The Blackbox Theater was packed for the Media in a Digital World panel, proof that understanding the nuances of how to transition from traditional media into the new digital age is hot topic for many media professionals. Panelists Vijay Ravindran, Susan Poulton, Angie Goff, and Maria Thomas shared their challenges and successes in encountering this new world, moderated by the festival’s co-producer, CEO of Tech Cocktail, Frank Gruber.
Angie Goff of NBC Washington gave an interesting overview from a journalist’s perspective. Mainstream media knows social media and new digital trends are important, but many newsrooms do not have dedicated social media journalists. With an increase in wanting to do “more with less”, journalists are much more reliant on one another to share resources. So she foresees much more “shared consumption”, and use of a digital age “cloud” where many can contribute content from which journalists can source.
WaPo Labs’ Vijay Ravindran thinks that transitioning successfully means understanding the future of media will be much more social. There are so many content providers now, zeroing in on your specialty and asking, “what are you really best at” will be key.
Susan Poulton of National Geographic shared how bringing the organization’s audience into the digital age has been challenging due their diversity of product and need to rebrand their non-profit mission. Her suggestions on overcoming these challenges: have internal company support and convince your audience that the quality of content will be the same when presented in a digital space.
Maria Thomas, former CEO of Etsy encouraged attendees to keep an eye on how the developing world will affect future digital media trends. Imagine apps that tell villagers where power, or water sources are. As for the challenge of building and keeping an audience while transitioning, like Vijay she advised that companies need to ask, “what are we really about” and not allow themselves to be defined by their medium, but their mission. Lastly, simply “make good content”.
Couldn’t say it any better.
