FIR Interview: Josh Hallett, Hyku - June 17, 2005

In this edition of For Immediate Release podcast interviews, Neville enjoyed a 40-minute conversation with Josh Hallett, CEO of Hyku LLC. Topics and themes discussed include: consulting on blogs and other new-media channels; how blogs are being used in Florida, eg, in education, local government; mainstream media and blogs; working with PR and marketing firms; views on BlogNashville; podcasting developments; a look ahead for blogs in Florida.

About our conversation partner:

Josh Hallett is an expert in the utilization of web and internet-based technologies for business communications. For more than ten years, he has been working with emerging internet communication technologies and is recognized as an early adopter who works closely with public relations practitioners and corporate communicators to integrate these tools into an organization's public and media relations strategies.

As a blog consultant, Josh assists his clients by explaining how their organizations can effectively utilize blogs for public relations and marketing purposes. His understanding of the intersection of blogs and public relations from a technological standpoint allows him to provide his clients with the tools needed for strategic planning, such as monitoring and/or implementing blogs and measuring blog effectiveness. Josh is a member of the Information Architecture Institute (IAI) and the Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA). Based in Celebration, Florida, Josh serves clients throughout the United States.

Download the conversation here (MP3, 16MB), or sign up for the RSS feed to get it and our future shows automatically. (For automatic synchronization with your iPod or other digital player, you’ll also need software such as the FeedDemon RSS aggregator, or the free ipodder or DopplerRadio).

Interview Segment Time Points:

• 00:01 Neville introduces the interview.
• 01:17 Josh sets the scene with an overview of his background and about his business, and the concepts behind his company name, his website and blog.
• 04:03 The Disney origins of Celebration, Florida.
• 04:53 Josh explains why he moved into blog consultancy and the business opportunities, types of clients.
• 09:11 Neville asks about issues and client needs: similar to elsewhere or are there local differences?
• 09:48 Josh outlines one example: education, where a local school superintendent blogs.
• 12:00 Neville comments on mainstream media enabling blogs for local communities.
• 12:33 Josh on regional mainstream media attitudes to and awareness about new-media channels.
• 15:11 Josh on the effects of tourism on local issues.
• 16:02 Neville asks about local politicians blogging.
• 16:11 Josh on Congresswoman Katherine Harris and political blogging in Florida.
• 17:30 Neville comments on the true grassroots nature of blogging.
• 18:11 Josh on public speaking about blogs, some reasons for blogging by organizations from the individual perspective, and some reasons why they shouldn't blog.
• 21:29 Neville asks about market competition.
• 21:37 There isn't much right now, says Josh: outlines his market position and competition; Neville overviews success factors.
• 23:02 Neville comments on Ketchum's entry into blog consulting.
• 24:07 Josh on blog consulting and its relationship with the public relations service offering.
• 26:22 Josh talks about last month's BlogNashville which he attended.
• 28:40 Josh on "Dave Winer's respectful disagreement" at BlogNashville.
• 30:38 Josh talks about the Gainesville podcasters' meeting last week.
• 31:41 'Slice and dice' podcast listening was one lively talking topic at the Gainesville event: Neville and Josh discuss the merits or not.
• 34:30 Josh on why he's thinking he might start a podcast.
• 36:21 Josh on how he sees the market for blogs in the next 1-2 years.
• 38:45 Neville and Josh with concluding wrap up.
• 39:18 Description of this podcast and where to find For Immediate Release.

Links for the individuals and organizations we discussed or mentioned in the conversation:

Skype, Josh Hallett, Hyku, Hyku blog, Jacob Nielsen, Celebration FL, Disney, Disney's development of Celebration, FRPA, PubSub, Clayton Wilcox blog, St Petersburg Times, Orlando Sentinel, Tampa Tribune, Miami Herald, Katherine Harris, Mike Manuel, Ketchum, Jeremy Pepper, BlogNashville, Glenn Reynolds, Rebecca MacKinnon, Dan Gillmor, Dave Winer, "Dave Winer's respectful disagreement", Rex Hammock, Andy Kaufman, Gainesville podcasters' meeting, New York Times, Kaye Trammell, George Colombo, Red Hat blogs, For Immediate Release.

(Cross-posted from For Immediate Release, Shel's and my podcast blog.)