Steven ThrushJournal #1
I am in my second full week at WNET.org working in the Interactive & Broadband department and just loving the opportunity here. WNET.org is the umbrella under which the production companies Thirteen, WLIW21 and Creative News Group exist. These production companies create unique media content that, in conjunction with content from American Public Television (PBS) and a few other independent distributors and producers, comprise the majority of the content that can be found across WNET.org’s platforms.
I had the opportunity yesterday to learn more about the structure of WNET.org at a luncheon meeting with other interns in the building hosted by Charlene Shapiro, VP of Human Resources at WNET.org. The HR department has set up weekly luncheons with senior management and I am very much looking forward to getting their perspective as to the direction that WNET.org is taking and seeing how they understand its structure.
I am working right now on a few projects with the marketing team in the Interactive and Broadband department, the first of which is to model costs and potential revenues for a new online portal which will aggregate content from many different program brands into a targeted NYC-centric vehicle. Of course, there will be plenty of original content as well and, since we all know how much New Yorkers love our city, the potential web traffic for this site is tremendous. The new portal will also provide an excellent opportunity to partner with local business and organizations which are looking to reach just this target audience. This is very exciting work and the team expects that the model that I create will provide justification for their efforts and will also have great potential as a standardized project model for future ventures which I am very excited about. It will be great to produce something that will have lasting impact for the department.
Another of my projects is to assess different sources of revenue that exist or could be tapped by WNET.org online and value their online user so that this model can inform future efforts. I have also had the opportunity to brainstorm ideas with the team ranging from new project ideas to partnership opportunities to underwriting targets for projects. All in all, it has been a really great experience. I can’t believe I’ve only been here a week and a half and I already feel like such a part of the team. The variety of the work, the people and the excitement expressed by everyone here about the possibilities of the projects that I am working on has really made my time a lot of fun so far.
Journal #2
Using all available online platforms to build the organization’s brands and reach their viewers wherever they get their content is at the top of the Interactive & Broadband department’s list of projects. WNET.org is moving quickly toward standardizing its deals for digital distribution of its content with all involved rights holders and I have had the pleasure of working with other colleagues to shape these discussions. It is very interesting to investigate how the rights of WNET.org’s productions are split and how these contracts affect the opportunities available to the organization.
In other work, I continue to be involved in the proposal stages of a new online portal which will aggregate content from many different program brands into a targeted NYC-centric vehicle. I had a chance the other week to sit in on a meeting with consultants from Blue State Digital, the organization that handled online fundraising and peer-to-peer online networking efforts for the Obama administration. Blue State had some interesting suggestions that really mesh well with the direction that the Interactive and Broadband department sees for the future of the company.
The model that I created for the measurement of budget costs by department member has been helpful for the department in its quest to become more efficient and better measure its successes as well as the revenue that it creates. The project continues to grow and evolve. As the transparency of the department increases, the WNET.org’s upper management cannot help but to notice its important contribution to the organization.
I have also had the opportunity to strengthen the organization’s marketing through the implementation and codification of its social media and twitter strategy, helping to centralize, create and organize the accounts under the helm of the department and ensuring that guidelines and standards are in place for the various users.
Working this summer here at WNET.org has so far been an amazing opportunity to be a part of a transforming organization that is implementing many of the important initiatives that will lead it toward future success. I have had the opportunity to see change happen in the organization with the department’s Executive Director (a CBS alum!) being promoted to Executive Director of Corporate Finance and the promotion of the department’s Director of Production to fill that position.
I am very excited for the future here at WNET.org and am seeing clearly now all of the opportunities that exist here. What a great time to be a part of this organization! I can’t believe how quickly the summer is flying by, there’s only five weeks left.
Journal #3
As I come closer to the end of my internship here at WNET.ORG/Thirteen.org, I realize how much I have enjoyed being here this summer.
Just this past Friday night, I had the opportunity to attend a Rooftop Films short film event in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with my colleague, Debbie Adler. The event is a partnership with Reel13, a Thirteen.org show that airs on Saturday nights and I, along with Debbie, was responsible for organizing the event’s Reel13 presence.
At the office, things have been progressing with our Thirteen.org sub-brand proposal. I have been working with some of our potential partners to craft the proposal, integrating that information which I have determined will be vital to the proposal’s success. We expect to complete the proposal by the time I finish up my internship August 28th.
I have also been creating a workflow structure for the department’s digital content distribution to web partners. Our team has been instrumental in detailing the important issues to be taken into renegotiations with PBS for content contracts. Through our discussions and understanding with PBS, we are creating a new revenue stream by agreeing to take on the distribution responsibilities of content that PBS does not have the manpower to take on. It is an exciting prospect for WNET.ORG/Thirteen.org to exploit new opportunities during such a troubling financial time.
Finally, I am able to see how all of the work that my colleagues and I have been doing this summer is leading WNET.ORG/Thirteen.org in the direction of becoming more holistic with regard to its marketing and distribution strategy. It is very exciting to see the transformation of this organization and to be a part of it. I feel that I have made a great positive impact on WNET.ORG/Thirteen.org along with my colleagues and what’s even more exciting is that there is much more work to be done.
