My response to Jeremiah regarding live streaming at conferences

Jeremiah asked on his popular blog Web Strategist if live streaming of these conferences hurts or helps overall. I wanted to provide my opinion on the subject.

First, it won't last long. Why would a conference allow you to send it out to the millions around the world for free while some others pay to be there? What does the person who attended for $2,000 get that the person watching the stream doesn't?

Second, most conferences currently ban filming. SXSW made me a sign a lengthy release that made clear that video taping was not allowed.

Third, conferences will provide their own streams at a cost. Why wouldn't a conference want to pick up this additional revenue? Ryan Carson sells his conferences in a box for almost the same cost as attending in person. So I could see Web 2.0 Expo selling their live streams for say 60% of the cost of being there live.

AlwaysOn provided a live stream and had live chat panels around the conference rooms – it was the most high-tech I have seen so far for a conference. And when the Payperpost guy was giving his presentation, most people were looking at the panels and what people thought of in the chat.

Ryan Carson asked after the Future of Web Apps whether he should even provide wifi Internet access. So many people sit in the audience and type and never even look up at the presenter that if a $1000 prize was given to the person who knew what color shirt the presenter wore, no one would win. I think it's time to sit back and enjoy. Learn and listen.

I still stick by my 2007 prediction that we will get away from the PC more. Conferences are a great way to do that. But I don't want to talk to people with cams stuck on their heads (not Jeremiah). I want to sit down and have real conversations about where the industry is going, who's hot/not, and what's going on with that person's life. Sure I can see a picture of her kids or his new BMW on flickr, but when the story is told in person, you can see and feel the emotion.

I believe having a video and/or audio archive of a conference is important. But I also believe that it's ok to enjoy the conference.

Finally, Jeremiah has posed some questions — so here are the questions and my answers:

1) Is live streaming a help or hurt to conferences?

It can be a help for those who can't make the conference but a potential hurt to those in attendance.

2) Does it matter on the size of conference?

No

3) What are ways for conference organizers to leverage these tools?

Conference organizers will provide their own streams at a cost.

4) Will virtual conferences start being the norm?

No, and we already have some of these with the webcast situation.

5) Will social media tools become some effective that schoomzing and relationships can be built as effectively online as well as in person?

No. Real-life is real-life, online life is not the same.