Bloggers Networking on CBC TV Late Summer 2012
Bloggers, internet marketers, social media enthusiasts and people curious about the related topics and about John Chow, the famous A blogger from Vancouver, have been meeting regularly for a weekly lunch meeting for years. Those meetings came to be known as Dot Com Pho. But never before has the mainstream media like TV and radio paid any attention to that. That has changed on April 01, 2012.
CBC TV crew came by to observe what we do at Dot Com Pho and to make a documentary about it. This is not an April Fool’s Day joke. I have a video to prove it.
Why would CBC TV be interested in what local bloggers, internet marketers and social media enthusiasts do around a lunch table eating noodle soup, spring rolls and drinking iced coffe or the house tea? Is there a success story behind it somewhere?
You bet there is. Everybody loves a success story. It’s great that a TV station is paying attention to things other than disasters, crime and horror stories.
The fame and success of John Chow got their attention somehow. As the importance of the internet and social media increases so will the main stream media attention to it. CBC TV is going to run a TV documentary series this summer or late fall about social media.
Update: At today’s (August 18, 2912) Pho in Vancouver visited by John Chow after many months John Chow announced that the CBC documentary about him would be broadcast today, August 18, 2012 at 7 p.m. on CBC TV channel.
I have written about the importance of Live Networking and Social Media in several of my posts. For those of you who missed that or ignored it you may want to go and read the posts now. At least read these two: 5 Reasons for Internet Marketing Networking and Social Media Engine Optimization.
When things are on TV it usually means that they are more important than things that don’t make it there. At least that’s how most people perceive it. The masses will certainly pay more attention to what is on TV especially if it’s there often enough.
The coming CBC TV documentary series will be likely an opener for more things to come on the subject.
As far as personalities go the main focus of this coming documentary, the part of it that will be from Vancouver, is John Chow.
The CBC TV crew asked four long timers of Dot Com Pho, those who have known John Chow for the longest time questions about him and how he became successful. To be fair they asked other questions too, having to do mainly with what the interviewees themselves do.
One of the recurring questions was “How would you describe John Chow to your Grandfather or Grandmother?” I personally found it funny. But there were a lot more interesting and deeper questions and no matter which ones will make it into the televised documentary, they will be great to hear and find the answers to by watching the program.
It will be interesting and educational not only for complete strangers but also for all those who have been going to Dot Com Pho lunches all those years or a portion of them and who know John Chow personally like myself. The reason is that those questions or at least some of them were never asked before or even if they were they weren’t answered in such depth.
I found the CBC TV crew very friendly and down to earth. Compared with some big screen movie making people that I had the chance to observe they were refreshingly normal, with no ego of elephant size towering above them.
They were:
Andrew Lavigne behind the camera who also asked some of the questions. Andrew Lavigne is the director and the main guy behind the coming series. Update: Andrew Lavigne scraped content from my YouTube video and from the YouTube video of Michael Kwan. He did so without our permission and without giving us any credit, mention or link. This is why I have removed his link from this page. We found out that he used our content without permission on Friday evening, August 18, 2012 when the show aired on CBC TV.
Kemp Edmonds asked a lot of the questions and seemed to be the PR guy.
Ruth (she did the lighting and I never caught the last name) and Jeremy who did something invisible.
The Dot Com Pho people that were interviewed in order of the interviews:
Rainer Schmoll from Thinkreferrals,
Ed Lau, from Ededition,
Michael Kwan, from BeyondtheRhetoric,
Stephen Fung from Futurelooks.
At the urging from our table CBC TV also interviewed Brian, the owner of the restaurant.
We had a normal and fun Dot Com Pho meeting as usual aside from the CBC TV filming crew presence creating a bit of extra excitement.
Watch the video below to see for yourself that CBC TV crew was really there. Andrew Lavigne at the start of the video also outlines the reasons for and the subjects of the coming documentary series.
Now that you’ve watched the video, please do check it out at least the first half of it if you haven’t done so, do me a favor and let me know by leaving a comment about it and the post above.
I’d also like your response to the following question:
If you knew for sure that there is going to be a TV crew filming a meeting for a documentary that will be shown on TV in your state or province and possibly nationwide would you be more likely to attend than if the meeting was to be a private one with just a video from it appearing on YouTube?
I’m very keen to know your answer. Hit the comment section right now and write away.
Have you done it? Great. Now tweet, bookmark, Google+ and Like it on Facebook.
I’ll thank you when I reply to your comment.
One last thing. Learn everything about social media in practice. Check out the most comprehensive course I know of and which I study myself. Click on the banner and take a good look.
.
