Various social media platforms enable all to become a content creator and distributor. Is that good, or bad, for broadcast media? A Monday morning Alliance for Women in Media event at the 2022 NAB Show sought to answer the increasingly important question.
With Becky Brooks, AWM/F President, greeting a standing-room-only record-setting crowd, she quickly transitioned to a presentation that noted, “Everyone is a Producer.”
Sarah Foss, Chief Technology Officer at Audacy Corp., served as the moderator. She noted that content is everywhere, and at Cox Media Group, the broadcast media company “is ahead of this,” says Marian Pittman, the EVP of Content, Production & Innovation at CMG.
For Jayne Bussman-Wise, who is responsible for creator acquisition and growth at the recently launched AMP app by Amazon, there is acknowledgment that she is a “disruptor.” That’s not so much of a concern for Julie Talbott, President of iHeartMedia-owned Premiere Networks, because of the unique value proposition every bit of audio content presents to the consumer.
Audacy SVP of Digital Tim Clarke was also on the panel, and he pointed to the fact that streaming audio has brought forth “more specific” content, and the ability to superserve particular audiences. This led CMG’s Pittman to note that the common denominator for the consumer is “value.” Thus, CMG makes sure its content has value and that it connects with listeners and viewers.
Talbott also noted that passion matters, while AMP’s Bussman-Wise believes tapping into “fandom” can bring strong returns for a media company. Still, audio content creation isn’t for everybody, she admits. “Just because you’re good at Tik Tok doesn’t mean you’re good at a live radio show.”
