* ... and other probing questions we're sometimes asked.
Is TED elitist?
That's a word to be very careful with. The answer is yes (in a good way), but also no.
It's certainly true that the majority of those attending the annual TED conference have been extremely successful in some field or other, and we wouldn't want it any other way. But financial success (which is what "elitism" sometimes implies) is not the key measure. TED attendees include thought leaders and innovators from a surprisingly broad range of endeavor: technology, entertainment, design, science, business, global issues, philanthropy and the arts. Because of their recognized achievements, most of these people can afford the $6,000 standard membership fee. But in the past few years we've taken several steps to further diversify the audience:
+ We've expanded significantly the number of non-US attendees, and also the number of women.
+ We hold 20 audience places every year for people from the educational and nonprofit worlds who otherwise couldn't afford to attend. They pay one-third of the normal fee.
+ And starting this year, we will have 30 places for TED Fellows, who will pay nothing to attend. (We cover conference membership, travel and hotel. Details of this program will be announced in summer 2008.)
Of course, we're still seeking to ensure that everyone who comes to TED is exceptional in some way. Without an amazing audience, we couldn't attract amazing speakers. Our speakers aren't paid ... they attend because of the audience.
And it's not as if attendees just sit around having a cosy time. Part of our DNA is to challenge and inspire those who come to TED. For example, the TED Prize urges everyone in the audience to get to work on powerful collaborative projects.
Perhaps most important, since June 2006 we've begun posting the talks recorded at TED on our website so that anyone can watch them free of charge. Our intention is to make available all of the best content seen at TED.
Indeed, the whole mission of the nonprofit foundation that owns TED is to leverage the power of good ideas and let them spread as widely and effectively as possible. More than 15 million people in 150 countries have watched a TEDTalk (as of March 2008).
In our minds, that is the real TED audience. A global community of knowledge-seekers.
But it's just rich people, politicians and celebrities who actually get to attend in person?
Not at all. For many who attend, the membership fee is a real stretch. Some can only afford to come every second or third year. Others rely on their company or organization to cover the fees, and -- as mentioned above -- some come on discounted memberships or pay nothing.
Politicians? Not so much. We average one a year.
It is true that in recent years TED, which is after all the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference, has begun attracting some leading names from Hollywood. But typically they are in the audience, not on the stage. The real celebrities at TED are often unexpected:
+ the shy scientist no one has heard of
+ the geeky young inventor with an amazing new design
+ the passionate pundit with the killer idea
+ or the social entrepreneur with an inspiring personal story.
In fact, we see part of our purpose as turning celebrity on its head. We seek to discover people whose voices really need to be heard, but who are currently largely ignored by the media. By putting them in front of an influential audience, capturing their talks on film and releasing them to the world online, we can offer a satisfying alternative to the endless media diet of celebrity gossip. Take the example of Hans Rosling. His fascinating talk on the developing world has been seen by more than 1.5 million people and brought him deserved celebrity in certain circles. Perhaps that's why the Hollywood folk like the TED experience. For once, they get to do the gawking.
Why charge so much money?
First of all, our rates are substantially lower than comparable conferences like Davos and Clinton Global Initiative. But we're certainly aware that many people could neither afford the $6,000 nor qualify for one of our discount or free memberships. This is a hard problem to solve.
Without the high fee we wouldn't spend as much as we do on the conference itself, with state-of-the-art staging, lighting and audiovisual, and generous social events. But even after these expenses the event, is still highly profitable. And we're delighted it is -- because this means we can afford to invest in taking TED's content free to the world. The process of editing and hosting scores of videos and building a highly trafficked website is expensive. Which is why few other conferences have attempted it on the same scale.
Cutting the price would also impair our ability to fund the TED Prize, expand the TED Fellows program and invest in taking TED into developing countries. And it would turn an already long waiting list into one that was unmanageable.
Why not just move to a bigger venue?
Group size is incredibly important. At much larger scale, the sense of connection that TED audiences have with the speakers, and vice versa, might dissipate. So although we are indeed expanding our audience capacity in our move to Long Beach for 2009, we intend to manage the growth very very carefully.
How do you decide who gets admitted?
With great difficulty. As indicated above, our goal is a diverse community of amazing people from numerous different fields. We also try to maintain a balance between longstanding TEDsters and invaluable newcomers.
We are admitting around 1,450 people in 2009, and a year ahead of the conference there is already demand from far more people than will fit. We give preference to people who:
+ are curious, passionate, open-minded
+ have done something fascinating with their lives
+ show evidence of creativity, innovation, insight, or brilliance
+ would be wonderful to sit next to at lunch and have a conversation with
+ are well placed to help make a difference in the world
+ have made a contribution to the TED community (for example, by supporting a TED Prize wish)
What happens to TED's profits?
They are used to advance TED's philanthropic goals. TED is owned by the Sapling Foundation, a 501(c)3 private foundation set up by TED's Curator Chris Anderson in 1996. The main annual conference is financially successful and each year makes a profit of at least $2m. The money is used in several ways:
+ to fund the growth of this website and distribute TEDTalks free to the world
+ to support the TED Prize and the projects that come out of it
+ to invest in other TED conferences, such as the TEDGlobal event recently held in Africa
+ to support philanthropic organizations that leverage technology, media or entrepreneurship to make lasting social change. More on Sapling here.
Chris Anderson, who retired early after achieving financial security through the media companies he founded, does not draw a salary from TED and is not paid any portion of the profits.
You claim all these worthy goals, but isn't TED just another talking shop?
We hope there are at least three ways it's more than that.
1. It's not just talk. Those who come to TED are liable to get passionately inspired before they leave. There are numerous examples of people doing amazing things as a result of their TED experience. In fact, as far as we see, almost no one escapes TED unscathed! Check out the attendee feedback on the conference.
2. By making the content widely available, we hope to inspire large numbers of people to think and act a little differently. If you believe in the power of ideas, and have watched some of the talks on this site, you may have experienced this yourself. More than 100,000 people a day are watching a TEDTalk somewhere in the world.
3. Then there's the TED Prize. This is a deliberate attempt to tap into the powerful sense of possibility that moves people at TED. Each year the TED Prize is awarded to three individuals, granting them "one wish to change the world." They reveal their wishes at TED and typically receive well over 100 offers of support. Several wishes have initiated amazing projects in which multiple TED companies and individuals work with each other to do something truly great. Examples include one.org, Pangea Day, Open Architecture Network, the Encyclopedia of Life and, most recently, Once Upon a School.
Having said all that, we don't remotely think we've got everything right. Every year we try to learn a little more on (a) how to make a great conference and (b) how to turn it into a positive force in the world. If you have suggestions, we'd love to hear from you at contact@ted.com.
