Leveraging a blogging award

Tom Raftery, winner of the Best Technology Blog at the Irish Blogging Awards last week, asked how he might go about monetizing that win. I would say he's off to a flying start with his appearence, one day later, on Today FM's "The Last Word" with Matt Cooper.

He spoke a little about blogging before tackling the newly proposed law in France which would make it legal to break Apple's iTunes DRM. Tom handled the interview very well, thinking on his feet, speaking calmly and fluently in a clear radio friendly voice. Of course anyone who listens to Tom's podcasts will know that's nothing new but I'm sure Tom would acknowledge that its a totally different challenge when you're the one on the receiving end of the questions, on live radio!

I'm no media person but I believe that when a show like The Last Word finds an expert in an area, who sounds good on the airwaves, they usually stick with him. So I've no doubt but that Tom will be consulted regularly by Matt Cooper for commentary on IT issues going forward.

Comments

[Damien Mulley]

They might very well do. Their old tech guy was Matthew Clarke from ENN who has gone off to work in PR. Tom just needs to work the researcher and Matt more. Being from Cork, like Matt, should help a lot. If he then gets invited to the TodayFM Christmas bash he'd be the envy of the whole nation. They have some parties! Ask Piaras Kelly.

[Tom Raftery]

James - thanks for the kind words. The interview wasn't live James, it was recorded earlier that afternoon - however they didn't edit out my umms and ehhs or the looooonnnng pauses as I attempted to think on my feet! As you said , being at the other end of the interview is quite the challenge!

Given the performance, I'm not expecting any callbacks!

[James Corbett]

Mea culpa, but as you point out it was effectively live in the sense that it didn't have the major advantage of podcasting which is the fallback position of an editing tool if things go disasterously wrong. I'm too chicken to even do a podcast (you saw how much I was sweating at the pre-Awards panel discussion!) but if I could muster up the courage I'd at least consider it much less frigthening that radio because of being safe in the knowledge that I could always yell.. CUT! ;->

And you're way too modest about 'the performance' Tom. I don't butter people up too easily and I can honestly say you came across as calm, coherent and, most importantly, knowledgeable.... which is more than can be said for a lot of people on the radio!

[James Corbett]

Yes, I know they actually have editing tools in Radio stations but you don't have any control over them using it...... unless you start cursing wildly ;->

[Tom Raftery]

*blush*

Thanks James!