How I ended up working in digital
When I started working for the CBC my job was to answer phone calls and emails and tweets from people like you — Canadians from coast to coast to coast reaching out with questions and comments and suggestions about all things CBC.
“Can I stream CBC TV programs online?” (Yes!) “How many radio transmitter sites are there in Alberta?” (More than 40.) “Why does Peter Mansbridge wear yellow more than he wears purple?” (Officially, no idea. Unofficially, he can rock yellow like no other.)
The toughest questions to answer were those of a digital nature.
When you asked if you needed Flash to listen to live streams or video clips, I had the answer (you don’t) but no understanding of the technology in question.
I had no idea how much goes into making a webpage open, or what it takes to make an app respond. There are operating systems and devices to consider. There’s connection speed, as well as browsing history and cookies. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes — and that’s just the beginning.
My curiosity was piqued. An opportunity to work with CBC’s Digital Operations team came up and I hopped on board.
It would be fair to say that I am out of my element in this field.
Fortunately for me, folks who work at the Ceeb are rad, and they’re helping me understand a thing or two about what is involved in building digital products and experiences. More importantly, I’ve come to understand that digital is all about people. This is where I hope we’ll go together in this blog.
It will be about connecting you with your public broadcaster and your fellow Canadians, both locally and nationally.
It will be about strengthening the connection between people who create digital experiences and you, the people for whom we create those experiences.
Some posts will be geared toward a more technical crowd — developers, designers, product owners and accessibility specialists, for example — people who want to learn about and connect with how we are building digital products at the CBC.
Other posts will appeal to a broader range of folks — covering topics like the balance between personalizing content and filter bubbles, or how the airing of the Tragically Hip concert last August truly brought our nation together. My hope is that this foray into the digital realm will be interesting and helpful to my fellow non–digitally inclined Canucks.
Ultimately, I think being transparent about the things we’re creating in digital spaces will help us create and develop our products to better serve you.
I’m curious: what about digital is the most exciting to you? Is there anything that confuses you? Which trends are you most keen to learn about? Leave a comment, or send your thoughts to emma dot baril at cbc dot ca.
Until next time,
Emma
