PAB '09 Registration Now Open

From Podcasting News:

Podcasters Across Borders 09 Opens Registration, Calls For Speakers

Podcasters Across Borders co-founder and organizer Mark Blevis sent word that registration for PAB2009 is opening today (December 1, 2008) at midnight Eastern Time. The three-day podcasting and new media conference is scheduled for June 19/20/21, 2009, in Kingston, Ontario (Canada). This is the fourth year of the event, which focuses on not just podcast creation, but also on “building and engaging communities, using social media dynamics, and honing the skills we use in all aspects of our online presence.”

Early registration cost is cdn$120, rising to $150 on January 1. Registration is limited to 120 participants.

This weekend, PAB organizers also issued a call for speakers and presenters:

“The theme for PAB2009, Outside-in: Learning from beyond the fishbowl, was selected to evolve the conversation to draw on skills, communications styles, experiences, innovations and people from outside of the social media and new media communities. We want our program to energize, motivate and advance the community.”

The event features more structured 25-minute presentations (with Q&A afterward), and five-minute “Jolt” sessions. None of the sessions are used to promote specific businesses or services.

---
I've given up trying to convince myself I'll make it to PAB one of these years. It takes place at the BEST time of the year- both my daughter's birthdays! :-)
~Dani

Canadian Podcast Buffet podcasting PAB audio all summer

If you weren't able to make it to Kingston, Ontario this year for Podcasters Across Borders you are in luck. The co-hosts of the Canadian Podcast Buffet (as well as the organizers of PAB) have just finished up their second season of regular podcasting, and over the summer they are going to podcast the audio taken during PAB weekend.

The Kick Off to the weekend is all ready in the feed, and you can find a detailed event list right here. I'm looking forward to hearing quite a few of the speakers. Not quite as good as being there and networking, but for lazy Americans like me who don't even have a passport, it works perfectly.

Speaking of being there, PAB 2008 has been scheduled for June 20-22nd. Guess it's time to start getting my papers together, eh?

Head to the link to listen, or for subscription information.

Canadian radio thriving- quite well, actually

Shamelessly swiped from Tod Maffin's Blog at the CBC:

Canada’s commercial radio stations revenue increased by 5.7% in the last year, going from $1.3 billion to $1.4 billion. Profit margins went up too by 2.7% to 20%.

• Commercial AM radio experienced stronger growth in revenues between 2005 and 2006 than at any other time in the last five years.
• Revenues for commercial FM radio stations in Canada have been steadily increasing over the last five years.
• The Canadian private-radio industry employed 9,763 people in 2006 and paid a total of $577.8 million in salaries.
  

Wow. Maybe I should rethink this whole "moving to Canada for political reasons" thing? At least I know I would have a good chance of finding a job in radio. ;-)