Mobile Station Stories: Nathan Gibbs and Leng Caloh, KPBS

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation

As part of the launch of the Mobile White Label Series for Stations (available in SRC, login required), we are profiling mobile efforts at stations throughout the system on a variety of topics, ranging from mobile giving to the differences between mobile Web and mobile apps. Over the next six weeks, these stations, who are part of the Station Mobile Working Group, share their experiences, plans, successes and lessons learned about mobile.

This week's interview is coming from San Diego, California, where Leng Caloh, Interactive Strategies Manager, and Nathan Gibbs, Web Producer, spoke to us about KPBS's mobile efforts.
 

Nathan Gibbs

KPBS has developed a mobile site with radio streams and a feed for the latest news articles, and is currently concentrating on building out apps for both iPhone and the Android. They also have a rich listing of local events. Learn more about KPBS’s mobile capabilities at http://www.kpbs.org/help/mobile/.
 
What motivated you to pursue mobile, and how did you develop your initial mobile strategy? 
Distributing content on mobile was a natural extension of our shift away from being solely a traditional broadcast organization. Mobile was another platform on which we could distribute our content. Once we got content staff on board with the idea of posting web content, it was a logical step to develop the technology to distribute that content on mobile platforms. In 2008 we received funding from the founder of Qualcomm (mobile chip maker) to develop a mobile site and daily news email as part of our multiplatform reporter training project.

We started developing our plans for the mobile site in the fall of 2009, shortly after the launch of Android OS. Our strategy was driven largely by analytics and mobile trend research. Our first task was to analyze the existing mobile traffic coming to our main site, as well as the traffic coming to the mobile KPBS/NPR site developed by NPR. We matched that to national mobile usage trends.
 
We prioritized our design based on the device usage stats from kpbs.org and KPBS/NPR Mobile. Rather than making a site that looked good only on an iPhone, we aimed for a more universal design that would also look good on a Blackberry (our 2nd highest device source at the time). Our reasoning for this arose from the fact that iPhone traffic to the KPBS/NPR Mobile site decreased significantly after NPR launched their iPhone traffic – leading us to believe that iPhone users were more likely to use the NPR app than visit our mobile site. Also, our full site looked decent on the iPhone screen. So in a sense we designed to a lower common denominator, instead of to the “latest and greatest” smartphones. We even tried to factor in how the site would look on an older “flip phone” with Internet access.  

Getting to Know... Jennifer Carter

1. What do you do at PBS Interactive?
I am starting as the Project Associate working within the Station Products & Innovation team. I’ll be working mostly with Projects Bento and Merlin.

2. How did you get involved with Public Media?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism and New Media from Towson University. I always knew I wanted to work in the media world and after a few internships at various media organizations I landed a job with Thomson Reuters at one of their legal publications Business Law Currents. After some time I knew this is where I wanted to be and the interactive part is becoming increasingly more exciting by the day.

3. How will the interactive landscape change over the next few years?
I see the interactive landscape continuing to grow but moving towards professionalizing it’s local content and products. The Internet, while expansive, has a very localized appeal about it. People like learning and interacting with others around them about what they find most interesting…themselves (including their background and interests, etc....) The best parts of the interactive environment deal with its expansive ability to showcase individual voices to a global audience. It allows anyone to share the smallest detail (which they find relevant) to anyone that is interested.

4. If the Internet didn't exist, what job would you have?
Well since professional beach dweller doesn’t pay as well as it used to…I have to say I’d like to have an amalgamation of some of my most favorite hobbies.

I would want a job where I could be a pastry chef/photographer who also has an entrepreneurial venture that focuses on improving young adult and adult literacy. The pastry chef part would allow me to travel around the world learning and incorporating all the amazing traditions and cultures into my little neighborhood bakery shop. The photography part would come in handy when I am traveling the world, so I could document and share my experiences with others.

The final element would be to start a charity that helps young adult and adult audiences learn to read and write (free of charge). It would be open to anyone and provide a curriculum that is tailored to each person (based on their schedule), centering on their individual’s goals, interests and passions.