Authored by Vance Sova
Filed under: Net Marketing Events, Networking
Well for me, of course I will attend because I know I can relate to it and it will be a great experience for me then…
Vance Reply:
April 4th, 2012 at 9:19 am
Hi Adhriene,
Thanks for commenting. I’m not sure what you mean exactly though.You can relate to what, the TV crew filming? We had a lot more people attend than usually. The reason was likely the presence of CBC TV. Please clarify your comment.I want to find out why more people would show up at a meeting when TV crew is there as opposed to when the meeting is more private.
Vance
It would be interesting to attend but unfortunately I live half way across the world. Of course CBC TV just made it a lot more interesting for people not just for the blogging community but for outsiders as well. I think that blogging has become so popular, it’s just natural that people would like to know more about it.
– Cristina
Cristina@reflux diet´s last blog post ..Acid Reflux Pillow Review: MedSlant
Vance Reply:
April 5th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
Hi Christina,
Thank you for commenting. Half way across the world, is it Europe or Asia? we are half way in between the two continents plus minus 100 km. Would you come to the meeting, if you lived close by, because of the TV crew being there or regardless?
Vance
Cristina@reflux diet Reply:
April 9th, 2012 at 5:02 pm
Hi Vance,
Asia actually 🙂 To answer your question, yes I would still come regardless. I just think the TV crew makes the meeting more accessible for people who are interested but can’t make it there physically.
– Tina
Cristina@reflux diet´s last blog post ..Acid Reflux Pillow Review: MedSlant
Vance Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Hi Tina,
Thanks for the reply. Asia is a bit too far. You’re right. You can meet with us virtually by reading my blog and perhaps subscribing to my YouTube channel in order to not miss any of the videos that I make at the meetings. I don’t post all of them here.
Cheers,
Vance
Wow! Such a good news! I’ve never heard it before that someone from the blogger community went out to the mainstream media. That’s really a big deal!
Julie´s last blog post ..dental implants
Vance Reply:
April 5th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Hi Julie,
Thanks for commenting. You’re right, I think it’s a big deal to have TV filming bloggers. Let’s see if that becomes more frequent.
Vance
John has had his fair share of mainstream media attention and that was certainly the motivation for CBC to come to Dot Com Pho, but it is good to see that Dot Com Pho will see some more exposure. It helps that I’ve become more comfortable in front of the camera in recent years. 🙂
Michael Kwan @Freelance Writer´s last blog post ..Grammar 101: Segway vs. Segue
Vance Reply:
April 5th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
Hey Michael,
Good to see you here commenting. Thanks for the visit and for what you wrote. John Chow was interviewed on TV before but I think that it was in a studio and not in a restaurant with other bloggers present, let alone being interviewed too.
Dot Com Pho deserves this exposure as part of what John was and is still part of. Others attending matter too and who knows what one or more of them will become in the future.
How did you become more comfortable with being on camera? Through being on videos of the many episodes posted on YouTube and various blogs, or have you been on TV before?
Vance
Michael Kwan @Freelance Writer Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 12:37 am
Sorry for the late reply. I’ve gotten more comfortable in front of the camera thanks to the countless Dot Com Pho episodes certainly, but I also do quite a bit of on-screen stuff with MEGATechNews too, as well as with Mobile Magazine and with videos on my own blog.
Michael Kwan @Freelance Writer´s last blog post ..Grammar 101: Dwarfs or Dwarves?
Vance Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Thanks Michael,
I knew of most things that you do and describe here but I didn’t know about the Mobile Magazin.
wow! thats some achievement!!!! some-one from the blogger community going out to the mainstream media. well done, am really impressed
TV and radio paid attention to the meetings of the bloggers which is very shocking and at the same time very interesting to know.
Vance Reply:
April 8th, 2012 at 9:15 am
Hi Bishal,
Why do you think it’s very shocking? Surprising, yes but I don’t think it’s shocking, not to me. Thanks for commenting and I’d appreciate if you could comment further on this.
Vance
Hi Vance…I have never heard about TV filming bloggers before and you make it very clear here…Thanks for your help!
Very encouraging that someone from the blogger community went out to the mainstream media. Well done!
Thanks with Regards,
Seoexp @ Hosting
It’s really good to hear that someone from the bloggers have got a wonderful opportunity to be filmed in media. Seems that a huge wave is going to turn up something good for bloggers..;) getting wider exposure from everywhere. 🙂
Marie Duplanty´s last blog post ..Home trainer pas cher
Vance Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Hi Marie,
Thanks for the comment. We’ll see how significant it will turn up to be. We certainly enjoyed the attention.
Vance
I hope there could be some social media meet here in our place as well. When are you going to meet again? I bet you enjoyed each others company.
