[Chapter-delegates] Chapter advice on live streaming

Winthrop Yu w.yu at gmx.net
Mon Sep 16 20:27:23 PDT 2024


+1 Olivier.

This particular post makes several important points, and thank you for 
summarizing the metrics.

WYn

On 17 Sep 2024 9:58 AM, Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond via Chapter-delegates wrote:
> Dear Ted,
>
> Thank you for responding to my comments.
>
> I have previously articulated that focusing on “live streaming” as a 
> descriptor for the service provided by Joly McFie is a misdirection.
>
> Reiterating the former CEO’s email from April 8th is equally unproductive, as 
> we have already observed the manner in which he defended his decision. 
> However, if you are emphasizing his email, I would appreciate it if you could 
> share the Communications Department’s analysis along with the supporting data, 
> comparing it with the social media metrics for the ISOC YouTube channel. 
> Additionally, I am interested in the brand placement analysis, social media 
> analysis, and search engine optimization figures that demonstrate the Internet 
> Society’s online performance. This includes metrics such as likes, comments, 
> shares, engagement rate, reach (including by geographical region), 
> impressions, follower growth rate, click-through rate, conversion rate, brand 
> mentions, and sentiment analysis, particularly concerning the Internet 
> Society’s image and core messages. Furthermore, the amount of referral traffic 
> and watch time are critical metrics that should not be overlooked.
>
> If the Communications Department has conducted an analysis of ISOC.Live, I 
> would expect a similar analysis for the Internet Society’s own channels. This 
> cost analysis should include benchmarking a cost of $63,000 against the 
> Internet Society’s own production team costs.
>
> Based on Vint's suggestion, I have compiled my own basic metrics, which are 
> calculated approximately on a monthly basis. It is important to note that I 
> have been generous in my assessment, as ISOC.LIVE content primarily consists 
> of fully edited and processed productions. In contrast, the Internet Society 
> YouTube channel predominantly features unstructured short videos or simple 
> recordings of Zoom calls. Additionally, while the Internet Society YouTube 
> channel initially contained a significant amount of Chapter-related content, 
> such mentions have become infrequent in recent times.
>
> Internet Society Youtube Channel:
> 599 Videos, 7.38K subscribers
> Most popular video: Four Reasons to Care About Your Digital Footprint - 8 year 
> ago - 304K views
> In fact, the most recent of the top 20 popular videos on the channel was done 
> 5 years ago. Most of the others, 8+ years ago.
>
> September 2024: 2 videos, 81 views
> August 2024: 7 videos, 477 views
> July 2024: 5 videos, 381 views
> June 2024: 0 videos, 0 views
> May 2024: 2 videos, 184 views
> April 2024: 0 videos, 0 views
> March 2024: 0 videos, 0 views
> February 2024, 0 videos, 0 views
> January 2024: 0 videos, 0 views
> December 2023: 0 videos, 0 views
> November 2023: 4 videos, 360 views
> October 2023: 20 videos, 1540 views (includes presentation of all the Youth 
> Ambassadors 2023)
> Total: 40 videos and 3023 views
>
> ISOC.Live
> 1368 videos, 24K followers
> Most popular videos: HOPE 2024 - 2 months ago - 5.8K views. Indigenous 
> Connectivity Forum, 3 months ago, 1K views. State of the Net plenary + 
> breakout 1, 7 months ago, 1.4K views.
