This report outlines existing services and future options for APA divisions to host webcasts, primarily through an external planning webcast series supported by co-sponsoring divisions and chapters. It analyses the potential for generating revenue through these webcasts, particularly for advanced topics, and explores the possibility of direct contracts with APA for divisions to charge fees for their content. The report further suggests improvements in marketing and collaboration with co-sponsors to enhance the quality and visibility of the webcasts and discusses pricing models and the administrative costs involved.

1. REPORT ON OPTIONS FOR DIVISION WEBINARS
Divisions Council - Education Committee (Summer 2011)

2. Introduction
This report provides a description of existing services, both external and in-house, available
to APA divisions for hosting and broadcasting webcasts to their members and other
interested professionals, and specifically looks at the external Planning Webcast series. In
addition, it includes an analysis of options for expanding these services. The report was
produced in response to a request from the APA Divisions Council (DC), as follows:
Mission Statement *
To develop DC’s recommendations for educational programs, professional development
and mentoring to be provided by divisions.
1. To seek opportunities for complementary efforts among divisions, and with APA's
component groups, including the Chapter Presidents Council (CPC), Student
Representative Council (SRC), and American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).
2. The committee will also consider collaboration opportunities with external
organizations where it serves APA's interests and furthers the adopted Development
Plan.
“In addition to its standing mission, the DC Education Committee (EC) shall develop one
or more models through which Divisions may both deliver Certification Maintenance (CM)
content and also generate additional sources of revenue for Divisions. The Committee shall
consider current APA policies regarding access to Webinar software and the pricing of such
access. Also, in building a revenue or business model, consider the pricing of other CM
offerings, especially Webinars.”
Towards these objectives, key team members were recruited at the National Conference in
Boston. Refer to Appendix 2 for committee composition.
* http://www.planning.org/leadership/committees/dc/education.htm
Background
The external Planning Webcasts series is run as a co-op and enjoys broad support within
APA, being co-sponsored by six divisions and twenty- four chapters. Note that only
divisions and chapters can be part of this co-op, not individual APA members. This number
of co-sponsors varies only slightly on a monthly basis. To schedule a webcast, the instructor
simply emails the title, description and biography, to the series coordinator
(planningwebcast@yahoo.com) while the co-sponsors do the rest, including training new
participants, registering participants, scheduling and advertising webcasts, trouble-shooting,
collecting ratings, submitting credits etc.
The service is streamed via Citrix's GoToMeeting, a remote meeting and desktop sharing
software, and its website is administered by APA-UT (http://www.utah-apa.org/webcasts).
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3. Some co-sponsors also link to their webcasts from their home pages on
http://www.planning.org/. The external webcast series carries a fee for its co-sponsors, but
not for the users. This no-cost and ease-of use for the users, its biggest selling points, are
underlined by how an APA member can avail of a simple one-click registration (Figure 1),
and earn up to forty-eight free CM credits with just an internet-connected computer. There
is no fee unless phone access is requested. Therefore, most webcasts only use Voice over
Internet Protocol. The timing is also kept simple with all presentations going from 1 pm -
2:30 pm EST on weekdays, except for Friday when system maintenance is performed. Also,
both pre and post-registered participants can easily claim their credits via
http://www.planning.org/.
Figure 1 (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/112253090)
Downloads
The webcasts are available for download as Windows Media Video (*.wmv), and optionally
as Portable Document Format (*.pdf) files. These files are stored at the Planning Education
at a Distance Center, Knowlton School of Architecture, Ohio State University
(http://knowlton.osu.edu/ped/).
Archives
Past webcasts are also dutifully archived (http://www.utah-apa.org/webcast-archive), if their
instructors have explicitly authorized their archival, with the audio archive co-sponsored by
seven divisions and twenty-two chapters. This number of co-sponsors varies only slightly on
a monthly basis.
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4. Participants
* Minimum 98 - Maximum 1,055 participants per webcast.
