the workflow of Public Access Television and Community Technology Centers. Denver Open Media is leading the efforts that allow access centers to operate on a streamlined, user-driven model and is integrating the efforts of other National ACM members, like Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN) and Cambridge Community Television (CCTV)."

Check out their technology-infused vision at www.denveropenmedia.org.

Or view this video by Denver Open Media and ED Tony Shawcross:

Key conference sessions will be on:

• Community Engagement
• Using the Web to Educate, Promote, and Fundraise
• Innovative Uses of Government and Educational Channels
• Technology Without Borders, Content Sharing, and Standards
• Public Policy Partnering and Outreach

* Click here for the full schedule.
* Go here to register for the conference.
* Go here for more about the Alliance for Community Media – Western Region.

BE THE MEDIA is featured in Writer's Digest

BE THE MEDIA is featured in the November/December issue of Writers Digest, the Brave New World of Publishing. An excerpt from BE THE MEDIA’s Podcast chapter was included.

We took out an advertisement in the magazine this month (see image to the right), our first in what we hope to be a long and fruitful relationship. 

The Nov/Dec issue includes an interview with best-selling thriller novelist Brad Thor, and features Wired editor and Long Tail author Chris Anderson.

Writer's Digest has chronicled the culture of the modern writer since 1920. Their magazine and website include relevant first-person essays, interviews with bestselling authors and profiles with emerging talent.

According to their website, "Writer's Digest features practical technique articles, and tips and exercises on fiction, nonfiction, poetry and the business-side of writing and publishing."

Writer's Digest has 110,000 magazine subscribers and their website has 100,000 average unique visitors/month, representing the largest community of published and aspiring fiction, poetry, screenplay and non-fiction writers.

New York Civil Liberties Union requests investigation into use of horses at protest outside Hofstra University prior to US Presidential debate

According to Newsday, the New York Civil Liberties Union has asked the Nassau County Police Department to investigate its use of horses to control the crowd during the protest just prior to the third and final US Presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead on October 15, 2008.

The investigation appears to be centered on what happened after the arrests, and whether or not the mounted police put veterans and civilians at risk by using their horses to maintain control, resulting in injuries to at least three people.

A major question appears to be whether or not the injuries took place in the street, or on the sidewalk. Police made it clear to spectators that the sidewalks were "free speech zones," but protesters were not permitted in the street.

Photos and video taken at the scene reveal a partial glimpse of the melee, and its bloody aftermath.

BE THE MEDIA represented at the Frankfurt Book Fair (October 15-19, 2008)

If you are interested in acquiring foreign rights to publish BE THE MEDIA, come visit us at the Frankfurt Book Fair. 

We are represented by Columbine Communications and Publications, located in Hall 8.0 Stand N-933.

For information on acquiring foreign rights to publish Be The Media, contact Columbine President Bob Erdmann. His office can be reached on (209) 586-1566. That's Bob to the right, hard at work securing foreign rights deals for American authors.

The Frankfurt Book Fair was first held in 1480, growing into a major financial and cultural event that was only interrupted by the First and Second World Wars.

The 2007 event had an astounding 283,000 visitors. By contrast, Book Expo America usually gets around 30,000-40,000 visitors. Almost 8,000 exhibitors from 108 countries meet at Frankfurt to buy and sell foreign translation and distribution rights.

It is THE place for writers to have their works exhibited on the world stage. Large numbers of journalists, educators, librarians, government administrators, media celebrities, and news syndicates attend the fair.

David Mathison covering the US Presidential Debate at Hofstra University

David Mathison will cover the third and final US Presidential debate at Hofstra University for the Huffington Post's Off The Bus.

The debate will focus on economic policy and domestic issues.

The debate will be moderated by Bob Schieffer, CBS News Chief Washington correspondent and host of Face The Nation.

The debate will take place at Hofstra’s David S Mack Sports and  Exhibition Complex. The adjacent Physical Fitness Center will serve as the media center for thousands of national and international journalists.

Leading up to the debate, Hofstra is hosting Educate 08, a series of lectures, conferences, artistic performances, exhibitions, town hall meetings, and interactive forums focused on the issues, history, and politics of presidential elections.

The series includes presentations by former US Treasury Secretaries Paul O’Neill and Robert Rubin; George Stephanopoulis; Gloria Steinem; former New York Governor Mario Cuomo; and singer Jason Mraz.

Pandemonium outside Hofstra debate: Mounted police push back protesters and spectators. At least three trampled and injured. Fifteen arrested

<NOTE: This article originally written for Huffington Post's OffTheBus.>

A peaceful protest erupted into pandemonium outside Hofstra University tonight around 8pm, just one hour before the third and final US Presidential debate.

Mounted police pushed back veterans, protesters, and spectators. Fifteen people were arrested, and at least three injured.

The incident occurred as members of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) attempted to commit an act of non-violent civil disobedience and enter the debate to ask a question of the presidential candidates.

According to eyewitnesses, the IVAW members were arrested as they attempted to cross Hempstead Turnpike to enter the Hofstra campus.

Afterwards, mounted police pushed the crowd back onto the sidewalk, causing at least three people to be trampled under police horses.

Exclusive video and interviews from Be The Media:

David Mathison covering the Time Warner's Politics 2008: The Media Conference for the Election of the President

The TimeWarner companies are pleased to host a two-day conference, October 13-14 at the Time Warner Center in New York City, "Politics 2008 - The Media Conference on the Election of the President."

For this two-day event, Time Warner is inviting leading media organizations and analysts, political insiders and pundits for a series of keynotes, conversations and panel events on topics ranging from the media’s roles and responsibilities in covering the campaign and election to how the digital revolution has changed the race for the White House.

David Mathison will be covering the Time Warner Politics 2008 Summit for the Huffington Post's Off The Bus.