> September 2024: 7 videos, 189 views
> August 2024: 10 videos, 280 views
> July 2024: 11 videos, 6100 views
> June 2024: 15 videos, 1520 views
> May 2024: 17 videos, 698 views
> April 2024: 18 videos, 579 views
> March 2024: 13 videos, 226 views
> February 2024, 8 videos, 1610 views
> January 2024: 3 videos, 315 views
> December 2023: 12 videos, 288 views
> November 2023: 8 videos, 112 views
> October 2023: 13 videos, 693 views (includes presentation of all the Youth 
> Ambassadors 2023)
> Total: 135 videos and 12 610 views
>
> Comparing the stats for ISOC.LIVE with ISOC YouTube ("YT"):
>
> Month 	ISOC.Live Nr. Videos 	ISOC.Live Nr. Views 	ISOC YT Nr. Videos 	ISOC YT 
> Nr. Views
> Sep-24 	7 	189 	2 	81
> Aug-24 	10 	280 	7 	477
> Jul-24 	11 	6100 	5 	381
> Jun-24 	15 	1520 	0 	0
> May-24 	17 	698 	2 	184
> Apr-24 	18 	579 	0 	0
> Mar-24 	13 	226 	0 	0
> Feb-24 	8 	1610 	0 	0
> Jan-24 	3 	315 	0 	0
> Dec-23 	12 	288 	0 	0
> Nov-23 	8 	112 	4 	360
> Oct-23 	13 	693 	20 	1540
> Total 	135 	12610 	40 	3023
>
>
> Costs for ISOC.Live:
> $64k / 135 = $474 per video produced/archived
> $64k / 12610 = $5 per unique view
> Considering that this was conducted on Vimeo’s Livestream, which is not the 
> most widely used platform, these figures are quite satisfactory.
>
> I have shared the most basic metrics I have, please share yours.
>
> Kindest regards,
>
> Olivier
>
>
>
>
> On 16/09/2024 17:06, Ted Hardie wrote:
>> Hi Olivier,
>>
>> Several times in this message you refer to live streaming as a "critical" or 
>> "core" service.  Live streaming is a part of the execution of the 
>> communications plan, and it was in that context that it was analyzed.  As 
>> Andrew noted in his message on this topic on April 8th, that analysis showed 
>> that many of the live streams attracted very few attendees and some none.  As 
>> there are other methods for recording many of the events, the decision was 
>> made to move the live streaming contract to a project basis, rather than a 
>> retainer basis.  This in no way reflects on the quality of the service; it 
>> reflects a change in how media is being consumed not just for ISOC events but 
>> very broadly.
>>
>> As the response from the board notes, if there is new data here, this will be 
>> revisited, and data from the chapters on their use of live streaming is 
>> welcome.  In the case that it does change, the board is confident that the 
>> staff will issue an appropriate RFP and analyze the responses appropriately.
>>
>> regards,
>>
>> Ted Hardie
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 16, 2024 at 4:40 PM Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond <ocl at gih.com> wrote:
>>
>>     Dear Ted,
>>
>>     Thank you for your response. Given your valid point regarding the
>>     openness of the Chapter Delegate mailing list, I will focus exclusively
>>     on the ISOC.Live Streaming and Archiving service, which primarily serves
>>     Chapters.
>>
>>     Aligning with the previous CEO's statements, you mentioned that the
>>     decision to close ISOC.LIVE was made by staff. However, this misses a
>>     crucial point: the request to resume funding was formally submitted by
>>     Chapters to the ISOC Board of Trustees through the Chapter Advisory
>>     Council. A formal decision from the ISOC Board of Trustees was necessary,
>>     requiring adherence to governance principles, including transparency and
>>     accountability, which your response lacks.
>>
>>     I refer you to my previous points made to Luis concerning the Board of
>>     Trustees' responsibilities, beyond their fiduciary duties:
>>
>>     According to the US Council of Nonprofits
>>     (https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/running-nonprofit/governance-leadership/board-roles-and-responsibilities):
>>
>>     "A board of directors does not exist solely to fulfill legal duties and
>>     serve as a fiduciary of the organization’s assets. Board members also
>>     play significant roles in providing guidance to nonprofits by
>>     contributing to the organization’s culture, strategic focus,
>>     effectiveness, and financial sustainability, as well as serving as
>>     ambassadors and advocates. Beyond fulfilling legal duties, board members
>>     can be important resources for the organization in multiple ways."
>>
>>     Merely rubber-stamping staff decisions can lead to significant failures,
>>     as evidenced by numerous corporate governance disasters. A pertinent
>>     example is the failed attempt to sell PIR, which severely damaged the
>>     Internet Society's reputation. It is advisable for all Board members to
>>     undertake a basic course on their rights and responsibilities to ensure
>>     effective governance and fulfil their critical roles as outlined above.
