Tonight's Raido show was...

[Special "Ed"]

Great Show Guys!
Very interesting, and it was great to vent.
The best topic was the fact that most webmaster's get more out of the smaller shows, than the larger ones put on by AVN.

[Greenguy]

The archive is online & the show did go til 9:30 for all you "left at 9 bells" people

[Dr Bizzaro]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

The archive is online & the show did go til 9:30 for all you "left at 9 bells" people

I had to. I had to put my daughter to bed.

[furrygirl]

It's the first GG&J radio show I've listened to, since I just happened to check the board 20 minutes into it.

I realize that most people are probably regular listeners, but for those of us first-timers or people who don't recognize webmasters by their voices, maybe a re-cap of who's who every 15 minutes could be in order?

[Chop Smith]

Jim was the loud one. GG was the one trying to control Jim. The other two? Flip a coin.

[GonZo]

Originally Posted by Chop Smith

Jim was the loud one. GG was the one trying to control Jim. The other two? Flip a coin.

Im sure she knows Timlake's voice too.

[Jim]

Originally Posted by Chop Smith

Jim was the loud one. GG was the one trying to control Jim. The other two? Flip a coin.

Fuck That...You guys that stopped using ARS but got to keep your points should thank me. It was me yelling at MarcDe on the air that caused a second look at that policy.

All I wanted was for them to admit the only reason for a show in Florida in August was there is no cheaper venue. I couldn't even get that. All I could get was "well, that's not the only reason" And, if you listen closely, Farley did admit that they did get some kickbacks on the higher hotel prices. Greenguy PM'ed me telling me to treat them nice. I replied with, "they can suck my cock".

[Dr Bizzaro]

As for my constructive criticism:
1) Don’t talk over each other. On various occasions GreenGuy and Jim would be talking over each other and I couldn’t hear anything.
2) Let the guest answer a question. A question would be asked and as he was answering, more questions would be thrown out there. Even if he’s giving you an answer you don’t like, let him finish and then follow it up with another question and let him answer that.
3) Don’t keep asking the same thing over and over again. After the 3rd or 4th time of being asked to admit that the show is held in Fl. in August, only for the money, I got kind of sick of it and it becomes pointless. Move on.

I had to run at 8:00 (9:00 EST) so I did miss the end.

Not having guests on the show has been one thing I have been bitching about for a long time. (As we all know I have made comment after comment about it in the chatroom.)
I think that getting guests to talk about things the business revolves around is key to a good radio show. This will also help it grow and get more people involved with what’s going on in the business.


Other topics to get guests for:
Link Lists
Free Site Building/Submitting
TGPs
Gallery Building/Submitting
Search Engine Optimization/Placement/Ad buys
2257 Info (Get a lawyer to answer questions)
Paysites (how to run a successful one)
Internext (and other trade shows)
Sponsors (Likes, dislikes)
Non-Porn Revenue
Alternative Revenue Ideas

Just my $.02

If you need to hire a show producer/idea man, I’m available.

[Chop Smith]

Could I back paddle with "Jim was the one whose volume was set high"

Originally Posted by Jim

..that they did get some kickbacks on the higher hotel prices....

Yes, and IMO that is the reason the ventue is selected. I would love to have about 15% of just the Vegas hotel deal for one week.

Perhaps your guest was not aware that many of your 'surfers' once had professional lives in the real world.

[docholly]

Originally Posted by Jim

Fuck That...You guys that stopped using ARS but got to keep your points should thank me. It was me yelling at MarcDe on the air that caused a second look at that policy.

All I wanted was for them to admit the only reason for a show in Florida in August was there is no cheaper venue. I couldn't even get that. All I could get was "well, that's not the only reason" And, if you listen closely, Farley did admit that they did get some kickbacks on the higher hotel prices. Greenguy PM'ed me telling me to treat them nice. I replied with, "they can suck my cock".

Kickbacks=commission. Normal commission on all hotel rooms to agents, meeting planners etc is 10%. HOWEVER each hotel group dept is free to negotiate their own rates regarding the expendeture of food and beverage on the bill as well as residual costs such as services, etc.

It is not unusual for as much as 12-15% of the total dollars spent during a convention to be returned to the meeting planner/company as a fee for bringing the group to that venue.

