| Executive Summary of Our Recent Media Roundtable. Thank you to everyone who managed to attend our recent media roundtable. It was good to hear a mixture of varied opinions and understand where there was a consensus. The media industry has undergone significant changes in the past decade, and like many other sectors, digital transformation is at the forefront of this evolution. As media organizations strive to create digital experiences that build and engage audiences, they face several challenges in the IT space that can impact their ability to innovate and stay competitive. Challenge 1: More IT Roles are Now Mixing Technical and Creative Skills IT professionals with creative skills such as web design and user experience (UX/UI) design are required to help create engaging digital experiences that engage staff and audiences. However, finding individuals who possess both technical and creative skills has been challenging. To address this challenge: organizations can · Partner with universities and educational institutions to recruit graduates with creative IT skills. · Collaborate with creative agencies to share knowledge and best practices, and provide training. · Development opportunities for existing IT staff to develop creative skills, and better utilize internal data sources. Challenge 2: Social Media and Digital Marketing Technology Crossover While now an established function, this landscape is rapidly changing, requiring more technical platforms, automation, and understanding of data. Social media and digital marketing skills are crucial for building and engaging audiences across digital platforms. To address this challenge, organizations can · Develop internal training programs to help IT staff develop social media and digital marketing skills · Partner with marketing and data-focused agencies to share knowledge and best practices · Offer competitive compensation packages with a wider range of benefits and opportunities to attract former contractors. Challenge 3: Competition for IT Talent from Start-ups and Contracting Start-ups are known for providing unique and innovative opportunities to work on emerging technologies and business models. This competition can make it difficult for media organizations to attract and retain top IT talent. To address this challenge, organizations can · Provide opportunities for career advancement and professional development · Develop stronger company culture and brand to differentiate from start-ups. · Encourage more entrepreneurial thinking within all teams and incubations · welcome and encourage innovative ideas from staff, partners, and customers. Challenge 4: Reliance on Legacy Technology with Inherited Technical Debt and Security Risks Legacy technology systems can be challenging to manage and can create obstacles for media organizations looking to innovate and adapt to new technologies. To address this challenge, organizations can · Enhance the focus on strategic functions such as Enterprise Architecture to holistically look at the organization for people, process, and technology changes. · Develop existing IT staff to maintain and update legacy technology systems as a temporary measure while looking at longer-term changes. · Partner with IT consulting firms to provide specialized expertise and consider upgrading legacy systems to modern technologies to reduce the need for specialized skills. Challenge 5: Improved Diversity and Inclusion are Increasingly Important in the Media Industry While this has been an area of focus, some organizations still struggle with making this real. They were concerned that the lack of diversity could result in a struggle to connect with their target demographic and capitalize on their existing staff. To address this challenge, organizations · Create recruitment strategies and interview panels that can attract an abundance of diverse and qualified talent (across race, gender, and perceived class) · Offer more development opportunities to help existing IT staff advance in their careers and create more inclusive work environments. · Open opportunities to work with a more diverse range of partners. In conclusion, the consensus among media organizations, IT professionals, and IT consultancies was that the points raised were all addressable. However, they would have to be reviewed against the maturity of existing capabilities and other critical BAU activities. By addressing these challenges, media organizations can attract and retain top IT talent and stay at the forefront of the digital revolution. |
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