The Jason Salas Experience

Something really neat happened the other day while I was strolling around the mall. A university student who recognized me from TV accosted me, not at all bashfully proclaming, "I subscribe to your video podcast!" She quickly produced a video iPod from her purse and played a clip of a story I reported for work, along with other videos available from my station's VODcast. I was totally flattered, but none more so than when she whipped out a Sharpie and asked me to autograph her portable media player.

I did so without hesistation, sheepishly signing the back of her iPod. That's the first time I've autographed a digital device, so this was a hoot. The pleasure was truly all mine.

I'm proud to have made someone's day; but on more of a macro level, I'm proud to have introduced the platform to the local community. From a marketing perspective I'm glad to have succeeded in the branding and public awareness of our "On-Air. Online. On Demand." campaign. That people are recognizing there are other, more convinient, more portable, and cost-free ways to access our stuff without synchronizing themselves to our programming and making data mobile is really an achievement.

I've said for years that the social engineering in getting people to use new media is always more difficult than the technical engineering behind it. The system works - but more importantly, people get it.