It's all the talk these days about "disruptive technologies," but if you ask me as someone who has been part of the Media and Entertainment staffing industry for over twenty years, I see technology as being more "eruptive" than disruptive; especially when it comes to increasing your talent pipeline. But without leveraging these new systems and technologies, you'll likely be left in the dust.
Eruptive, as defined by Webster's Dictionary means "of, relating to, or formed by volcanic activity," and that is exactly what is happening in the media and entertainment staffing industry today. Technology is erupting new business models, new content creation methods, distribution channels, and even consumption platforms. It in many ways has turned the sub-industries on its head; leaving many left to wonder what happened to them being in control and being the proverbial "Kings of Content."
It has turned content creation into an accessible medium that now many can participate and express themselves in ways that no one ever thought possible. Believe me, I am dating myself, but I remember when launching Digital Channels was going to be the biggest change ever in the Cable industry and when Sony and Microsoft were embroiled in a battle between BluRay vs. HD DVD. That was only ten years ago, which is not that long when you think that the television was invented in 1922. The pace alone at which technology has enabled us to drive and innovate change in this industry has definitely picked up speed.
How Technologies in Media and Entertainment Are Impacting Today's Talent Pipeline
Content Creation
Camera/Film Technology – Cameras are super tiny nowadays and can fit in the palm of your hand if needed. The quality is superb, and ease of use is not complicated. Takes the four man camera crew down to 1.
Advertising
Went from the thirty second spot now to a very quick 10 second online ad. Even buying patterns are moving more over to the scatter market which enables programmers to charge a higher price, but at the same time create a more dynamic, buying platform for marketers who may want to jump in on an opportunity with a new product at the last minute.
Content Distribution
Not only have broadcast operations centers had the ability to move from analog to digital delivery systems, taking down the number of weeks to update spots and distributing content out. It has enabled them to man broadcast ops to one central location by leveraging web-enabled technologies. It’s all about the flat-file and speed to delivery nowadays.
MULTI-PLATFORM Distribution
Forget about whether it will be shot in HD or not. Nowadays programmers have to think about being able to shoot content that will be available on multiple platforms and devices that all have different coded software and protocols, which takes into consideration if your content is even going to be able to be played on that device or on that distribution platform.
The examples are completely endless in terms of the change that is being driven by technology across the media and entertainment landscape. What this means for the job seeker is one thing – if you want to maintain relevancy in this business you have to be open to change and constantly learning new things. You also need to be ready to jump in on new opportunities when they are presented and know that you will at some point have to brush up on your technology speak or skill sets. It is inevitable as it is touching every part of the business.
For employers, you have to be open and ready that in some cases you will need to invest in order to cultivate your talent in-house and beef up training opportunities. You may need to rethink your talent acquisition models, trying outlets and models of outsourcing in ways that this industry is not always accustomed to. Even be open to driving new culture changes along the way. Technology has definitely sped up the process of creating and distributing content, but it also means it just sped up the window for you to make decisions on hot talent. You can no longer linger and wait to make decisions, you need to be able to be quick, nimble and flexible. Thinking outside of the box is almost a requirement for every talent acquisition organization these days.
At the end of the day, disruptive technologies have really created an eruption of new opportunities that if leveraged the right way can create exciting new changes for leading media organizations across the board. I look forward to seeing more eruptive technologies and what it will bring in terms of the content viewing experiences down the road. It’s a great time to be part of this industry!
