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Topic: Media Bistro Parties
| Author | Message |
| GalleyGal | Posted – 2/21/2008 11:06:28 AM | show profile I just went to my third party All Media Party and was appalled at the amount of people who were not in media in there! Is there any way to screen these things better?I go to network, not to chat with people who want me to explain my job. |
| Metro Writer | Posted – 2/21/2008 11:26:40 AM | show profile That is frustrating. There are very few good writers organizations in the suburbs. I wish Media Bistro would venture outside the main cities. Those of us with young children can no longer get to Manhattan at night, but something that's closer is doable. |
| write2rachel | Posted – 2/21/2008 1:53:40 PM | show profile Just curious... who was there? ------ www.rachelcericola.com |
| advicesisterA | Posted – 2/21/2008 7:04:42 PM | show profile | email poster I wish there were lunch hour coffee meetings instead of those in bars...I really don't like going to clubs or bars even to socialize with friends, so going there to network is a turn-off. Also, a lunch hour event could be timed and pared down so that no one has to hang out for a few hours to see who is going to show up. |
| GalleyGal | Posted – 2/21/2008 8:19:55 PM | show profile Who was there Rachael, let's just say that they were not media people at all. Writers showing up are fine, but I draw the line if your job entails retail or service in a non media company. I agree that there should be coffee events but I understand why they do the bar thing. Liquid courage. All I'm saying is make it more exclusive so people are attracted to go. I think I'm giving up on these parties entirely until then. |
| write2rachel | Posted – 2/21/2008 9:41:08 PM | show profile Good to know... thanks GalleyGal! |
| sgs | Posted – 3/8/2008 2:18:29 PM | show profile | email poster Venturing outside Manhattan I've been suggesting get togethers outside of Manhattan/NYC for a while now. I'm in NJ, and it would be better for me to occasionally make a get together. |
| candylilacs | Posted – 3/8/2008 10:36:40 PM | show profile Hey, no complaining! I'm near SF and there's no Mediabistro parties! I would actually help with one, too! ------ http://www.mswritesguide.blogspot.com |
| Johnny Boy | Posted – 3/12/2008 5:29:04 PM | show profile Egads! <> Who let in all the milkmen?! And the shoe salesmen!? |
| mkelly | Posted – 3/13/2008 10:15:53 AM | show profile MB parties have gone way downhill in the last year or two-- in Boston, they've gone from good monthly events at a wide range of bars, to sporadic get-togethers every few months in one specific neighborhood. (Great if you live there, difficult if you don't.) I suspect it's related to MB selling out to JupiterMedia, which is much more interested in making money than building connections, as Laurel Touby did oh-so long ago. |
| GalleyGal | Posted – 3/13/2008 2:43:02 PM | show profile Are you calling her out?!? Sell-out or not, the only way to fix things is for people who rsvp be required to send an email confirmation from their work email. If they limited the writers to freelancers registered with media bistro that would be good as well... then they could keep their bottom line. Not to be elitist , but it's neccessary to keep the people that these parties are meant to be filled with interested. |
| maphop | Posted – 3/18/2008 12:02:10 PM | show profile I stopped going a few years ago because they felt more like meat markets than business networking/social groups. At any given event it seemed like within a couple of hours 90% of the folks there were plastered (drunk) and more interested in hooking up than talking about how to make their careers better/more fulfilling. And, I have to agree with the original poster - it felt like at least half the folks there weren't really in the media world. |
| foto | Posted – 4/6/2008 12:31:00 AM | show profile I used to go to the MB parties. But after a while I realized that everyone there looked like they were in their 20s or early 30s. Older people don't seem to fit in there. |
| Nikongirl | Posted – 4/6/2008 9:26:48 AM | show profile I put on a huge national awards event as well as chairing a couple of AIDS fundraisers, I know how to make it an event where people are comfortable, introducing people to each other etc...GREETING people at the door should be standard - not so, at the couple of MB parties I attended here in Toronto. The so-called "hostess" was busy flitting about impressed with her feather boa and the young twenty-somethings that were her friends. The rest of us felt shut out. It was a bitterly cold winter night, quite a distance within the city to travel to the location, I had brought a three other journalist with me who are also members of MB. I got the impression most of them were fresh faced, young interns- not that there?s anything wrong with that?.we all started somewhere but it just wasn?t my scene. We actually stayed for about two hours thinking it would get better. At no point in the evening did either of the two ?hosts? come over to speak or introduce themselves. It was very cliquish with everyone sitting at the bar with their backs to everyone else until more people showed up and spread around the tiny bar. It was held at a very expensive Vodka bar. I love vodka but not at those inflated prices to sit with a bunch of kids who were -either looking to hook up or wanting to know how to "break into a great J job".... |
| foodlit | Posted – 4/6/2008 10:00:45 AM | show profile I've gone to two of the Boston parties, each time with a friend who used to be a meeting planner and we were both really disappointed. She commented both times on how poorly run the events were, no hostess coordinating things, no structure or speaker, just what felt like a 20's something meat market. Not at all what we expected. It's too bad too because she saw so many ways they could have easily improved the experience for everyone. Seems like there is potential here that isn't being focused on at all. |
| joyeuxnoelle | Posted – 4/6/2008 1:19:56 PM | show profile Maybe it's for the best they don't have these in my city. I thought that someone from mb would have responded by now. They're usually quick to tamp out criticism. |
| mara4 | Posted – 4/7/2008 12:26:11 PM | show profile Thank you for your feedback Hi All, I?d like to sincerely thank you for your feedback. mediabistro.com hosts 200 parties a year in 22 cities and your opinions are extremely important to us. If you have suggestions/concerns, we?d love to hear them. Please email us at events@mediabistro.com. Best, Mara Event Manager mediabistro.com |
