DeVry sponsors Webb Alert, shows big ed has nose for new media after all

One of my favorite podcasts is WebbAlert, a technology news show hosted by Morgan Webb, highlighting daily tech news and social media memes. It’s daily, no more than about six minutes per episode, and Webb does a good job of covering the geek news I need with a ripe sarcasm I crave.

For the last few weeks, WebbAlert has had a compelling new sponsor: DeVry University. It’s a perfect match — while I know very little about the place, I know they have technical and gaming programs that fit the market of the show. But more important than that, it shows that the adult education industry is dipping its toes into some more progressive waters.

Don’t get me wrong here: this is not an issue of conservative advertising values. It’s an issue of ignorance. The new education marketplace that so many laud as leading a new era of access is not so daring when it comes to ad space. They count even more than many sectors on consistent and dramatic lead flow.

With podcast popularity apparently growing as fast as it is, likely precipitated by the ongoing WGA strike and the dearth of traditional media that results, more and more people are turning to the net for their entertainment and their news. It shows a cool savvy that some lucky DeVry marketing manager pushed this initiative through.

Slightly related, I got an email from a good friend who just started working for DeVry:

Started at Devry this week, feels like foreign lands. When I asked when my matrix starts I was told “Take your time, learn the culture here…we don’t want to shove you out there before you “get it”.” I thought they were screwing with me.

If you’ve ever seen the enrollment rooms at Phoenix, you know just how funny that is.