My BFF Daisy Whitney will be presenting to the Silicon Valley American Marketing Association (SVAMA) Morning Forum in September 2009. She has kindly agreed to get up at an ungodly hour and appear pre-coffee…or close to it, to enlighten us all about the best use of online video. Here are the details:

SVAMA Presents: “The Seven Secrets to Success with Online Video”

Who’s watching video online? What are they watching? Where are they going to see videos? Do they watch alone or with friends and family? And, most important, do they pay attention to the ads? Learn about the new consumer behavior online, how viewers are shifting to the Web and to see what, and which kinds of ads are following consumers online. This presentation will also detail new initiatives by brands to market themselves through the Web, either in developing their own Web shows or by sponsoring existing online-video projects and TV shows.

SPEAKER: DAISY WHITNEY, writer, producer, on-air correspondent

WHEN: Tuesday, Sept 22, 2009; 8:30 – 10:00 am

WHERE: Scott’s Seafood Restaurant and Grill, 855 El Camino Real (Town and Country Shopping Center, at Embarcadero and El Camino Real), Palo Alto, CA 94301; Tel. (650) 323-1555

COST: Currently $5 for SVAMA members, $15 for non-members

NOTE: Venue requires breakfast be purchased

RSVP: info@elymedia.com

Don’t miss this! Daisy is a whirlwind of information — and tons of fun.

— Elyse Tager

We are still almost TV-less.  Having discontinued our cable contract, and getting only a few broadcast stations (none of which the kids watch), we as a family have entered a new era.  Not to say that we aren’t still media-centric.  I can’t count the number of screens, laptops, shuffles, iPods, gameboys, Wiis in our house.  But our loyalties have shifted.  I can only assume we are part of a trend.

Both kids are living on YouTube and Hulu for different reasons.  My son is constantly searching for Wii game cheats and tips.  I hope he goes into game programming so he can make some money with this obsession.  Both son and daughter are looking for movie clips, comic stuff and all-around entertainment — both have come running to us to drag us over to see something they find awesome.  Same daughter (teenager extraordinaire) is also glued to Facebook.  See — typical family.  And we DO still talk to each other (she said optimistically)

I’m still the podcast junkie.  My eyes get tired, and I get weary of screens in general.  I’ve subscribed to innumerable podcast shows – trade/media related, news/business, and more personal interests, and I could spend all of my free time happily sporting earbuds (mine are PINK!).

I do worry.  With so much stimulation in the house, why go out?  Why see people?  What happens to social interaction (non electronic)?  Are the kids losing their ability to be social?  I would love to get feedback from you all on how your family has integrated media into the family.

One shameless plug.  Roxanne Darling will be presenting to the SVAMA Wed, Jan 28th on topic of Online video.  Rox is a wonderful presenter, and this will be interactive and fun.  Come join us!

A diversion into the personal for this post.  With the start of the school year, my husband and I decided to get rid of cable, and all TV actually, just to see how our 2 middle-school kids adjusted to the new year.  Our 11 year old son is (was?) completely addicted to CartoonNetwork, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel.  So we went cold turkey.

We heard a lot of complaining and groaning for the first few days.  But they seem to have adjusted.  Both kids have discovered YouTube.  Granted my son is spending more time on his computer with some pretty sophisticated games.  But not to the degree that he was staring at the TV.   That zombie like glaze is gone.

But there are so many other astounding aspects.  The house is quieter – except for the chatter of the kids.  My son has turned into a chatterbox and is full, no overflowing with talk.  Its as if the flood gates have opened.  We are spending more time just talking as a family.  I thought we did a pretty good job on this front before, but there is much more interaction and just hanging out with each other. 

Here is an interesting take on killing the TV.  And another.

I miss PBS.  And the cooking shows.  And, dare I say it, What Not to Wear (OK we all need some piffle in our lives).  But not that much.  We get most of our news online and from the blogs.  It’s a tiny price to pay for a changed family dynamic.  Simply amazing.