Episode 19: Where Do We Go with Blogger Relations

May 14, 2008

Actually a very good episode given all of the brew haha that blew up across the blogosphere

Aaron started us off as I was late (doh!).  This is Aaron’s last week at b5media, so he’s up in Toronto.

Within a couple of minutes I showed up, usual niceness (aaaawww).

Then we had a very long civil discussion about the whole blogger relations issue.  Ground covered included:

  • Basic background
  • Some of the causes, including undo pressure
  • Whether or not all bloggers really have the power to blacklist vs. the top tier
  • Press releases - why bother emailing them?
  • Better uses of our time, including social good
  • Flat out building relationships

Presto Vivace’s Alice Marshall joined us for a good part of the conversation and added a lot of great colorful insights.

Silly Valley: We briefly discussed whether or not Andy Beal is right, that Google is Dying and determined the post was likely titled for SEO/link bait purposes.

Episode 19 - MP3

Aaron Update: We called Gina Trapani Rita all show. So sorry, Gina!

Episode 18: Hottest Girl on the Internet Plus… CEOs Blogging

May 6, 2008

The show ended well but started in the gutter as we talked about the hottest geek girls. This was inspired by the latest cover of Fast Company magazine where Ning CEO Gina Bianchini and Marc Andressen are pictured in a story titled Ning’s Infinite Ambition.

andressenbianchini.jpg

After beating the hot girl horse into the ground, we switch to CEOs blogging where we talk about a story I wrote over at Technosailor discussing why CEOs and Executives don’t blog better.

Episode 18 - MP3

Episode 17: The Business of Startups

April 29, 2008

Welcome to the first episode of DoC, now at home on Talkshoe. We started out discussing some of the technical difficulties of Talkshoe but this is all very experimental for us.

Geoff and I discuss PodCamp DC and the video that Geoff took of Shana Glickfield. Geoff is really tackling video and trying to get really ninja-like with video. Aaron shares a video editing tip he got from Loren Feldman.

We talked a lot about the business of startups today, diving right into this 37signals post about starting a business, not a startup.

There’s also a Washington Post article that indicates that in the District, VC funding of startups is up 13.9%.

Aaron makes an analogy to BrightKite as an example of a startup calling itself as startup, not a business.

Then we rant on Stealth. Give me a fucking break. Stealth mode is the biggest cop out ever. At least give us the name of the company.

Example: Job req for a Architect for a company in stealth mode

How professional is the concept of come work with us, we expect senior level experience, etc - but we’re not going to tell you who we are…

Then we opened the phones and had a regular old party line where callers like QueenofSpain, Erin Kotecki-Vest, Jonny Goldstein and others skewered the concept even more. Great times!

Jonny promotes the fact that Geoff and I are going to be on Jonny’s Partay live tomorrow at 9pm ET. On video!

Finally, we discuss contrived transparency as it relates to the topics du jour.

Episode 17 - MP3

We’re Back and on TalkShoe

April 29, 2008

DCred.jpgHey Districters! This is just a public service announcement to let you know that we are back today after a longer-than-usual hiatus after the Podcamp DC live show.

We are no longer on BlogTalkRadio as we talked about earlier. Our new home is at TalkShoe.

There are some logistical items to note. The show page is now at http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/18069. You do not need anything special to listen, however to participate in chat, you will need a free Talkshoe account which you can get at talkshoe.com as well as the free client download. We know, that’s a pain, but trust me it’s worth it.

We’ll, as usual, upload the archives here as well.

If you want to call in (again, you need a Talkshoe account), the info is as follows:

Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Call ID: 18069

Talk to you soon!

Episode 16: Live from PodCamp DC

April 27, 2008

Not a lot in the way of show notes today but we do have the video and the extracted audi is coming shortly and will be added here. This was a lively conversation live from PodCamp DC and it was hijacked by the crowd - a very PodCamp thing to do.

Enjoy!


Episode 16 - MP3

District of Corruption Live Show Alert: Podcamp DC

April 19, 2008

Geoff and I are hanging out with a wild new media crowd here in the District (It’s Rosslyn, VA - let’s be honest, that’s not DC) at Podcamp DC. Our weekly show has been moved up from this coming Tuesday to today as we broadcast live at 3pm Eastern for a special 45 minute show.

Scott Stead Sporting the Sox Hat

Unfortunately, due to technical limitations, we will be unable to take live callers, however, we will be broadcasting live via

Episode 15: Loren Feldman, Sphere and Distributed Comments

April 15, 2008

Kicking off Episode 15 with an announcement that Aaron is one of April’s sexiest geeks.