In my past life as a tour manager, I'd steer business to hotels, resorts that were paying higher %, as long as the services were on par. Most of the time whatever hotel we stayed at, i also booked to cater the hospitality suites at the shows so i'd just have 1 bill to deal with and one big fat commission check. If it was a smaller emerging band, i'd lower my fees for them because I knew I could make it up from the different venues on tour.

it's a common practice..

and 20.00 for a drink in south florida for in the summer is just criminal. A Bloody Mary at the Rainbow Grille on top of Rockefeller Center in Dec is 18.00. HIGH freaking season in one of the most expensive bars in NYC. PULEASE..

[babymaker]

was good, need to fix the audio tho compressors please lol GG & Jim loud as hell and everyone else barley audible lot of distortion too

[Surfn]

I kept waiting for Farley to say something that wasn't double speak or demeaning. I was one of those who stayed until the end and it sounded very much like a political event where there is no substance to carry away with you.

I went into the show open minded by 20 minutes in I realized Farley had no clue what webmasters really do. Had no incentive to open AVN events up to all webmasters. Catered to "other" business interests primarily.

Finally his condescending attitude was too much. When asked to participate in something like the GreenGuy and Jim radio show if one were to accept IMO they should speak as though they were part of the audience. Not above the audience. In other words we listeners were treated like children.

I will be in Vegas this year. But not on the ever shrinking (and poorly laid out) show floor. To network and do business with others. Something that can be done in and city, town , or village on the planet at any time. Not just twice a year.

I've been asked by sponsors and webmasters since the last Midwest gathering to put together more events in more places. I guess now is the time to take things in my own hands. Look for a formal announcement on January 15, 2006.

[Fonz]

Can't wait to hear the other 80 minutes of the show. I heard you guys were already going strong after 10 minutes but I really had to get some sleep

[Surfn]

Originally Posted by Fonz

Can't wait to hear the other 80 minutes of the show. I heard you guys were already going strong after 10 minutes but I really had to get some sleep

I'll lend you some of my

[Ramster]

The only thing that bothered me was Farley kept saying: We got positive feed back about the Miami show. Everybody loved it and got lots of business done.

That is probably true. But listen to the complaints we have. The complaints are not the show itself, but the show being in Miami in August when it is so hot. And the cost AVN charged for badges, $250-300.

Farley
As webmasters our biggest piss off is the rising costs to us the webmaster. Like Greenguy said most can afford it. But what about the poor webmasters barely making a living at $2,000 or $3,000/month? They are the ones that could benefit from a trip to Internext but cannot afford a show like Vegas anymore sadly. A show that we all agree is great for networking and improving their business.

But they cannot go.

[RawAlex]

Originally Posted by Ramster

The only thing that bothered me was Farley kept saying: We got positive feed back about the Miami show. Everybody loved it and got lots of business done.

That is probably true. But listen to the complaints we have. The complaints are not the show itself, but the show being in Miami in August when it is so hot. And the cost AVN charged for badges, $250-300.

Farley
As webmasters our biggest piss off is the rising costs to us the webmaster. Like Greenguy said most can afford it. But what about the poor webmasters barely making a living at $2,000 or $3,000/month? They are the ones that could benefit from a trip to Internext but cannot afford a show like Vegas anymore sadly. A show that we all agree is great for networking and improving their business.

But they cannot go.

Heck, screw that... I make way more than that, and I cannot justify what would likely be anywhere from 4k to 8k for a few days in Vegas... especially becasue the Vegas show is actually less useful than the Miami show (because in Vegas,people keep getting lost, going other places, and not being where you can find them).

It isn't just poor webmasters not attending.

Alex

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by RawAlex

Heck, screw that... I make way more than that, and I cannot justify what would likely be anywhere from 4k to 8k for a few days in Vegas... especially becasue the Vegas show is actually less useful than the Miami show (because in Vegas,people keep getting lost, going other places, and not being where you can find them).

It isn't just poor webmasters not attending.

Alex

I love Vegas! My goal is to get there every year. I missed the last year because of illness.

I was determined to go to Internext! Meeting and greeting board members I've interacted with and some of the sponsers who have been really good to me would not only be beneficial to me, but would also have been a great pleasure.

I mean Hell, Vegas is so close to me I can drive....yet I still cannot justify the expense!

I'm pretty bummed about not being able to make it this year. Maybe GG&J should host their own webmaster only conference in Vegas in the off season! |badidea|

Well there's my rant for the month.

-Preacher

[DangerDave]

I have never been to Internext or any US conference/show.. but I have in the past run and organised large/international medical conferences.

The prices you guys were bandying around are unbelievable!

20$US a drink... thats fucking insane...