5. What is your favorite gadget and why?
My iPod Touch whose name is "Merlin". I know it's not too outrageous or cutting edge (anymore) but I don't know what I would do without my tunes. I think I am most impressed by my ability listen to just about anything whenever I want. I am not a major gadget person (since the hottest gadgets are never around for long), though I am always impressed by what something as small as a person’s palm can do.

6. If you could have dinner with any three people from history, who would they be and why?
Just three huh…well that is hard:

Louisa May Alcott - The famous author of Little Women and other classic treasures. This was the first “real” book I ever read. My grandmother gave me her copy and it planted the seed that spawned a love for reading and writing. The more I read it the more I learn and am continuously impressed by the strength and power that comes from such characteristically different yet fundamentally similar sisters.

Lou Gehrig - A first baseman who played his entire career with one team. I don't think it gets much better then Gehrig. Humble is not a word thrown around a lot in the sports world anymore but he embodied the meaning of that word fully. He was truly a man who loved the game and treated his fans and team with respect.

Richard Pryor - A legendary comic whose work is timeless and also I can’t imagine who wouldn’t want to spend 5 minutes with him.

The SPI Files: Montana West, NHPTV

by Michael Smith, Station Products & Innovation

Last week on the SPI Files, we got the inside scoop on Eric Freeland, Director of Online Programming & Promotion for PBS Interactive in Arlington, VA. This week, we're moving up to New Hampshire to speak with NHP-TV's Integrated Media Producer Montana West.

Q: Who are you and what do you do at NHPTV?

A: My name is Montana West and I am the Integrated Media Producer for NHPTV, which basically means I’m the “web guy”. I am responsible for all facets of our online presence, our web site, our online video (encoding/posting), I manage and support our social media /blogging efforts, our e-communications, I am also responsible for a fair bit of online graphic design as needed… you get the idea.

Q: How long have you been at NHPTV?

A: 4.5 years now… time flies.

Q: Before NHPTV, what did you do?

A: I owned my own business out of Brunswick, Maine providing web sites, IT support and computer education to individuals, businesses and educational institutions.

Q: What skills and expertise did you gain in your previous work that you were able to integrate into your role at NHPTV?

A: Teaching web programming to high school students helped me master my web programming abilities (you never learn something as good as when you teach it), also helped master my patience, which helps when teaching people new things and in pretty much everything else also.

The Weekly SPI Debrief - August 26, 2011

by Mike Smith, Station Products & Innovation

Welcome to the Weekly PBS Interactive Station Products & Innovation Debrief, designed to give PBS stations a rundown of product updates and opportunities announced this week on our blog.

Last week on The SPI Files, we got the inside scoop on PBS SoCal from Jasmine Bulin, Senior Manager of Interactive. This week, we left sunny California behind for the earthquakes and hurricanes of the east coast where we learned more about Eric Freeland, Director of Online Programming & Promotion for PBS Interactive. Check out the link below to learn about Eric and his role at PBS!

Also this week, we chatted with Web Administrator Thomas Broadus about Mississippi Public Broadcasting's experimentation with mobile in the latest installment of our Mobile White Label Series for Stations, in which we profile mobile efforts at stations throughout the system on a variety of topics, ranging from mobile giving to the differences between mobile Web and mobile apps. See what Thomas had to say by following the links below!

SAVE THE DATE! August 31st from 2:00-3:00pm ET, the Prosper team will hold a training webinar to demo the Member Station Reporting Portal. For more information and to register for the webinar, send an email to pbsi_stationservices@pbs.org. For background on the Prosper initiative visit SRC (login required).

Last but certainly not least, check out the Professional Development Calendar (PDC) for information on upcoming events such as seminars, conferences, & webinars. There is always something interesting happening on the PDC, so be sure to look often and stay on top of the digital world!

Follow the links below to continue reading... Have a happy weekend!