* Average 400 - 500 participants per webcast.
* Approximately 90% of participants are AICP.
Topics
Popular topics include Law and Ethics, Real Estate Finance, and Regional Issues. They
topics are broken down into Introductory (appropriate for planners who are not working
directly in this content area), Advanced (appropriate for planners who are working directly in
this content area and planners in a management role supervising planners who are working
in this content area), and Allied (appropriate for all planners and will cover topics in allied
fields related to planning).
Top 2 *
DATE ORGANIZER TOPIC LEVEL CM STATUS REGISTRATION
10-Jun Economic Development Division
Real Estate
Finance
from Simple
to Complex - APPROVED 1,055
19-May Indiana Chapter
New Ideas
for Bike
friendly
Communities Introductory APPROVED 1,019
* Only past 90 days of webcast data from time of data collection, as per GoToMeeting policy. Note that
registration may be ongoing. Refer to Appendix 9 for a detailed spreadsheet.
Bottom 2 *
DATE ORGANIZER TOPIC LEVEL CM STATUS REGISTRATION
17-Jun
NCAC APA and the APA
Economic Development Division
Planning for
Regional
Innovation
Clusters
(RICs) - PENDING 98
24-Jun Technology Division
Introduction
to the H+T
Affordability
Index and
Applications
in Planning Introductory - 171
* Only past 90 days of webcast data from time of data collection, as per GoToMeeting policy. Note that
registration may be ongoing. Refer to Appendix 9 for a detailed spreadsheet.
Fees
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5. As more and more participants have used this popular series, its fees have increased. Co-sponsors
started with a low annual fee that has since doubled to what is now being regarded
as the tipping-point in terms for what the Chapters are willing to bear. The total annual fee
to the co-op is approximately $4,500, and is collected by the series coordinator (Refer to
Appendix 3). However, the current fee-structure does allow for an annual balance of
approximately $1,500 that is rolled over into the next calendar year.
Initial Co-op Member Fee: $75 per year Current Co-op Member Fee: $150 per
year
Analysis of Options for Division Webcasts
Please refer to the Mission Statement.
As a need to offer service options to divisions was felt, the EC was mandated through its
DC to investigate existing services available, and how some or all of the content value from
the external Planning Webcast series could be turned into revenue, thus offering additional
income options to divisions. The DC also asked the EC to investigate service options that
would allow divisions to contract directly with APA for online registration of participants
and/or broadcasting of webcasts. Contracting directly with APA would allow divisions to
charge fees for their webcasts, thereby offering them additional income options. As per
APA, it would provide online registration and broadcasting for a finished webcast developed
by a division or a chapter for a fee of $500 per webcast. It is important to emphasize that
this APA model would not replace the external webcast series.
So while some divisions who are active beneficiaries of webcasts have more robust revenue
models, smaller divisions like Latinos and Planning, and Gays and Lesbians in Planning do
not have sustainable revenue models and regularly face financial shortfalls - such divisions
could benefit from these additional income options. Note that there already exists an indirect
revenue model with the external webcast series as co-sponsors benefit from increased
visibility and services that likely result in increase in or continuation of membership levels.
Note that APA already runs a separate paid in-house Audio/Web Conference series
(http://www.planning.org/audioconference) (Refer to Figure 2 and Appendix 6).
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6. * Figure 2 (APA's in-house Audio/Web Conference series)
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7. Recommendations
DC should seek ways to complement the external Planning Webcast series.
Revenue
1. While the external webcast series offers advanced and allied webcasts, the bulk of its
offerings cover introductory topics that attract a large participation. By achieving the
necessary critical mass of participants, it becomes feasible to keep the registration free
while keeping fees low and benefits high. Thus, DC should encourage a limited revenue
model of paid webcasts only for advanced topics that typically attract senior planning
professionals within the external webcast series. For this purpose, DC should consider
a separate market survey on topics and their associated price-points (Refer to Appendix
5). Also, towards such a limited revenue model, DC has proposed simple calculations
for prospective webcasts (Refer to Appendix 4). It is estimated that after offsetting for
the decrease in participation as a result of a paid model, smaller divisions could likely
make yearly profits of a couple of thousand dollars.