Every single gig we ever organised had DISCOUNTED rooms, food and drink... that was the whole point of the organisation.. Having a 'conference' where amenities and food and beverages are more expensive the normal rates is again insne IMO

DD

[Surfn]

Originally Posted by DangerDave

I have never been to Internext or any US conference/show.. but I have in the past run and organised large/international medical conferences.

The prices you guys were bandying around are unbelievable!

20$US a drink... thats fucking insane...

Every single gig we ever organised had DISCOUNTED rooms, food and drink... that was the whole point of the organisation.. Having a 'conference' where amenities and food and beverages are more expensive the normal rates is again insne IMO

DD

Once again we agree mate

[Greenguy]

So I guess it was the best show ever

1st off, let me address the technical issues - my connection to the server was getting cut off a lot before the show started & 2 or 3 times near the end. Sparky saw some packet loss on Adelphia (my ISP) between Buffalo & Chicago & then told me this on ICQ: "I pushed traffic a different way, now it doesn't go to chicago first... but, still packet loss from NYC -> buffalo -- not as much though" Sparky is a genius

As far as me being louder than everyone else, I am trying to figure out how to correct that. Have you ever picked up a 2nd phone in your house to talk with someone that's already on the line? The person in the house with you is always louder than the person on the other line & that's the problem - I'm right here & Jim (and guests) are on the phone with me. But I'll try to fuck with the setting again

Talking over each other - 4 people on a conference call where no one can see that the other is speaking will do that

Now, my take on the radio show....

My agenda was not as harsh as Jim's when I went into the show. I wanted to discuss things & Jim wanted to bash them, which is fine. I came away from it realizing that yes, they don't care about Joe Blow Webmaster, but we do have this dialogue open now & hopefully we can sway them to start caring about us.

But they did bring up a very good point & that is that there are many other shows that are in better locations, better times of the year, cheaper & more friendly to the Joe Blow's of the community. So I'm going to start looking into going to Phoenix & San Diego & whatnot instead of Miami (Vegas is fun for me regardless of the convention, so I'll probably continue to go there regardless of how this next show goes)

I'm going to go to Vegas with an open mind. I told Farley that if they had room on the Traffic Panel, I'd like to be on it. If not, no big deal - I'm gonna get the pass that includes the seminars & take advantage of them as Farley suggested, taking notes on each one that I attend. I'm gonna go on the floor & mingle & approach sponsors for the board and my personal stuff & whatnot. I'm basically gonna do what they say I should be doing at the conventions. I'm gonna carry around a notebook with me & try to keep track of anything that happens to me while I am doing what AVN has set up for me to do.

Once I get back, I'll write up a report & we'll have Farley back on the Radio Show & we'll go from there.

I'd also like to invite any board members that are going to join me in this "test", especially if you have a pass for the seminars. PM me if you're interested

I'm gonna try & keep an open mind about all this & I guess we'll know in 30 days or so how it works out

[Useless]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

But they did bring up a very good point & that is that there are many other shows that are in better locations, better times of the year, cheaper & more friendly to the Joe Blow's of the community. So I'm going to start looking into going to Phoenix & San Diego & whatnot instead of Miami (Vegas is fun for me regardless of the convention, so I'll probably continue to go there regardless of how this next show goes)

I think that that is the best point that Farly could have made. Maybe AVN isn't as evil as we'd like to believe. Maybe it's just a matter of webmasters going to the wrong show. We keep complaining that AVN just doesn't get it; that they are out of touch with the webmaster community. But maybe we are just slow at realizing the obvious: Internext is not for webmasters. I think it's time to move on.

[Greenguy]

Originally Posted by Useless Warrior

I think that that is the best point that Farly could have made. Maybe AVN isn't as evil as we'd like to believe. Maybe it's just a matter of webmasters going to the wrong show. We keep complaining that AVN just doesn't get it; that they are out of touch with the webmaster community. But maybe we are just slow at realizing the obvious: Internext is not for webmasters. I think it's time to move on.

That's what I'm starting to think, but I will still try my plan of "doing what they think I should be doing" and I'll go from there

[Jim]

Don't forget the tape recorder

[Jim]

The tape recorder is especially important at any seminar you go to. As I said, I went to one for legal matters. I ended up being afraid of Janet Reno and 8 different Lawyer's cards.

[Jim]

And, my intention was not to bash. My intention was to find out if we were talking to a flunky or someone that could make a change. My intention was also to find out why webmasters were treated as second class people with AVN. And mostly, I just wanted them to admit it was all about the money.