Audience 20/20 Manifesto

As promised, here is the beginning of the Audience 20/20 Manifesto:

1. Be Transparent: This means show the audience exactly what you are doing and why you chose to do it. Further, give the audience all of your research, interview transcript and/or video. With You Tube and other video uploading sites available, there really isn't any excuse not to provide the entire interview. Your credibility will dramatically increase, in addition, they will come back to you because they know they will get the whole story.

2. Give more than you receive: Beyond letting the audience see your process, give them the tools they need to participate in the process. CNN really is onto something with the CNN iReport.

3. Interactivity: The audience must be allowed not only to contribute video reports, you should include them in every part of the process. Why not invite some really informed members of your community to supply story ideas on a regular basis. You could conference them in on Skype. You could accept their ideas via phone, text, email or any other means possible.

4. Real Time: Give them relevant information. They do not want to know that gas prices are high. They do want to know where the gas is right now. During the Nashville gas shortage, the Twitter community provided up to date locations to find gas. They also want to know where the cheapest gas is when it is available. The notion of appointment news consumption is DEAD.

Well, that's all for now, I'll add a few more later. Of course, you are welcome to provide your thoughts as well.

Peace.