| roxannekkb | Posted – 4/7/2008 6:26:32 PM | show profile I used to attend the parties in Seattle, and also found that they were extremely cliquish. People rarely ventured beyond the group that they showed up with, and there was relatively no mixing/mingling. The host/hostess (at times, there were even two) did relatively nothing to get people to circulate. I even volunteered to take photographs, and did so at a number of the parties, just as a way of butting in and breaking the ice. It worked a little bit, but after people posed for the picture, chatted a little, it was right back to what it was. Also, some of the venues were way too small for the number of people. And some of them had a layout which was very poor for this sort of thing, as the MB people were mixed in with "regulars" who were dining. The mix of people tended to be diverse, but far too many were in careers that really stretched the term "media." My guess is that they were brought by friends. I stopped attending the parties about 2 years ago, and I don't think I would ever go to another, unless something dramatically changes. ------ www.nabeepchen.com |
| roxannekkb | Posted – 4/7/2008 6:29:18 PM | show profile Forgot to add--when I was taking pictures, I met people who didn't even know what MB was! They asked me about it, what it was, etc. I guess they thought it was a singles night or something, or a way to get discount booze and free food. ------ www.nabeepchen.com |
| Johnny Boy | Posted – 4/7/2008 7:53:04 PM | show profile The MB party in Detroit ...was simply dee-vine. One Eye Shirley vomited all over her shoes in the alley but thankfully our host, Mel, was there to sop up the mess with his boa. A fine time was had by all. Tootles.... |
| Alegíatapatía | Posted – 4/8/2008 6:34:20 PM | show profile Name tags Being a freelancer can be a pretty lonely endeavor at times so I was looking forward to the MB party in part to network, but also to meet and chat with other freelancers. I showed up to the L.A. party by myself and I have to say it was a challenge to walk up to strangers without any sort of ice breaker. The few people I did end up talking to had name tags which included their position or organization. Some of them weren't in the field I was looking to speak with, but their name tags at least provided a jumping off point for a conversation starter. I was surprised that the organizers had the name tags on a table in a shadowy corner in the back of the room. Normally, I would say that wearing name tags is silly and that people should be able to strike up a conversation on their own, but being that the purpose of the event is networking I think it would be a good idea to encourage their use. I realize that some people would disagree and say that they don't want to be approached just because of their position, but I think it would have made things a lot easier for someone like me who was flying solo. Hopefully next time there will be some kind of ice breaker so I don't feel like I'm back at a high school dance. ------ Http://AlegriaTapatia.Blogspot.com |
| mkelly | Posted – 4/9/2008 9:48:19 AM | show profile We're reporters-- we shouldn't need to rely on name-tags as icebreakers. Hence I always took mine off, or made up some name to F with the organizers. That said, the organizers in Boston seem to have evaporated. Gone are the days when we had them monthly-- now it seems to be once in a blue moon. It stinks. |
| MissyK | Posted – 4/9/2008 3:51:25 PM | show profile from a hostess' point of view As a hostess I want to stress that all hosts are volunteers. They?re not professional party planners, just regular MB attendees that want to get involved. It?s true that there are better hosts than others, but without them, there would be no party. It?s unfortunate to hear that some cities no longer have parties due to a lack of hosts. But being a host is a lot of work!!!! In regard to attendees, I will say that for my city, each month is different. Sometimes it seems as if everyone there is a recent college grad looking for a job? other times it?s a perfect mix. One time I hosted a party and I was the only female in attendance. Unfortunately there are some people there who are looking for a date or looking for a job or just want free food. But during the years I?ve hosted, I?ve seen my fair share of true networking. Mb will never be able to get ideal attendees. In regard to venues, it is very hard pleasing everyone. One time I got the same venue suggestion for 10 people so we booked the next month?s party at that venue. I'd say 15 people complained to me that night that it was in a bad location. I get complaints that the venue we're at have drinks that are too expensive. So the next month we?ll go to a pub or somewhere cheaper and people will complain about that. I take all the suggestions given to me very seriously and try and accommodate them but in the end, every guest has something to complain about. In regard to screening attendees, I doubt mb will ever be able to screen all the guests and make sure they?re in media. To be completely honest? I?m not really in media! I was when I started hosting but have changed jobs since. In regard to non-bar/club type events. I don?t think there would be enough volunteers willing to plan and execute a lunch or ?just coffee? type mb party. Has anyone ever posted their own event on the ?outside events? page on the website? A regular attendee at my parties posted a call for all Shakespeare lovers to meet every Sunday for coffee, discussion and networking. I think his first event had 15 people. I think that's pretty good? Getting people to circulate and mingle is very hard. A lot of people come with coworkers or friends and don?t want to be broken up. I try my best to bring two groups together or introduce so-and-so to a virgin mb guest, etc. but it?s tough! Sometimes you can?t circulate people who don?t want to be circulated. I?d say a good 10% of my attendees are able to start conversations and most importantly, involve others in it. There?s also a fair share of attendees who come, stand in a corner and are unable to do anything (introduce themselves, walk up to a group, etc.) and I do my best to help them, but I?m not going to hold their hand all night. As for ice breakers, I have no idea what we could do. The ones that I can think of are pretty juvenile and I think would be more of a pain. Does anyone have any suggestions? That?s my two cents :) |
| mkelly | Posted – 4/10/2008 8:10:55 AM | show profile I think a wet t-shirt contest would definitely get a crowd. |
| camper | Posted – 4/10/2008 4:25:42 PM | show profile The San Francisco MB parties aren't bad at all, IMO. Most everybody is in media (lots of tech and business journalism, book publishing, marketing). People mingle. They're very tame affairs- I haven't seen hooking up or drunken follies- but then again we haven't had one with open bar in years. Maybe that's the problem... |