Then we got into the show with a discussion surrounding the AOL acquisition of Sphere. Sphere provides a widget that pulls related content from around the web. Aaron doesn’t like AOL so, on principle, he removed the Sphere widget when this announcement was made.

Then, a long discussion about Loren Feldman and his puppet disparaging of Shel Israel (oops, Shel Israel) with sock puppets.

Aaron notes that Loren creates conversation in his own way and he has a whole body of work for context. Geoff frames the opposing view around the concept of “shock jock” - probably a fitting analogy. Aaron notes that shock jocks are effective. One way or another, Shel benefits in the end. Aaron also notes that Loren has done the same thing to Jason Calacanis and to this day, Calacanis and Feldman are good friends.

Caller Jim Turner calls in for Macbook Pro advice. /methinks he called the wrong show but we gave him Flip4Mac hat tip nonetheless. ;-)

Jim weighs in on Loren, as well. Agrees to the shock jock analogy, but doesn’t take offense. He groks the message Loren sends.

From chat, a users asks, “If I’m in business and reading Twitter, why should I engage Loren in business?”

Aaron admits that he wishes Loren would take a stab at him. He also wants to be on Valleywag. Sado-masochist, apparently.

Announcing, also, that we will be doing a live 45 minute recording of District of Corruption (Episode 16) at Podcamp DC. We will be on Blog Talk Radio at 3pm ET on Saturday, April 19. There will be no Tuesday show next week.

Caller Phil Bundy calls in to say hi.

Aaron rants about distributed content, a story that many people are talking about including Brian Solis. Content is increasingly distributed. Get over it!

Episode 15 - MP3

Episode 14: Doing An About Facebook

April 8, 2008

Today on District of Corruption we talked about:

Episode 14 - MP3

Episode #13: Lots of DC Events coming, Aaron’s move to Download Squad and Is Scoble really Listening?

April 1, 2008

Geoff is in Vegas right now at CTIA. He’s planning on launching a personal blog where he can talk about things like his horrific taxi experience in Vegas today.

Then we talked about the D Ring’s coverage of Destroyermen, an awesomely transparent blog from a Navy Destroyer where it shows life on a Destroyer. While it’s unclear if this blog has passed the DoD sniff test, we do applaud the transparency and would like to tell DoD that this exactly what we need to see out of the government and in this case the military. It should be encouraged and not smacked down.

We then talked about my new gig at Download Squad. Grant is heading over to Fast Company and I’ll be taking over. Grant then calls in to congratulate me. Likewise, Grant… congratulations and thanks for the opportunity! And Shel’s show needs some help!

Shashi calls in to offer his review of Social Matchbox and congratulate me on the new gig.

Grant Robertson, the former chief editor at Download Squad, calls in to congratulate me on the new job. Christina Warren will be the first one I fire on Grant’s recommendation.

Aaron drops the requisite curse word.

We talk about events like Tech Cocktail DC, Gnomedex, DC PHP, New Comm Forum in Sonoma in California.

Google’s April Fools joke.

Quick review of Refresh DC from this past week.

Silly Valley was all about Scoble’s post on Twitter and how having more Twitter followers does NOT mean more listening.

Update: The whole moving to Download Squad bit was an April Fools joke - and the jokes on you. ;-)

Episode 13 - MP3

Episode 12: When “Community” is offensive. And Odeo.

March 25, 2008

Jimmy Gardner fills in for Geoff who is off traveling for a client.

Jimmy explains some of his thoughts on community and some of the pushback that he’s gotten as he’s focused on the DC Tech community. Community is a perception of what is around us.

Maybe we need to stop using the term “DC Tech Community” and less loosely define it as “tech”?

Did I just call Geoff my “normal” cohost? Is he really all that normal? ;-)

odeo_logo.gifWe get Greg Gershman on the horn to tell us about Odeo’s acquisition of Blogdigger. He then goes on to tell us about the new Odeo. I ask him to stop beating around the bush and tell us how the new Odeo will change our lives.

Is Odeo building out the DC digs and do they need staffing?

Chicks love blogs.

Then we get into Social Times and this post about Twitter being too full of junk. Debates the difference between Social Times in DC and other similar type blogs elsewhere.

Then Geoff calls in from his super secret mission to somewhere. Busts our balls.

We’re so fragmented. Politics, small business, our own community. How can we be better stewards of what we have.

Episode 12 - MP3

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