>>
>>     If ISOC.Live is considered a critical service for one of the Internet
>>     Society’s three core communities, the ISOC Board of Trustees is obligated
>>     to take action and fulfil their responsibilities, rather than avoiding them.
>>
>>     Kind regards,
>>
>>     Olivier Crépin-Leblond
>>
>>
>>
>>     On 16/09/2024 09:04, Ted Hardie wrote:
>>>     Hi Olivier,
>>>
>>>     Thanks for expressing your thoughts on this matter.  You ask below
>>>     whether the Board will be "formally notifying the Chair of the Chapter
>>>     Advisory Council, along with her Council Board members, of the rejection
>>>     of the Chapter Advisory Council’s Advice?"
>>>
>>>     On the question of the openness of the chapter delegate list, the board
>>>     has pointed out that there is no need for board action here, since the
>>>     history shows that the original action to close it was taken by the
>>>     ChAC.  This is not a rejection of the advice; it is a continuation of
>>>     the dialogue with the ChAC on how to accomplish their goal and a note
>>>     that the staff contacts will be able to help worth through the options
>>>     with them.
>>>
>>>     On the question of live streaming, the board has reminded the ChAC that
>>>     the decision to move to a project basis for live streaming was a staff
>>>     decision, based on an analysis of the consumption patterns of the
>>>     relevant media.  The board's role here was to set the goals for the
>>>     communication plan; it does not direct the staff on how to structure
>>>     contracts nor would it be appropriate for the board to require specific
>>>     contractors.  It has also noted that data from the chapters on the
>>>     consumption patterns they see when using live streaming would be
>>>     valuable input to ongoing analysis of how to best meet the goals of the
>>>     communication plan.
>>>
>>>     I do not believe I would characterize either response as a rejection of
>>>     the advice of the ChAC.  The board has responded and clarified its roles
>>>     here, and in neither case would it be the right body to take the action
>>>     requested.  We are happy to have the staff support the ChAC in meeting
>>>     its goals directly in the first instance and in the second instance to
>>>     work together with the chapters to continue the analysis of consumption
>>>     patterns and communication strategies.
>>>
>>>     The ChAC has been kind enough to invite me to the call tomorrow,
>>>     September 17th, and I look forward to the opportunity for us to chat
>>>     together.
>>>
>>>     best regards,
>>>
>>>     Ted Hardie
>>>
>>>     On Sun, Sep 15, 2024 at 1:36 PM Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond <ocl at gih.com>
>>>     wrote:
>>>
>>>         Dear Ted,
>>>
>>>         Thank you for explaining the process by which the Internet Society
>>>         Board of Trustees reached its decision. I question the
>>>         appropriateness of this process, given the formal nature of the
>>>         request made by the Chapter Advisory Council, which included a vote
>>>         and extensive documentation.
>>>
>>>         Could you please clarify the rationale behind the decision not
>>>         requiring a formal resolution? Is it not customary for the Board to
>>>         formally endorse or reject formal Advice upon receipt? What measures
>>>         of accountability does the Board have in its decisions if they are
>>>         based on informal processes that lack transparency and traceability?
>>>         Considering the fiduciary responsibilities of all Board members, how
>>>         many other decisions of the Board are subjected to this “informal”
>>>         process, of which non-Board members were previously unaware?
>>>
>>>         Finally, will you be formally notifying the Chair of the Chapter
>>>         Advisory Council, along with her Council Board members, of the
>>>         rejection of the Chapter Advisory Council’s Advice?
>>>
>>>         Kind regards,
>>>
>>>         Olivier Crépin-Leblond
>>>
>>>
>>>         On 13/09/2024 12:36, Ted Hardie wrote:
>>>>         Hi Olivier,
>>>>
>>>>         The board has an active mailing list and informal meetings once a
>>>>         month (though August's meeting did not occur this year because of
>>>>         low availability).  The discussion took place mostly on the mailing
>>>>         list, along with trustees' edits of a proposal using online tools. 
>>>>         Because this response did not require a resolution, confirmation of
>>>>         agreement was assessed on the list and confirmed at the September
>>>>         informal meeting, earlier this week.  None of those methods
>>>>         generate minutes in the formal sense, but I can confirm that there
>>>>         was consensus for the response.