• The SPI Files: Eric Freeland, PBS Interactive
• Mobile Station Stories: Thomas Broadus, MPB
• News from the PDC (Professional Development Calendar)

As always, the SPI team appreciates all of your valuable comments and participation on our site this week and every week.

News from the PDC

by Mike Smith, PBS Station Products & Innovation

We here on the SPI team are always trying to find new ways to provide the best possible resources for public media stations.

The SPI Blog Professional Development Calendar (PDC) is a useful tool that allows us to immediately connect you to valuable and educational events that are being held either in the real world, as in conferences and seminars, or in the virtual world, as in online webinars. You can find the calendar on the right rail of our blog - just scroll down a little and there it is! Feel free to send us opportunities you want to share with the rest of the system or access the calendar to attend some of the posted events.

Here are just a few highlights for the upcoming weeks:

August 30 @ 1PM:

How Nonprofits Can Successfully Use Twitter and LinkedIn (paid webinar presented by DIOSA). Register HERE.

This webinar features general introductions to Twitter and LinkedIn with tutorials on how nonprofits can use the sites to increase their supporter base, website traffic, e-newsletter subscribers, online donors, and overall visibility on the Internet.

August 31 @ 2PM:

Member Station Reporting Portal Training (webinar presented by PROSPER). For information on how to register, send an email to pbsi_stationservices@pbs.org.

Specifically for stations, the PROSPER team will demo how to access and utilize the Member Station Reporting Portal. As a follow up to the training webinar, portal log-ins will be issued to the first 50 stations who register and attend the webinar. One log-in per station will be issued as part of the roll out process. An additional make-up training webinar will be provided in the weeks following this initial training.

September 1 @ 2PM:

Twitter 201 (webinar presented by CISION). Register HERE.

Turn the social capital you've developed on Twitter into a powerful brand-building tool. You have followers, you retweet great links and you know what a hashtag is. But what's the real value of your Twitter activity–and how can you leverage it for better communication results?

There is always something interesting happening on our calendar, so be sure to check back often and stay informed and on top of the digital world! And let us know what you think of our calendar in the comments below.

Mobile Station Stories: Thomas Broadus, MPB

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation

As part of the launch of the Mobile White Label Series for Stations (available in SRC, login required), we are profiling mobile efforts at stations throughout the system on a variety of topics, ranging from mobile giving to the differences between mobile Web and mobile apps. Over the next six weeks, these stations, who are part of the Station Mobile Working Group, share their experiences, plans, successes and lessons learned about mobile.

This week, we're chatting with Web Administrator Thomas Broadus about Mississippi Public Broadcasting's early experimentation in mobile.

Thomas Broadus, MPB

MPB is currently releasing a mobile Web browser that offers easy access to schedules, live listening and the home page. They are also working on a radio app for MPB.

What motivated you to pursue mobile, and how did you develop your initial mobile strategy?
The growth of the mobile market is as vital to the lifeblood of our agency as our traditional website.  At this point we had to infuse the way audiences are reaching our website into a plan on how to make that experience useful to them, instead of a hindrance.  When I talk to people about mobile web, I ask them how many of them have a mobile website, and a few of them will raise their hand; but when I ask them who has a website, they all do.  The rub is that we all then have a mobile website, the difference is are we creating an intentional experience for our mobile users.  Our strategy was born out of needing to create an intentional experience for mobile users.

The SPI Files: Eric Freeland, PBS Interactive

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation 


Last week on the SPI Files, we got the inside scoop on PBS SoCal from Jasmine Bulin, Senior Manager of Interactive. This week, we're leaving sunny California behind for Arlington as we learn more about Eric Freeland, Director of Online Programming & Promotion for PBS Interactive.


Who are you and what do you do at PBS?
I am the Director of Online Programming and Promotion for PBS Interactive.  My team and I are responsible for programming the PBS homepage, video portal, mobile apps – iPad and iPhone, and writing the PBS Previews Newsletter.

How long have you been at PBS?

