PodCamp Community UnConferences wiki / PodCampPittsburghPressRelease2

Internet Giants to Attend PodCamp Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA, Nov. 6th, 2006 — PodCamp Pittsburgh: A FREE New Media Conference being held November 11th and 12th will feature some of the biggest names in internet news and entertainment. Recently confirmed attendees include Andrew Baron of Rocketboom, the cast of Tiki Bar TV, Brian Conley of Alive in Baghdad, Alex Lindsay of Pixel Corps, and Chris Brogan of Network2 and co-founder of the original PodCamp.

Rocketboom, a daily 3-minute videolog that combines news and oddities, is a worldwide phenomenon, drawing around 300,000 viewers daily. Tiki Bar TV, one of the web’s most popular series, is a mixture of ad-libbed comedy and recipes for cocktails. Alive in Baghdad is a ground-breaking news series that features raw footage shot by Iraqis of their daily struggle to live their lives. Pixel Corps is a self-described guild of digital craftsmen that is most famous for providing the video version of This Week in Tech along with many other tech podcasts. Network2 is the brain child of Vonage co-founder Jeff Pulver and describes itself as the guide to finding TV shows only available on the internet.

PodCamp Pittsburgh is a FREE meet-up for podcasters and their fans, bloggers and their readers, and anyone else interested in the new wave of internet news and entertainment. The event will take place at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 477 Melwood Ave. from 9am-5pm Saturday, November 11th and Sunday, November 12th. It’s free to attend as long as you pre-register. The weekend will kick off with an informal meet-and-greet from 6pm-8pm on Friday, November 10th at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. For more information and to register, go to www.PodCampPittsburgh.com.

A sampling of the current scheduled sessions includes tips on creating a successful blog or website, how to podcast, making money from your blog or podcast, using blogs and other new media to help build your community or business, producing your own web series, and a look at the future of the internet by Andrew Baron of Rocketboom. There will also be a panel discussion about podcasts in general, a show and tell of video podcasters and their shows, and Alex Landefeld filming himself doing tai chi. There will also be plenty of opportunities for one-on-one networking and spontaneous gatherings.

The focus of PodCamp Pittsburgh, frequently referred to as an “un-conference”, is on sharing information and creating a tailor-made experience for the participants. An interactive website known as a wiki is utilized to let anyone post an idea for a presentation they want to give or one they’d like to see, so the schedule will continue to grow in response to attendees’ feedback. According to the website, “Everyone can present. Unlike a regular conference where speaking slots are allotted only to the highest bidder, Unconferences are by you, for you. If you don't see a session here that you want, create one and present it! Share what you know and your fellow participants will do the same.” The event is governed by what’s called the Law of Two Feet. “Simply put: your experience at PodCamp is what you want it to be. At any time, if you're not learning what you want to learn, if you're not getting what you need, you have every right to depart the session you're in and move to a different one, or none at all.”

Having internet royalty come to Pittsburgh is big news for local businesses. One of the themes that arose during the inagural PodCamp in Boston was the use of blogs, basically online journals, in advertising. According to blog search engine Technorati, there are currently in the neighborhood of 55 million blogs, with two new ones being launched every second. The most popular of these reach millions of readers a day, readers who tend to listen closely to recommendations. Karen Francis, CEO of Publicis & Hal Riney, an ad agency in San Francisco, surmises, "This time, web advertising is for real, and marketers are all looking for new opportunities online." An online presence for a local business can not only attract visitors to Pittsburgh, raise the city’s cache, and inspire greater local loyalty but also dramatically increase phone and internet orders, especially for specialty products.

PodCamp Pittsburgh is also a tremendous opportunity for CMU, Pitt, and other local college students who are studying technology, journalism, business, education, or entertainment to learn from some of the top names in internet news and entertainment. The price tag is another attraction. Registration is absolutely free at www.PodCampPittsburgh.com, and attendees are welcome to take in as much or as little as they’d like during the two-day event.

Just as podcasting started small and suddenly became ubiquitous, so too has the web explosion in Pittsburgh. Already the city hosts internet giant Google as well as emerging players like Vivisimo and Libsyn. PodCamp Pittsburgh is further evidence that Pittsburgh is becoming a key factor in the future of internet technology.

PodCamp Pittsburgh is still seeking additional sponsorship and donations. Interested businesses should contact Justin Kownacki at info@podcamppittsburgh.com or visit the PodCamp Pittsburgh Donations Page.

For additional information, Contact:
Justin Kownacki
Kownacki Productions, LLC
info@podcamppittsburgh.com
www.podcamppittsburgh.com

Internet Giants to Attend PodCamp Pittsburgh

PodCamp Pittsburgh is being organized by Justin Kownacki of Kownacki Productions, LLC and Dave Mansueto of Libsyn with generous support from Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Network2, Libsyn, Switchpod, and Pop City and additional assistance from Spreadshirt and The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Kownacki Productions, LLC was founded in 2003 by Justin Kownacki, a 29 year-old Erie, PA native. The company’s primary output is the web series, “Something To Be Desired”.

Libsyn is a Pittsburgh-based company that provides the engine (hosting, bandwidth and distribution) for hundreds of popular podcasts, including “Tiki Bar TV” and “Ask a Ninja”.