2. It is estimated that any loss in participation resulting from a paid model could partially or
completely be offset by some increase in participation resulting from APA's marketing and
outreach. Thus, DC should consider leveraging APA's organizational size, 501 (c) (3) status
and mailing lists to help market a paid model within the external webcast series while
helping limit operating costs.
3. Alternatively, DC should consider proposing a "public broadcasting" model to generate
revenue. Under this model, divisions would not directly charge fees for their webcasts.
However, they would actively encourage their participants to pay for the service. This is
similar to the business model used by the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) to offset some
of the costs of its programming.
Co-ownership of the Planning Webcast series
Currently, APA does not have any significant co-ownership of the external webcast series.
Increase in its co-ownership would likely enhance acceptability and quality of this series, thus
benefitting the participants. Thus, APA should consider collaboration with the instructors
and co-sponsors to gradually assume a mutually acceptable level of co-ownership.
Phase I
1. DC should encourage all participating divisions to link to their webcasts from their
home pages on http://www.planning.org/.
Phase II
1. DC should encourage all participating divisions increase their visibility. Towards this,
DC should actively encourage participants to join its ranks, e.g. by adding links for
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8. joining divisions to registration emails sent to the participants of the external
Planning Webcast series.
Phase III
1. It is the committee’s understanding that APA attempted adding logos to the landing
page (http://www.utah-apa.org/webcasts). APA should reconsider this identity
branding via targeted banner advertisements with more flexible logo requirements.
Additionally, APA should consider promoting the webcasts on
http://www.planning.org/webcasts via mirroring etc. Note that this would require
APA to be prompt in updating its website with regards to webcast schedules.
2. Since it is currently not feasible to have APA run the registration (Refer to Appendix
7) instead of GoToMeeting's integrated system without introducing unpredictability
and high fees, APA should consider copying the registration data for marketing
purposes- including ratings, topics, speakers and traffic, to
http://www.planning.org/.
Please also refer to Appendix 1.
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9. Appendix 1
Points for Further Consideration
 As a collaborating partner, APA could consider copying the archives to
http://www.planning.org/webcasts/archives for marketing purposes, and to help
offset archival costs of the external webcast series.
 Working with the instructors and co-sponsors, APA could consider compiling the
archives for sale in different media with a mutually-acceptable profit-sharing.
 Under the external Planning Webcast series, copyright is retained by the individual
instructor. If a paid model gets established with APA, DC could investigate
copyright resolution options for participating divisions.
Appendix 2
Divisions Council - Education Committee (Summer 2011) *
Chair
Harsh Prakash
S.C.I.