Time has gone by fast — wow, it will be three years in September.

The Weekly SPI Debrief - August 19, 2011

by Mike Smith, Station Products & Innovation

Welcome to the Weekly PBS Interactive Station Products & Innovation Debrief, designed to give PBS stations a rundown of product updates and opportunities announced this week on our blog.

In this week's installment of Mobile Station Stories, we caught up with Libby Peterek, Director of Web Services at KLRU in Austin, TX, to talk about PBS Interactive's launch of the Mobile White Label Series for Stations. Libby discussed with us why KLRU decided to build a mobile Website instead of an app, KLRU's experiment with mobile giving, and why entering the mobile space may be easier than you think.

Also this week, we spoke with Larry Unger, President and CEO of Maryland Pubic Television, to talk about his fifteen years of experience in public media, as well as about MPT's emphasis on community engagement and their plans for the future. Check out the link below to read more about what he had to say.

We also took an in-depth look into social/professional networking site, LinkedIn. Interested in learning more about how this tool can be extremely useful for stations? Check out the link below.

Mark your calendars! August 31st from 2:00-3:00pm ET, the Prosper team will hold a training webinar to demo how to access and utilize the Member Station Reporting Portal. For more information and to register for the webinar, send an email to pbsi_stationservices@pbs.org. For background on the Prosper initiative visit SRC (login required).

Last but certainly not least, this weekend (August 19th – 21st) KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, PBS SoCal and KQED are hosting PubCamp West, part of the nationwide series of gatherings focused on "forging greater collaboration between public media organizations and their communities." Admission is FREE but RSVP's are required - everyone is welcome to contribute to the unconference: bloggers, other media types, and the public. Planning to attend? Let us know, our very own SPI, Amy Baroch will be there and would love to say "hi".

Follow the links below to continue reading... Have a happy weekend!

• Mobile Station Stories: Libby Peterek, KLRU
• The SPI Files: Larry Unger, Maryland Public Television
• FYI Corner: LinkedIn

As always, the SPI team appreciates all of your valuable comments and participation on our site this week and every week.

Mobile Station Stories: Libby Peterek, KLRU

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation

As part of the launch of the Mobile White Label Series for Stations (available in SRC, login required), we are profiling mobile efforts at stations throughout the system on a variety of topics, ranging from mobile giving to the differences between mobile Web and mobile apps. Over the next six weeks, these stations, who are part of the Station Mobile Working Group, share their experiences, plans, successes and lessons learned about mobile.

Libby Peterek

Libby Peterek is Director of Web Services at KLRU in Austin, Texas. KLRU has built a mobile Website that includes a TV Schedule, a Donate function, and Locate and Contact pages, as well as a link to their full Website. Visit their mobile site (http://klru.org) through your phone or tablet. You can also check out http://www.klru.org/mobile to see what they've built on your desktop screen.

Libby discusses why KLRU decided to build a mobile Website instead of an app, KLRU's experiment with mobile giving, and why entering the mobile space may be easier than you think.

FYI Corner: LinkedIn

  by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation

The SPI team has a social media directory that links to the Facebook page, Twitter account, Youtube page and Flickr page of every station. We've recently updated this directory, and the new and improved version has now officially gone live, If you can, take the time to browse and check out the social media efforts of your fellow stations! Additionally, since the updates were found using the miraculous technology called Google Search, please let us know if we missed something or if you have an update to suggest.

If you've taken a moment to browse, you might have noticed another change in the social directory: it now includes links to station LinkedIn pages.

Launched in 2003, LinkedIn is a social networking site dedicated to professional networking that has become a key component of many professionals' online presence. LinkedIn allows you to describe your past experiences and current employment, as well as make "connections" with other professionals you may know. Recently, LinkedIn made news for debuting an embedded job application plug-in that enables members to apply to jobs with a single click.

While many of you may utilize -- and update -- your personal LinkedIn profiles, you may not be as familiar with your station's company profile.

