So for the past week, I have been hosting these lunch hour webinars we call "Coronavirus Conversations". This is a thread about what I've learned so far. https://www.crowdcast.io/sourcemedia 

Preface: We had never used the software (CrowdCast) , had never hosted a webinar that I can remember, spun the whole thing up in less than a week, and - literally - learn and change shit every single day. Ask @BrittanySchock. She knows this.

1. People are interested in useful, practical information that helps them navigate life. My colleague @davidyoderjr is an evangelist of this. He's right. Local news can do this really well.

2. Good, solid "B" work delivered consistently and in a trustworthy manner gets the job done. It also sets the table for A+ work later. When we're done with this series, we will be webinar ninjas.

3. Attendees are forgive my unpolished delivery and crappy production value and seem to award a medal for effort and attitude. They understand that we are doing the journalism together... on the webinar... in the moment.

4. The convening power of reporters, editors, and publishers remains a superpower of local news that is vastly undervalued. We should use it much more often to inform our communities, remind power that we're watching the store, and build connective psychic tissue with both.

5. Platforms like Zoom and CrowdCast are adaptable to WAY MORE than department meetings and slide decks. They are powerful, affordable tools to take audience-engaged reporting to exciting new places.

6. Zoom / CrowdCast won't replace in-person events -- the *last* thing we need to do is become more distant from our readers -- but they are an incredible and lightning-fast way to involve the audience on the fly.

7. These tools allow small local newsrooms to punch way, way, way above their weight classes. Could never get that best-selling author from your hometown to an in-person event? Want to talk to an out-of-town expert live with readers? Zoom bridges the gap.

8. Series like ours and many others are screaming sponsorship opportunities. Again... useful information. Practical things that help people live better, more meaningful lives and address the problems in their communities. Sponsors want to be next to these things.

9. Last thing. Local newsrooms (meaning the reporters) and communities are still *deeply* connected to one another, and COVID-19 is reminding both parties of this in powerful ways. /end