Newswise — The fast moving world of digital media is just as much an opportunity as it is a challenge. Media and entertainment professionals can either learn new skills now and adapt quickly, or risk being marginalized and left behind. So, what types of skills is the entertainment industry looking for, and is education ready to respond to this challenge?
According to Ken Kahrs, Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Universal Studios, industry professionals must develop an organizational capability in the digital arena. "At Universal, we want to see people who are internally capable, but externally focused. We want people inside our organization who can work on both sides of the fences." These people, said Kahrs, can be our "change leaders."
Whether it be how to integrate new marketing models or best protect intellectual property, the manner in which companies and executives embrace (versus resist) user generated content and other digital media is crucial to success. "The digital media world hits so many aspects of what a studio like Universal does, that on the surface it can appear daunting," Kahrs said. "We need to see digital trends not as an intrusion, but as a chance to expand."
With digital media so critical to the studio business cycle, training professionals in the latest technologies becomes a major part of both the studio's and the industry professional's success. This is where university executive education programs and industry organizations such as NATPE can play a major role, says Bob McCann, an associate professor of management communication at USC's Marshall School of Business.
McCann, who spoke on the topic of "persuading the busy Hollywood buyer" to industry professionals at last month's NATPE LATV festival, said that "for media and entertainment professionals to succeed, they must stay on top of these trends, or even predict them." One way to do so, said McCann, is by turning to the very best that industry and academia has to offer. USC Marshall Executive Education and RUI, Inc. have a Digital Media and Technology Management program for entertainment executives and companies that is probably as cutting edge and applied as you are going to find anywhere."
Executive education programs like the above represent an important movement away from what Kahrs calls a "protect ourselves mentality" toward a vision that "supports and engages." While industry executives need to understand what hasn't worked in the past, they too need to be focused on what can work now. For someone to become a major change leader at a studio, said Kahrs, "they would almost certainly need to understand how to develop a strategic plan that enables the best utilization of digital technology."
In looking for a training program in digital media and technology, at a minimum it should cover key elements of monetization, best distribution platforms, and integrating marketing efforts. If studios are filled with professionals possessing these skill sets, change leadership may well be on its way.
About the USC Marshall School of Business Based at the crossroads of the Pacific Rim, in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, the USC Marshall School of Business trains global leaders to make a difference in the world.
The school annually serves more than 5,700 undergraduate, graduate, professional and executive-education students, in programs at the main campus in Los Angeles, Irvine and North San Diego County. In conjunction with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, USC Marshall operates a Global Executive MBA program in China.
Marshall's many highly ranked programs and centers of excellence include the Leventhal School of Accounting. For more information, go to http://www.marshall.usc.edu
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