by Scott M. Lindsay - Northwest Public Power Association

T
Cover Story
by Michael Howe
Social media and the utility industry —
one cooperative’s voyage
he changing face of media has not
gone unnoticed in rural America.
In fact, the changing face of media
has been embraced in rural America as
one of the more unique tools to utilize
in communicating with people. Oregon
Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) in
Eastern Oregon has embraced social
media and is actively taking advantage
of the opportunities it offers. From
YouTube to Facebook, OTEC has ventured
out into the realm of social
media and has received very nice feedback.
George Bernard Shaw once said,
“The problem with communication….is
the illusion that it has been accomplished.”
Traditional media like newspapers,
radio, and television remain as
the foundation of communication
efforts, but ignoring the other avenues
might be a mistake. The Pew Research
Center, for example, reports
that 60 percent of those under
the age of 30 get their news
online. Living in rural America,
though, many have this notion
that the Internet has not quite
made it to their area. “Not everyone
has a computer,” or “Not everyone
uses the Internet” are far too common
comments.
The fact of the matter is, however,
that yes, even those in rural America
have found the Internet and are
actively using it. OTEC conducted an
independent Residential Member
Satisfaction Survey in 2008 and discovered
that its members were indeed on
the World Wide Web. According to the
survey, two-thirds of OTEC members
have access to the Internet, which is a
comparable number to other cooperatives
according to NRECA’s Market
Research Services (the group that conducted
the study). Additionally, the
study indicated that 40 percent of
OTEC’s members with Internet service
would use the Internet to learn about
26 NWPPA Bulletin August 2009
OTEC and conduct OTEC-related
business.
After identifying a need for
improved communication efforts with
members, conducting the survey, and
then hiring a communications specialist,
OTEC has been active in creating
an online identity. Since August 2008,
OTEC has redesigned its Web site,
started an electronic newsletter, began
offering online bill pay and account
management, and created a
YouTube page, a Facebook
page, and a Twitter account.
OTEC General Manager
Werner Buehler has been an
advocate of the new online approach
to communications. It could be his
communications education and background,
or it could be that all indications
point to the new social media and
Web marketing being effective means
of communication, but his support
and encouragement is genuine. “We
are witnessing a paradigm shift in
the way society communicates,”
said Buehler. “And with the changes
and challenges facing the utility
industry, we should utilize the tools
available to us.”
OTEC TV
OTEC’s first big foray into the
new media was the creation of its
YouTube site, affectionately dubbed
OTEC-TV. If there is any doubt about
the potential of YouTube or other similar
sites, one only has to look
at the statistics. A July
2009 report by the Pew
Research Center indicates
that 62 percent of adult
Internet users have watched a video on
sites such as YouTube. That number is
up from 33 percent in December 2006.
OTEC’s YouTube (www.youtube.
com/otecc) features both entertaining
and informational videos. Some are
shot “on location,” while others are
shot in “studio.” For example, you can
watch an interview with Steve Schauer,
OTEC’s manager of Member Services,
in the studio talking about a couple of
OTEC’s conservation programs like
Showerheads and Commercial
Lighting; however, most videos are
shot on location.
The most viewed OTEC videos are
of Frank Carlson, OTEC engineering
aid. Frank had a wonderful opportunity
to participate in NRECA’s Annual
Meeting and their “American
Co-op Idol” competition. “It
was a fun event and we
wanted to share it with our
membership,” says Schauer.
There are four videos of Frank
performing, with three of them having
over 400 views in the five months they
have been available.
Even the informative videos are
fun to watch. Schauer has earned the
nickname “Horse Whisperer” at OTEC
because of his performance in the
Freeze Resistant Cattle Fountain video.
In this video, Schauer stands next to a
horse, continuously petting the horse
so as to keep it calm while he delivers
the message about the program. As if
rehearsed, the horse drinks from the
cattle trough on cue. “This was a fun
video to shoot because the horse was
very cooperative,” joked Schauer.
Schauer is definitely the star of the
conservation videos. Whether it’s petting
the horse, being interviewed
at the studio, or having fun at
other locations, he delivers a
brief, but clear message to members.
One of the most recent videos
includes him discussing OTEC’s Energy
Star Appliance program on location at
a local appliance outlet. The video features
Schauer standing next to a
washer and dryer with the Energy Star
and OTEC logos floating just to the
right of him.