Build Content and They Will Come: Mike Lidskin and Twirl Radio

Mike Lidskin, whom I featured in my recent vlog, Greg and I visit Twirl Radio , began Twirl Radio in Sacramento, California about ten years ago, after taking a course at Access Sacramento, an outlet for public access television and radio programming.   At first, the program was just on cable radio (a radio service that came through the local cable television cable provider) and a very limited (several mile radius) broadcast.  When the broadcast element was suspended, his program - and all the others at Access Sacramento, were reduced to near obscurity - as many people didn't realize that such a thing as Cable Radio existed.

His persistance and hard work began to pay off, audience-wise, when Access Sacramento began to offer content online. Through his website, Twirlradio.com, a worldwide audience can listen live to his program every Saturday night, Pacific Time, from 4-6pm.  At the moment, he believes, he has more listeners worldwide then in Sacramento itself.  After ten years and more than 500 shows, he's developed a solid connection with the indie rock world.  He provides a unique insight and support to several regional music scenes, providing for some musicians unique exposure that might not have been possible otherwise. His audience today, while certainly not huge by radio standards, is constantly growing and makes itself known through interaction with Mike on Facebook during the weekly broadcast.

There were times early on, Mike says, that his only audience may have been his computer left connected to Twirl at home - but he nevertheless continued to develop his craft (what today we would somewhat less elegantly call his "brand"), and was recently named Producer of the Year by his colleagues at Access Sacramento.   Last year, he was asked to join RechargedRadio.com, an internet radio network in the U.K., and offers that program once a week to a British Audience as well (check his website for podcast info).

Whether you're creating content as a hobby, or for business, it's worthwhile remembering that one thing never changes regardless of technology: quality and persistance.   Mike's advice to individuals trying to build a presence online: "First, do what you love. That's the right reason for starting any creative venture. If you truly love what you're doing, listeners and viewers will come. And make sure you treat each viewer and listener like your only one.   If you do that, you'll never be alone in your venture."

A Really Messy, Overflowing Toolbox

My latest vlog asked the question, "Why Do We Create?"

I've been asking myself that question lately, in the midst of the various economic challenges we're facing - and no doubt enhanced by various political and news reports about the state of the things.  I generally try to avoid all the "sky is falling" hype, but every once in a while, it catches up to me.

Last Sunday, the newsmagazine "60 Minutes" ran a segment about an army of out-of-work engineers in Silicon Valley  - highly qualified specialists who nevertheless find themselves running out of unemployment benefits and without any real prospects equal to their employment history and education.

CNN's Fareed Zakaria wrote an essay in Time Magazine about his dreams of American growing up in a stagnant, depressed India in the 1970's - and how he feels that, for the moment, the situation seems reversed as we're in an era of pessimism and lack of (collective) drive.

But where are we, really?  There's no doubt we're in a  period of transition.  Our anxiety, of course, comes from a fear of just where we're going - both as a nation and individually.  Almost every self-employed person I know feels equal anxiety about their future.  The fully employed, also, wonder if they're adequately valued.  I've been in both situations, and it's one of the motivations that led me to my social media explorations (or Journey).

Still, I don't feel like I have any better definition now than I did six or eight months ago.  I have faith that we have better tools at our disposal than ever before to build and control our future.  My immediate goal is to learn to use those tools effectively.

I create to survive.  Whether it's my own projects, or as a "hired gun," it's how I make a living.  How I create, however, is changing and evolving as never before.  How I make a living - how I use the tools -  is evolving as well.  When you really look at it, perhaps we're not simply challenged by a bleak employment landscape - but a really messy, overflowing toolbox..