-Ching
Ching Ho´s last blog post ..how to seduce a woman
Vance Reply:
April 13th, 2012 at 12:48 pm
Hi Ching Ho,
We meet virtually every week and we do have fun enjoying the food and the talk. Sometimes we do a gadget review too. Once in a while when everybody is busy we don’t have a meeting but that doesn’t happen that often.
Thanks for commenting and I hope that you can get something like this going where you live.
Cheers,
Vance
If I have a chance, YES, I will Attend. Why not? It’s a great experience and learning, a chance to meet people. Whether there’s someone to film it or not, I will go. But when it has, it’s a great exposure. come to think of it, I haven’t attend any seminar with film maker from networks, but I hope I could, one day.
Wayne´s last blog post ..Newborn initially thought to be stillborn, found breathing in morgue
Vance Reply:
April 19th, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Hi Wayne,
Thank you for contributing your comment. It’s great that you’d come regardless of the TV crew being there or not. But in fact a lot more people showed up knowing they might be filmed, interviewed or just witness the special occasion. Some of the people can’t come to the regular meetings most of the time because of distance but they did make a special effort for the special occasion. On the other hand there were people there that I’ve seen for the first time and likely for the last time until the next big event.
Cheers,
Vance
Really vance it is amazing to know that any one from blogging community can join mainstream media . This is very impressive and exciting.
Asma Khan´s last blog post ..Crohns Blog
Amazing that a major tv network are interested in bloggers , its great news blogging in general that we are current news.
Personally it wouldn’t effect my attendance of an event ,if anything it might make me not go . Its great that it increased your attendance , but in today’s “i want to be famous” society , you wonder how many came for fame and how many actually came in the name of blogging. Great article thank you for sharing .
victoria alex´s last blog post ..Fakes in Escort Industry. Ворованная реклама Анжелики.
It’s nice to know that bloggers are really getting recognized outside the online world. I wish bloggers have this kind of exposure from where I live. Here, we still have a long way to go. Congratulations, Vance.
Vance Reply:
April 19th, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Hi Mae,
Thank you for commenting. I hope that more recognition is coming your way too. Hopefully this is going to be a trend.
Vance
Mae@lace front Reply:
April 24th, 2012 at 5:32 pm
I hope so too. My blogging journey has just started and I’m excited to see what’s in store for me.
Vance Reply:
April 25th, 2012 at 11:55 am
Keep at it and hopefully something amazing will happen.
It is great to see mainstream media give its attention to online media.
That soup looks damn good 😀
Anyway, it’s nice to see some offline activity between bloggers.
Vance Reply:
April 20th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
Hi Jack,
The soup is really good and if you order a large bowl the extra serving of noodles, should you want it, is free.
Hey Vance,
Any major TV network covering such meetings is only indicative of growing popularity and interest in blogging. It is quite encouraging for the blogging and internet marketing community.
To answer your question, I sure would attend the meeting being filmed. But I personally think that any meeting that is not being filmed would be equally worth from learning perspective, also I would get good opportunity to connect with fellow bloggers and gain great ideas and insights. So, given a chance I would attend such meetings irrespective of them being covered on TV.
Rita Kunnan´s last blog post ..Bluehost 3.95
Vance Reply:
April 25th, 2012 at 11:54 am
Hey Rita,
Thanks for the nice comment. You would attend either way and that’s what a lot of people say. I think that you really mean it though. It’s fun to get together with other bloggers and usually something useful can be learned there too. Connecting live is still a lot more real than just virtually.
Cheers,
Vance
I’d definitely be entertaining the TV crew. Great post!
Vance Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 1:41 pm
Hi Annie,
You’d be entertaining the TV crew, how?
As a Canadian it’s great to see our National CBC channel showing interest in Blogging and Internet marketing. When will this air? I would love to watch it.
Vance Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Hi Pavel,
Nobody, and that includes the producer, knows the exact date the documentary will be on air. Also it may first be broadcast in BC and then nationally. The producer also thinks and hopes that the rights to it may later be sold for the US market as well.
If and when I find out the exact date of the broadcast, I will post it on my blog. So keep reading.
Vance
Vance Reply:
August 18th, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Today John Chow said that the documentary about him will be shown on CBC TV channel on August 18, 2012 at 7 p.m., most likely local time wherever you are. For us is Pacific time.
I know this is incredibly short notice but that’s what I got. It’s 5 p.m. now.
I hope you watch it.
Cheers,
Vance
Can’t wait to watch the documentary. I’m from Canada too (opposite side though) but I still catch CBC on cable. Please let us know when it will air. I know video says before september but it would be cool to have an exact date!