P.O. Box 5743
Bethesda, MD 20824
harsh@gisblog.org
twitter: @gisblog
Committee Member
Jennifer Evans-Cowley, AICP
Ohio State University
Knowlton School of Architecture
City and Regional Planning Program
Columbus, OH 43210-1135
(P)(614) 292-1012
(F)(614) 292-7106
cowley.11@osu.edu
twitter: @evanscowley
Committee Member
Shana R. Johnson
Foursquare ITP
6 Hollyberry Court
Rockville, MD 20852
(P)(301) 774-4566
sjohnson@civicsynergyllc.com
twitter: @shana_johnson
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10. Committee Member
Vicki Taylor Lee, AICP
Cherokee County Georgia
1130 Bluffs Parkway
Canton, GA 30114-2703
(P)(678) 493-6105
(F)(678) 493-6111
vtaylor@cherokeega.com
Committee Member
Robert A. Leiter, FAICP
San Diego Association of Governments
401 B St Ste 800
San Diego, CA 92101-4231
(P)(619) 699-6980
ble@sandag.org
Committee Member
Juli Beth Hinds, AICP
Tetra Tech
9444 Balboa Ave #215
San Diego, CA 92123
(P)(858) 268-5746
julibeth.hinds@tetratech.com
Committee Member
Daniel A. Friedlander
Jackson, Demarcom, Tidus and Peckenpaugh
2815 Townsgate Road, Suite 200
Westlake Village, CA 91361
(P)(805) 418-1909
(F)(805) 230-0087
dfriedlander@jdtplaw.com
Staff Resource
Ann Simms
American Planning Association
205 N Michigan Ave., Ste 1200
Chicago, IL 60601
(P)(312) 431-9100
(F)(312) 431-9985
asimms@planning.org
* http://www.planning.org/leadership/committees/dc/education.htm
Appendix 3
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11. Costs of the Planning Webcast series
Annual:
+ $4,500 Total Fee to the Co-op: $150 * Average 30 (From 6 Division Co-sponsors
+ 24 Chapter Co-sponsors)
- $0 Total Presenter Cost
- $1,000 Total GoToMeeting Cost
- $2,000 Total Support & Maintenance Cost: $10/hour * 5 hours/week * 40 weeks
(From staffing requirements)
- $1,500 Total Balance
* Includes training new participants, registering participants, scheduling and advertising webcasts, trouble-shooting,
collecting ratings, submitting credits, etc by undergraduate Teaching Assistant.
Appendix 4
Simple Calculations for Prospective Webcasts presented by DC to APA in
Chicago (August 2011)
Range of Attendance for Free
Webcasts: 98 - 1,055 *
Average Attendance for Free
Webcasts: 400 - 500 *
Estimated Attendance for Paid
Webcast:
NUMBER OF ANNUAL
WEBCASTS
REGISTRATION
FEE 50 100 150
1 $49 $2,450 $4,900 $7,350
2 $49 $4,900 $9,800 $14,700
3 $49 $7,350 $14,700 $22,050
1 $99 $4,950 $9,900 $14,850
2 $99 $9,900 $19,800 $29,700
1 $149 $7,450 $14,900 $22,350
* Refer to Background > Participants. As per APA, it would provide online registration and broadcasting for a
finished webcast developed by a division or a chapter for a fee of $500 per webcast.
Appendix 5
Georgia Planning Association (GPA) Survey (2009) *
LENGTH COST
Most Preferred Session Half Day $100
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12. Second Most Preferred Session Full Day $200
* http://georgiaplanning.org/
Appendix 6
APA’s in-house Audio/Web Conference series *
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13. * Figure 1 (How It Works)
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14. * Figure 2 (Packages)
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15. * Figure 3 (Training Series)
* Figure 4 (Registration)
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16. * http://www.planning.org/audioconference
Appendix 7
APA’s online registration flier
Appendix 8
Low Cost Options
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17. APA’s in-house Audio/Web Conference series has had low participation levels on
account of being over-priced. As such, in light of the large participation of the external
Planning Webcast series, APA could reconsider the paid model for its in-house
Audio/Web Conference series (http://www.planning.org/audioconference/).
Additionally, APA could consider Cisco's WebEx (http://www.webex.com/) and
salesforce's Dimdim (http://www.dimdim.com/) for streaming to lower its operating
costs.