LinkedIn launched company profiles in 2008: anyone with a company-specific email address and a current position at the company can create or edit the profile. These profile pages list everyone on LinkedIn who has indicated that they work at your station; they might also include information such as the size, founding date and website of your station. Additionally, your station may have information on its page that has been automatically added: LinkedIn pulls also information from such as company news from Yahoo! and Capital IQ. 

This information might be useful to those of you looking to craft your station's online presence. As a major social networking site with a high SEO, your station LinkedIn page may be highly ranked in search engine searches, much like your station's Facebook or Twitter may appear in a Google search.

In order to edit your station's LinkedIn page, you'll need to give LinkedIn your station-specific email address to be granted admin access. If LinkedIn has not already filled it in for you, we recommend putting in a company description and a link to your station's website and social media pages.

Have you -- or your station -- experimented with LinkedIn? Do you find it a useful tool in professional networking? Let us know in the comments below!

The SPI Files: Larry Unger, Maryland Public Television

By Rachel Lim, Station Products & Innovation

In this week's edition of The SPI Files, we've traveling to Maryland, our neighbor state, to speak to Larry Unger, President and CEO at Maryland Public Television. Larry, who has fifteen years of experience in public media, speaks to us about MPT's emphasis on community engagement and their plans for the future.

Who are you and what do you do?
President and CEO at Maryland Public Television

How long have you been at MPT?
Over 14 years.

Before MPT, what did you do?
I was in the financial services industry for more than 25 years.

What skills did you gain in the banking world that you were able to integrate into your role at MPT?
The general managerial skills as well as strategic planning and financial planning.

MPT is a true community station – you produce a lot of local programming and are very active with community events. How has MPT managed to remain so successful over the past 40+ years?
The community is at the center of everything we do. My mantra has been more local programming, more education and more outreach initiatives.

What is the next big thing for MPT?
Fresh local programs which we are discussing now, plus possible entry into online local news.

What do you see as the future for public media and how does MPT fit into that vision?
Public media still has to find its voice in this decade and needs to be seen as an indispensable entity. MPT is attempting to be intertwined into its community and become that indispensable organization.

And – just for fun – a few quickfire questions:

1. iPhone or Android? iPhone
2. Dogs or cats? Dogs
3. Elmo or Grover? Elmo - of course!
4. I am currently listening to… Adele and Uncle Cracker
5. I am currently reading… Tom Clancy
6. I’m currently watching… Everything PBS
7. Most overused phrase: "to be honest." Are you not always honest?

The Weekly SPI Debrief - August 12, 2011

by Mike Smith, Station Products & Innovation

Welcome to the Weekly PBS Interactive Station Products & Innovation Debrief, designed to give PBS stations a rundown of product updates and opportunities announced this week on our blog.

This week, PBS Interactive released the "Mobile White Label Series for Stations". This collection of resources addresses each level of the mobile process and can be rebranded, repurposed and re-distributed through your station to help educate and encourage conversations about mobile. Click the link below to learn more about these resources.

Also this week, we spoke with Jasmine Bulin, Senior Manager of Interactive at PBS SoCal, to talk about her station’s latest Raise the Barn event and to ask if she had any advice for public media colleagues. Check out the link below to see what she had to say.

We also said goodbye to our wonderful Station Products & Innovation Intern, Rachel Lim, who is leaving us to go back to school at the University of Virginia. Before she left, however, we were able to convince her to do one last installment of Tales of a PBS Intern, which takes readers behind the scenes and into the secret lives of PBS interns. To read about all the exciting things she was able to do with her last few weeks @SPI_PBS, click the link below.

In other news, the Localized Traffic Report for July is available for review in the SRC. Click the link below for more information on how to access this report.

Last but certainly not least, next week (August 19th – 21st) KPCC, Southern California Public Radio, PBS SoCal and KQED are hosting PubCamp West, part of the nationwide series of gatherings focused on "forging greater collaboration between public media organizations and their communities." Admission is FREE but RSVP's are required - everyone is welcome to contribute to the unconference: bloggers, other media types, and the public. Planning to attend? Let us know, our very own SPI, Amy Baroch will be there and would love to say "hi".

