I heard a story recently from a Buzzfeed exec. As part of their never-ending experimentation with new platforms – and as part of their desire to play a joke on the boss – they filled the boss’s office with goats and hay while the boss was temporarily away at a meeting. What would happen when he came back to his office to see…that?! The whole scene ran on Facebook Live and the metrics, as with all things Buzzfeed, were through the roof. But here’s the interesting part of the s

hivio – the audio future festival – begins THURSDAY at 1pm SHARP, and you can watch the whole thing stream LIVE. This is the only live-streaming event designed to reveal the future of the audio information and entertainment industry. If you can’t be in the room with us, then you should watch from work or home. And onstage we have interviews with and presentations from the movers and shakers in the space, including: Anya Grundmann, NPR VP Programming & Audience Development – t

hivio – the audio future festival – opens in ONE WEEK, and you can watch the whole thing stream LIVE. hivio exists to gather executives from across the audio spectrum in one place at one time to touch the future. Commercial and public radio, online radio, podcasting, agencies, platforms, apps, and more. All mixing and mingling with folks they are unlikely to run into at any other event. And onstage we have interviews with and presentations from the movers and shakers in the s

Is podcasting the hot new thing? Maybe. But it is not the hot everything, not even when it comes to audio. Look at Facebook, a platform that was driven primarily by text until recently, when it became driven primarily by images and later by video. Now the big news is that Facebook is pivoting towards LIVE video. Facebook is reportedly tweaking their algorithm so that you’ll see a lot more live video in your newsfeeds. According to a company post, “Facebook Live videos are mor

Recently one of my radio clients explained how his 20-year-old daughter uses radio: “She chases her favorite songs around the dial,” he said. For her, every station button is another chance at hitting the proverbial jackpot. Either I land on a song I love or I don’t. And if I don’t, I move to the next button. It’s radio as slot machine, and – like a slot machine – the odds are better than even that any given spin is a loser. But this is the behavior of someone who is using ra

hivio, the audio future festival, is LIVE THURSDAY and FRIDAY! You can watch it for FREE! Radio, online radio, podcasting, agencies, social media, brands, talent, and voices from transmedia brands like TV Guide and TheBlaze and a special appearance by Marilu Henner. It’s all happening at hivio. We’re live on Thursday, from 1 – 5pm PT and Friday from 9am – 1pm PT. Join us as we take the stage at the legendary Hollywood Improv. Just click the image below and click “add to calen

On June 4, from 8:30 PT to 4:30 PT, hivio streams all day long! Here’s the lineup so you can schedule your viewing (all times are PT and approximate): 8:30 – 9am – Mark Ramsey (@MarkRamseyMedia) 9 – 9:10am – Video from Gary Vaynerchuk (@GaryVee) 9:10 – 9:30am – Tracy Johnson, Tracy Johnson Media (@TracyJohnson) 9:30 – 10:00am – Jerry Rocco, 22Social (@JerryRocco) 10 – 10:30am – BREAK 10:30 – 11am – Ric Militi, InnoVision 11:00 – 11:30am – Craig Bruce, Southern Cross Austereo 

hivio is the audio future festival, and it streams LIVE from San Diego on Wednesday, June 4, 2014, beginning at 8:30 am PT New Ideas, Inspiration, and Compelling Q&A for Radio, Online Radio, Digital Audio, and Podcasting. Mark Ramsey talks LIVE with SiriusXM’s Tim Sabean, InnoVision’s Ric Militi, Southern Cross Austereo’s Craig Bruce, Growth Hacker and Author Mark Middo, Former Pixar Story Artist Emma Coats, the Content Marketing Institute’s Robert Rose, Pandora’s Doug Sterne

It seems to me that radio is in a bit of paralysis by analysis when it comes to the “connected” auto dashboard. As we get lost in the details of what change is coming and how fast, we’re not focused nearly enough on what to do about it, given that such a large proportion of radio listening emanates from that very dashboard. We’re stuck in the theater of the moment. Consider the reality of the situation: The complexity of the new dashboard is overwhelming many consumers. What

This strikes me as perplexing for many reasons, not the least of which is that so much of radio is neither live nor local. Yet that doesn’t make it less popular or effective. Consider each part of the phrase in turn: Live Is Saturday Night Live less effective or popular because it’s viewable via DVR at a later time? Or because it’s viewable via highlight clips online, which is how most people see it and certainly the reason it has swelled in popularity? Do listeners even know

My talk with digital trend-setter Chad Robley is one of the opening sessions from hivio 2013, the inaugural radio ideas festival in San Diego. Chad is CEO of Mindgruve, a digital agency whose clients include brands like Proctor & Gamble, House of Blues, Oracle, Merck and Live Nation. Watch as Chad describes: The importance of content in any digital play, and how integrating that content into the everyday lives of consumers is the best way to move them (not “speaking at them”

A few days ago ABC announced that they would begin live streaming content in two major markets with more to follow on a new app called WatchABC. NPR reports: ABC and other networks have long allowed you to watch their prime-time shows online after they air on TV, but ABC is the first broadcast over-the-air network to let you watch their live feed — including local news, daytime talk shows and prime-time dramas. Over the next few months, it will expand to cities like Los A