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NATPE 2008
January 14, 2008
NATPE 2008
I was at a station this week and the manager remarked that he would not be attending NATPE this year because his program schedule was pretty locked and he just didn’t see the reason for going. Now I completely understand that there is a real cost associated with attending the convention – in our case it’s in the hundreds of thousands of dollars – but for a station, they are insignificant compared to the benefits. Here are the top 4 reasons to attend NATPE if you are a broadcaster. (And no, Rick Feldman is not discounting my membership dues):
1. 1. The absolute number one reason to attend is to get connected with people one-on-one, face-to-face. There is no doubt that the cell phone and email have connected people in meaningful ways and they are without question indispensible. But they’ve disconnected us in other ways. There is just no substitute for hanging out with real people in real time.
2. 2. You’ll learn something. Well, this is always a hard one to believe for all those people who already know everything but it is usually unavoidable. The fact is that it is virtually impossible to attend a diverse gathering and not come away with something new. After all, a gathering of people is a gathering of ideas and ideas get exchanged in conversations that sometimes happen randomly, in a hallway, on a shuttle or on the taxi line. It is guaranteed, however, that you won’t learn anything or come away with anything new if you don’t even show up.
3. 3. Something unexpected will happen. Now I’m not talking about the “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” sort of unexpected happening. You’re on your own for that. No, I’m talking about something truly unexpected. A new series or special that wasn’t on your radar. How about running into an old friend, colleague, boss or classmate? Or maybe an opportunity, a new friend, a new job. Or maybe another network folds in the middle of the convention. (UPN, WB circa 2006 – that was too much fun). Again, it’s impossible to know unless you’re there.
4. 4. It’s an Industry Conference. I know guys who sell widgets who attend 3 or 4 conferences a year. Now that’s a little much I have to admit. NATPE is basically our only national conference and it deserves support for remaining relevant as we transition from pure broadcast to whatever-cast. I think CES will no doubt become increasingly relevant but it takes nothing away from the specific broadcaster-centric focus of NATPE. Even as NATPE explores other platforms and emerging technologies, it is with the local broadcaster in mind. One could argue, and I do, that NATPE becomes more essential over time, not less.
So, there you have it. My Top 4 Reasons to Attend NATPE 2008. I hope to see you there!
Ritch Colbert
Principal
Program Partners
Posted by Sponsored Content: Crosswords on January 14, 2008 | Comments (0)