Follow the links below to continue reading... Have a happy weekend!

• Just Released: Mobile White Label Series
• Jasmine Bulin, Senior Manager of Interactive at PBS SoCal
• Tales of a PBS Intern: The Final Saga
• Localized Traffic Report for July

As always, the SPI team appreciates all of your valuable comments and participation on our site this week and every week.

Tales of a PBS Intern: The Final Saga

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation
 "The Final Saga" might be a little melodramatic. This is the last installment of a snapshot look into the life of a PBS intern.


Thursday, August 4

11:00am -- Today, the PBS interns are headed to WETA, D.C.'s PBS station. I've volunteered to drive a few of my fellow interns over to WETA's Arlington headquarters.

Rachel Lim, reporting live from NewsHour.

12:30pm -- Anika Phifer, Production Center Coordinator, gave us an amazing tour around the WETA Production Center. We explored production rooms, sound booths and the stages for both Washington Week and NewsHour. 


2:45pm -- After our tour, we had a Q&A session with Jacqueline Todt, Senior Director of Production & Creative Services, where we shifted from national programming like NewsHour to local programming. (And they had cookies and Oreos for us!)

Just Released: Mobile White Label Series for Stations

by Max Duke, Station Products & Innovation

Smartphone adoption is increasing at an enormous rate.

Social networking access is the fastest growing mobile activity.

Tablets are becoming as ubiquitous as phones.

And dogs are no longer man’s best friend.

With the possible exception of that last statement, all of the above are true regarding the mobile landscape. Year over year, Smartphone adoption has grown 55%. Social networking services have seen growing usage thanks to integration with phone features like cameras (for photo sharing) and GPS (for check-in). 54 million people are expected to have tablets by 2012.

It is easy to detail the migration of connected users to mobile platforms, and justify it as a valid way to reach an audience. What isn’t as easy though, is finding a way to approach this ever-changing and rapidly growing space that makes sense.

The SPI Files: Jasmine Bulin, PBS SoCal

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation 


Welcome back to The SPI Files, where we take a super-secret inside look at some of the PBS agents around the system.This week we're going west, where we chatted with Jasmine Bulin at PBS SoCal about upcoming SoCal events, cultivating relationships with fellow stations, and her cross-country trip from D.C. to L.A.

Who are you and what do you do at PBS SoCal?
I’m Jasmine Bulin, Senior Manager of Interactive at PBS SoCal, wearer of many hats.

Before PBS SoCal, what did you do?

Before PBS SoCal, I was at PBS headquarters where I launched the PBS Video Portal, PBS iPad App, and PBS iPhone App. I’ve gotten to work with a lot of the stations and producers that are part of PBS and it is neat to now experience how the other half lives.

Jasmine's cat Chester manned the
wheel from Kansas to Nevada.

How long have you been at PBS SoCal?
I’ve had a busy year. My husband and I eloped in January and I left PBS in February. Last March, my first day’s commute to PBS SoCal was 9 hours long from Washington, DC to Los Angeles. I think it is going to take me awhile to get used to the subtle changes in season in LA because it is so easy to forget how long I have been here.

What was it like moving across the country for the new gig?
I thought driving across country would be fun and I would get to see a lot of sights, but it was more like an amazing race to see how quickly we could get ourselves to California with our two dogs and one cat in the car. The only landmark I really remember from the trip was the California border. I hope someday we will take a more leisurely trip.

The Weekly SPI Debrief - August 5, 2011

by Mike Smith, Station Products & Innovation

Welcome to the Weekly PBS Interactive Station Products & Innovation Debrief, designed to give PBS stations a rundown of product updates and opportunities announced this week on our blog.

Recently, you may have heard us refer to a new PBS Interactive product called Station Bento, or Merlin 2.0. Station Bento is a tool for creating station web sites, managing online content, and leveraging Merlin and COVE data in ways that can benefit local stations. If you are interested in learning more about Station Bento or helping us test and develop, please follow the link below or send us an email.