Thanks,
Anita
Anita´s last blog post ..Vendre une maison rapidement
Vance Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Hi Anita,
Thanks for the comment. If and when I find out what the exact day of airing the documentary is I’ll post it on my blog. Just keep on reading my blog and you won’t miss it. Right now nobody knows exactly when it will air.
Cheers,
Vance
It’s great to hear something like this since it’s a sign that a lot of people are starting to become aware what’s so special about blogging. How was the experience? Thanks for sharing this one.
Vance Reply:
May 3rd, 2012 at 1:43 pm
Hi Jane,
It was interesting to have the TV crew there. A bit of extra excitement but otherwise we did what we normally do, which is always fun.
Wow thats quite an achievement to get cbs out. some prety lofty mainstream meadia exposure ther well done!!
Sounds like a pretty good documentary to me! I would watch it for sure! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this info. When will this air on tv? I’m so excited about this. I hope I do get a lot of useful information from there. Thanks a lot!
Vance Reply:
May 9th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Hi Tyra,
Thanks for the comment. Have you read the post and the comments? Your answer is there.
Cheers,
Vance
I would love to be part of such a program. I would not bother even if it gets aired on TV. And one more thing I would like to add here is I would give honest opinion even on screen and not the answer that the public loves to hear.
Vance Reply:
May 14th, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Hi Victoria,
That sounds good. Giving an honest opinion no matter what is always admirable. Thanks for commenting.
Honestly, this is the kind of event that I need but the location is not for me. Too bad, I want to learn from experts and I mean real ones. Maybe in my dreams?
Thanks for the info!
-Kate
Kate Reyes´s last blog post ..article
That sounds really cool, that documentary is going to be really interesting. I’m looking forward for the episodes, i haven’t heard about any thing like that, bloggers haven’t appeared on the tv screen yet! That’s why this one is really a milestone!
Klara´s last blog post ..Die Schönheit liegt auf der Strasse…
Education is key. I am always amazed by the resources that we have at our fingertips that allow us to improve who we are and how we do business. The more that we help one another and build each other up, the better off we are.
Robert Rogers´s last blog post ..5 Lessons Businesses Can Learn From the Military-
it seems great to watch great bloggers meet in the show and do their expertise talk… it’s like watching the blogger guru defending their writing.
Esha Putra´s last blog post ..When Stress, Women Prone to Heart Attack
Appreciate it for this post, I am a big fan of this website would like to keep updated.
CBC TV just made it a lot more interesting for people not just for the blogging community but for outsiders as well. I think blogging has become more popular. Some one from the blogger community went out to the mainstream media.
Sarah´s last blog post ..Naltrexone For Migraine Treatmemt
It was fun to see CBC TV film the Dot Com Pho lunch and doing interviews with the long timers.
great information. Thanks for telling about the documentary. I am really interested in participating.
Hi there Vance,
It’s been a while, I know. I hope life finds you well. It’s good to be here again at your blog. I’ve been through a big downer, just now starting to learn how to deal with it so now I’m finally starting to blog again.
I think it’s so cool that a TV station is doing a documentary of your get togethers, every one is so natural! It sure helps being Internet Marketers and of course into social media.
I like it when the guy said if this makes you feel uncomfortable and everyone cracked up.
Vance, I would think the owner of the restaurant doesn’t come out when you guys usually get together right?
So you bet your bippy that if a TV station was getting together to do a documentary around my neighborhood I’d be there.
We are Internet marketers we are supposed to eat exposure for breakfast,lunch and dinner.
Catch you later and keep on keeping on Vance,
Terry Conti
Terry Conti´s last blog post ..Your Own Custom Opt-in Box and Aweber
Vance Reply:
June 3rd, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Hi Terry,
I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had a big downer but very happy to see that you are now back. I hope that things will only go up for you for a very long time.
The TV crew visit was fun and, you are right, nobody was nervous because of their presence. We take videos of one another at our lunch meetings all the time so being in front of a camera is completely natural to us.
Thank you very much for the comment and visit.
Cheers,
Vance
great information. Thanks for telling about the documentary. I am really interested in participating.
It was fun to see CBC TV film the Dot Com Pho lunch and doing interviews with the long timers.
A blogger being featured in the mainstream media? Wow, that is really great news. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Audrey Miller´s last blog post ..http://www.kimkardashiantaped.com
This is an exciting news and shows how bloggers have reach the pinnacle of glory these days.
It’s good to hear that someone from the bloggers have a wonderful opportunity to be in media. Huge wave is going to turn up something good for bloggers..;)
Hi there, I log on to your blogs like every week. Your writing style is witty, keep up the good work!