>>>>
>>>>         regards,
>>>>
>>>>         Ted Hardie
>>>>
>>>>         On Fri, Sep 13, 2024 at 12:16 PM Olivier MJ Crépin-Leblond
>>>>         <ocl at gih.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>             Dear Ted,
>>>>
>>>>             I acknowledge receipt of your response, which I have reviewed
>>>>             with interest.
>>>>
>>>>             The Chapter Advisory Council submitted its formal request on 17
>>>>             July 2024. The Board, through its Chair, issued its, I assume,
>>>>             formal response on 13 September 2024.
>>>>
>>>>             Upon reviewing the list of ISOC Board Meetings available at
>>>>             Internet Society Board of Trustees Meetings
>>>>             <https://www.internetsociety.org/board-of-trustees/meetings/>,
>>>>             I have not identified any meetings of the ISOC Board of
>>>>             Trustees occurring between these dates.
>>>>
>>>>             Given that this decision was made by the Board, I kindly
>>>>             request the following:
>>>>
>>>>               * The minutes of the meeting during which the Board decided
>>>>                 not to reinstate the ISOC.LIVE video production, editing,
>>>>                 and archiving services.
>>>>
>>>>             Warmest regards,
>>>>
>>>>             Olivier Crépin-Leblond
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>             On 13/09/2024 09:17, Ted Hardie via Chapter-delegates wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>             Dear colleagues,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             One of the items in your recent advice to the board was a
>>>>>             request that the "ISOC funding for the ISOC.LIVE video
>>>>>             production, editing, and archiving services should be
>>>>>             reinstated, as well as ISOC.LIVE should be financially
>>>>>             supported by ISOC on an ongoing basis."
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             The board's role here is to set the direction for the
>>>>>             organization by establishing strategic goals; the details of
>>>>>             the communication plan are a part of the staff execution of
>>>>>             those goals.  During the budget analysis of 2023, the
>>>>>             communications team analyzed the effectiveness of specific
>>>>>             streaming approaches and found that community engagement was
>>>>>             driven primarily by on-demand viewing.  This matches a broader
>>>>>             shift common to mainstream programming.  As a result of this
>>>>>             analysis, the communications plan shifted away from a
>>>>>             retainer-based contract for live streaming to a project-based
>>>>>             funding model for future work.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             This was a staff management decision, taken with due care and
>>>>>             analysis. The board's role is to assess whether the overall
>>>>>             communications plan is effective in meeting the strategic
>>>>>             goals; it does not direct the staff to use specific contract
>>>>>             types or contractors.  If the needs of the communications plan
>>>>>             change again to require live streaming on a full-time basis,
>>>>>             the board is confident that the staff will issue the
>>>>>             appropriate RFP and conduct the appropriate analysis of the
>>>>>             submissions.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             The project-based funding model remains available, and
>>>>>             chapters may, of course, fund specific live streaming events
>>>>>             using chapter funds or Beyond The Net grants.  Any analysis of
>>>>>             the effectiveness of those live streaming events would be
>>>>>             valuable data for any future considerations of the engagement
>>>>>             model.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             The board thanks the ChaC for its attention to the
>>>>>             communications plan, and we look forward to continued
>>>>>             discussion of how to engage the broader community in the
>>>>>             mission of the society.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             Best regards,
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             Ted Hardie
>>>>>             for the Board
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>             _______________________________________________
>>>>>             As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
>>>>>             to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society Chapter Portal (AMS):https://community.internetsociety.org.
>>>>>             -
>>>>>             View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> As an Internet Society Chapter Officer you are automatically subscribed
> to this list, which is regularly synchronized with the Internet Society Chapter Portal (AMS):https://community.internetsociety.org.
> -
> View the Internet Society Code of Conduct:https://www.internetsociety.org/become-a-member/code-of-conduct/
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://elists.isoc.org/mailman/private/chapter-delegates/attachments/20240917/96125dca/attachment-0001.htm>


More information about the Chapter-delegates mailing list