On Tuesday, the SPI team caught up with Keith Brengle, Director of Online Giving, and asked him to weigh in on a recent experiment and partnership between the PBS Interactive Prosper initiative and AOL Impact’s Charitable Causes program. Click the link below to read more about Keith's experience with this interesting endeavor.

In the latest edition of the SPI Files, which highlight innovative projects and the talented people around the system who make them happen, we spoke with Mark Ryan, Creative Services Manager at WFWA PBS39 Fort Wayne. Click the link below to see what he had to say about the latest happenings at his station, as well as his insight into the rapidly shifting public media landscape.

Also, if you haven’t had a chance to take the SPI Communication survey, there's still time! Your responses will help inform our exchanges with you and promote innovation across the system. Participation in the survey might even get you a swag bag full of PBS goodies.

Last but certainly not least, the Localized Traffic Report for July is now available. Click the link below for more information on how to access this report.

Have a wonderful weekend!

• Station Bento: A preview of the next big thing
• Online Giving: AOL-PBS Promotion
• The SPI Files: Mark Ryan, WFWA PBS39
• SPI Communication Survey
• Station Localization Stats for July

As always, the SPI team appreciates all of your valuable comments and participation on our site this week and every week.

Station Bento: A preview of the next big thing

By Amy Baroch, PBS Station Products & Innovation

By now, you’ve probably heard us refer to a new PBS Interactive product called Station Bento. Powered by Merlin and still in the early stages of development, Station Bento is a tool for creating station web sites, managing online content, and leveraging Merlin and COVE data in ways that can benefit local stations.

Station Bento, also referred to as Merlin 2.0, is a CPB-funded project that will meet the needs of stations from across the PBS system. Designed to be a flexible solution for stations seeking to develop strong web presences, Station Bento will help stations spend less time trying to keep up with technology, and more time creating strong online content.

Current development for Station Bento includes three implementations:

Bento Complete is a full turn-key solution for creating robust station web sites, fully hosted by PBS. Using site templates, layout tools, and plugins provided by PBS, stations will be able to quickly build sites with custom branding and configuration.

Online Giving: AOL-PBS Promotion

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation
 

In a recent blog post, we discussed some of the national trends that signal online giving is on the rise. To highlight some of the initiatives taking place at PBS around online giving, we caught up with Keith Brengle, Director of Online Giving, who weighed in on a recent experiment and partnership between the PBS Interactive Prosper initiative and AOL Impact’s Charitable Causes program.

Last Tuesday, July 26^th, the PBS online giving team ran a quick 24 hour AOL/PBS promotion on the AOL.com homepage in the “Daily Impact” area. Users were asked to answer the question, “What Do You Love About PBS?” and were redirected to a landing page where they inputted their responses and included their names and email addresses.

According to Keith Brengle, this project functioned as an “experimental testing bed” allowing PBS to “ideally acquire prospects in the smartest way.”

The SPI Files: Mark Ryan, WFWA PBS39

by Rachel Lim, PBS Station Products & Innovation

Welcome back to The SPI Files, where we highlight some of the talented people around the system who make the magic happen. Last week, we talked to Lauren Saks of PBS Arts Online. This week, we're traveling to Northeast Indiana to speak to Mark Ryan, Creative Services Manager at WFWA PBS39 Fort Wayne, where we discussed the latest happenings at his station and his insight into the rapidly shifting public media landscape. 

How long have you been at PBS39? 

I was hired in in December 1997 and began work as the promotions manager here in January 1998. Prior to that, I did a lot of pro-bono design work for the station. My job as promotions morphed into its current iteration. I still do promotions, publish a monthly program guide, manage the website and station's social media, and do various kinds of graphic design work.  

Before PBS39, what did you do?

Before I came here, I worked in advertising as a creative director, art director and graphic designer/artist for over 15 years.