Channel 9 Is Getting A Content Upgrade
I love Microsoft’s Channel 9 and it’s a program I discuss with many of our clients as “best practice.”
Channel 9 is aimed at developers. More specifically, Channel 9 was invented to re-establish Microsoft’s relationships with developers. It’s working. It attracts 3 million to 4 million people monthly. Bill Gates reckons Channel 9 is reaching more than 25 percent of their target developer market. I don’t believe there is another channel that would let Microsoft reach that many developers. At his annual CEO summit, Gates told the audience every company should consider building a Channel 9. I think he’s right.
Robert Scoble departed Microsoft and Channel 9 a few months ago. He was one of the five (I believe) Channel 9 videographers. His interviews were entertaining, but he did not always ask the toughest technical questions. Still, in my view he was responsible for generating a lot of Channel 9’s traffic. Thousands of people read his blog, and he frequently posted about the interviews and events on Channel 9. When he departed I wondered how Channel 9 would perform without him.
Today Jeff Sandquist, the top Channel 9 honcho, announced a great hire — John Udell, an excellent reporter from Infoworld. He should be able to more than fill Scoble’s content duties. He will ask the tough technical questions.
I also believe he will be important to managing Vista issues that are going to break in the blogosphere in the coming months. It’s going to be hand-to-hand combat for the next year for this team as consumers and businesses complain about Vista’s perceived shortcomings and bugs.
Scoble was great at jumping on fast-breaking Microsoft problems on the net and heading them off at the pass. It will be interesting to see how Udell, the former reporter, defends his new employer.
Leave a Reply