Appendix 9
Topics
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18. SN DATE ORGANIZER TOPIC LEVEL CM STATUS REGISTRATION
1 23-Feb - Developing Aging Friendly Communities - APPROVED
2 1-Feb Arkansas Chapter Planning with Social Media: Tool or Trauma Introductory APPROVED
3 18-Feb Connecticut Chapter Coastal Development and Regulatory Realities Introductory APPROVED
4 10-Jun Economic Development Division Real Estate Finance from Simple to Complex - APPROVED 1,055
5 11-Mar Economic Development Division Urban Retail Advanced APPROVED 472
6 8-Sep Economic Development Division What Economic Development Planners Should Know about Eco Industrial Development Introductory APPROVED 322
7 11-Feb Florida Chapter Impacts and Opportunities of an Aging Population Introductory APPROVED
8 14-Jan Illinois Chapter Imaginative Connectivity: The Return of Streetcars to America's Central Cities, How and Why Introductory APPROVED
9 19-May Indiana Chapter New Ideas for Bike friendly Communities Introductory APPROVED 1,019
10 12-Aug Indiana Chapter Fights over Flight: Addressing General Aviation Airports Introductory APPROVED 374
11 25-May Intergovernmental and Regional Planning Division The Revitalized Chesapeake Bay Restoration Program Introductory SUBMITTED 383
12 27-Jan Michigan Chapter RLUIPA Introductory LAW
13 4-Feb Missouri Chapter Healthy, Active and Vibrant Communities Allied APPROVED
14 17-Jun NCAC APA and the APA Economic Development Division Planning for Regional Innovation Clusters (RICs) - PENDING 98
15 21-Jan Northern New England Chapter Planning Ethics Across the Country Advanced ETHICS
16 7-Jan NY Metro Chapter Active Design Guidelines Introductory -
17 15-Jul Ohio Chapter Community Erosion: How traffic flows like water Introductory APPROVED 657
18 10-Mar Ohio Chapter Peter Kageyama Renewing Our Love Affair with Cities Allied APPROVED 656
19 10-Feb Ohio Chapter Helping to Create and Sustain an Ethical Office Environment Advanced APPROVED
20 15-Apr Ohio State University Campus Planning for Pedestrians and Bicyclists Advanced APPROVED 633
21 14-Oct Ohio State University Mobile Technology, Distracted Attention and Pedestrian Safety Allied APPROVED 371
22 1-Dec Ohio State University Community Development in a Global Context: Gender Aware Planning in African Cities Charisma Introductory APPROVED 172
23 8-Apr Pennsylvania Chapter Ethics: A Framework for Decision Making Advanced APPROVED 852
24 23-Sep Pennsylvania Chapter Natural Gas Extraction: Planning Implications Introductory - 18
25 17-Feb Planning and Women Division Planning for an Aging Population Indroductory APPROVED
26 1-Mar Planning and Women Division Child Care Introductory APPROVED
27 13-May Private Practice Division Secrets to Improce Consultant Client Relations Introductory APPROVED 539
28 4-Nov Small Town and Rural Planning Division Design Guidelines for Small Towns and Rural Places Introductory - 393
29 1-Apr Technology Division New Tools for Public Participation: Possibilities and Pitfalls Advanced APPROVED 861
30 25-Mar Technology Division Planning for an Aging Society: Technologies for Safe Transportation Mobility - APPROVED 641
31 24-Jun Technology Division Introduction to the H+T Affordability Index and Applications in Planning Introductory - 171
32 25-Feb Technology Division A Framework for Assessing Aging in Place Technologies - APPROVED
33 5-Aug Upstate New York Chapter Zoning Statutes for Sustainable Development in Rural and Suburban Communities Advanced APPROVED 354
34 3-Jun Virginia Chapter Livable Communities, Sustainable Regions: How Transportation Investments Shape Our Development Patterns Introductory APPROVED 581
35 18-Mar Western Central Chapter Special Assessments Must Create Special Benefits: How to Avoid an Unconstitutional "Takings" Introductory LAW 617
36 6-May Wisconsin Chapter
Using GIS to Improve Planning Decisions, part 1: Identifying Factors that Influence Rural Land Parcelization - Advanced
PDO Advanced APPROVED 708
37 7-Oct Wisconsin Chapter
Using GIS to Improve Planning Decisions, part 2: Assessing the landscape effects of residential development by
conducting build out scenarios: Conventional vs Density based Zoning - Advanced PDO Advanced APPROVED 536
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