Confirmed Speakers include:

Jeffrey L. Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner
Campbell Brown, CNN Anchor
Richard Stengel, Managing Editor, TIME
Jonathan Klein, president of CNN/U.S
Graydon Carter, Editor-in-Chief, Vanity Fair
Anderson Cooper, Anchor, CNN
Wolf Blitzer, Anchor, CNN
Frank Rich, Op-Ed columnist, The New York Times
Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Correspondent, CNN
Jeffrey Toobin, Analyst, CNN Worldwide
Fareed Zakaria, GPS, CNN and editor, Newsweek International
Mark Halperin, Editor-at-Large and Senior Political Analyst, TIME
Dan Rather, Host and Global Correspondent, “Dan Rather Reports”
Howell Raines, Media Columnist, Conde Nast Portfolio, former Executive Editor, New York Times
John King, Chief National Correspondent, CNN
Donna Brazile, Political Activist and Strategist
Candy Crowley, Senior Political Correspondent, CNN
Mike McCurry, principal, Public Strategies Washington, Inc.
Kinsey Wilson, Executive Editor, USA Today
Mark J. Penn, Worldwide President & CEO, Burson-Marsteller
Mark McKinnon, Vice Chairman, Public Strategies, former strategist, George W. Bush and Senator John McCain
Jeffrey Brown, Senior Correspondent and Senior Producer, NewsHour PBS
Bob Safian, Editor and Managing Director, Fast Company
Mark Walsh, Board Member, Air America, Head of Internet Strategy, John Kerry for President
Brian Scanlon, Director of Election Services, Associated Press
David Sirota, Author, Columnist & Journalist, “The Uprising”
Danny Schechter, co-founder and executive producer, Globalvision

And many more…

Click here to to register for the Time Warner - Politics 2008 The Media Conference for the Election of the President

Twitter Talk with the Gurus: Featuring Connie Bennett, Business Week's Arik Hesseldahl, Be The Media's David Mathison

Twitter Talk with the Gurus: Get the scoop on this social networking phenomenon September 23 3:00 EST.

Tune in.

People are abuzz about Twitter, the social networking phenomenon. What is it? How can it help you?

Hosted by Connie Bennett, author of Sugar Shock, with guest gurus:

• Shel Israel: Author, Naked Conversations
• Arik Hesseldahl: Technology writer for Business Week
• David Mathison: Consultant, entrepreneur, speaker. Publisher, Be The Media
• Gedeon Maheux: Co-founder, Iconfactory
• Warren Whitlock: Editor of upcoming Twitter handbook

Symposium on Independent Media: Park Center, Ithaca College

David Mathison will be participating in this Symposium for Independent Media, and speaking in the 3pm session on Tuesday:

"This symposium brings together dozens of leaders, innovators and experts in independent media for intimate discussions exploring the obstacles and potentials of independent media.

It focuses on the latest means to amplify the success of independent outlets, whether big or small, local or international -- in terms of outreach, revenue streams, technology, new collaborations."

On Monday evening, Director Robert Greenwald will keynote. On Tuesday, the Symposium is divided into three workshop sessions:

• 9:30-11am Independent Media Successes, Obstacles, Potentials
• 11:10am-12:45pm Business/Revenue/Marketing Approaches
• 3-4:30pm New Initiatives, Collaborations, Technologies

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo will be keynoting the symposium of the Park Center for Independent Media on Tuesday, September 16, at 7:30pm.

Click here to view the schedule.

Click here to view the list of participants.

David Mathison interview on NPR affiliate Jefferson Public Radio

BE THE MEDIA author David Mathison will be featured on the Jefferson Exchange program this Friday September 5 at 08:30am PST.

NPR affiliate Jefferson Public Radio broadcasts from southern Oregon to northern California, reaching over 1 million listeners. The station also offers audio streams and podcasts from their web site.

The topic: Indy Media No Longer Fringe Media
In addition to the usual suspects -- major newspaper reporters, network anchors, wire service correspondents -- journalists from another, harder-to-define brand of news media also flocked to the national conventions.

The alternative independent media, from alt weeklies to community radio to podcasters to bloggers, have become an important news source for many Americans.

Can these outlets, which make their political point of view no secret, cover stories in a way other media can't?

We talk with David Mathison of Be the Media about what rules, if any, these journalists are bound to and the role they play in the political news cycle.

Listen to the broadcast and join the discussion here.

Be The Media earns great review by Bookviews

Be The Media book reviews are coming in, and things are looking good. Here is the first, from Paul Caruba of Bookviews (September, 2008):

Getting Down to Business Books

"With the advent of Labor Day, everyone settles in to make the most of the remainder of the year in terms of whatever business they’re in. There is no end to books on management and sales theories and, frankly, in a changing competitive environment, they are probably needed.

Since I have made my living in public relations after abandoning fulltime journalism decades ago, I will begin with a recommendation of Be the Media: How to Create and Accelerate Your Message…Your Way ($34.95) by David Mathison with more than sixty contributors.

Why does it have a hefty price? Because it is 435 pages of some of the smartest, best advice that authors, filmmakers, musicians, cartoonists, bloggers, and other creative types will find, but they are not alone.

Policy makers, community organizers, educators and, just about anyone with a horn to blow will discover the power of podcasting, how to create and self-syndicate a radio show, how to promote your video using the Internet

There’s a whole section on how to use the Internet for E-commerce, advice on how to license your ideas, and on and on and on!

Crammed into this book is the kind of know-how it would otherwise take you a very long time to learn.

Excited? Its official release is October.

Meanwhile you can visit www.BeTheMedia.com."

Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Ronnie Wood, Carl Perkins, OH MY!

Couldn't resist posting this...H/T C&L LNMC