For almost 15 years, I wrote for the Special Issues section of the Hollywood Reporter , writing about the effects of digital technologies on the media indus-tries. In the course of that reporting, I interviewed virtually all of the executives who were guiding the major media and entertainment companies through the choppy waters of a new media landscape. They were called upon to address the changes brought about by the introduction of digital content creation technologies - cameras, nonlinear editing, computer-generated imagery for animation and special effects, the Internet and peer-to-peer networks, and the proliferation of channels and media players, such as mobile, game consoles, DVRs, HDTV, Blu-ray, and all the other rapidly changing consumer electronics devices.

Not surprisingly, the ripples of changes in technology soon reached the public, which eagerly adopted many of the new ways to consume media, changing their media uses and habits. They also sent unceasing tides of change through the media industry itself, with which managers at every company and every level had to deal. It was a truly chaotic business environment - a sneeze in Chicago may not cause a tsunami in Beijing, but computer processors in San Jose cer-tainly caused a tsunami in the media industry that has lasted for longer than two decades.

Digital content creation changed the speed, flexibility, and cost of content pro-duction, making it cheaper for consumers, but sometimes more expensive for blockbusters loaded with special effects, such as Titanic. Networked distribu-tion enabled media companies to employ skilled creators from around the world, opened up global market for content products, and greatly lowered the cost of sending media to all corners of the globe. It also enabled consumers to send media files to all those same corners, undercutting existing business practices and valuable sources of revenue.

The speed and scope of change continue. The media industry is still coping with the effects of the Internet - Internet 1. But Internet 2 is coming, and it will arrive during the careers and lives of today’s generation of college students. Internet 2 is in development around the world. The universities and governments of many countries are connected to it, and scientists and engineers are hard at work building the technologies needed for its introduction and public adoption.

The purpose of this book is to lay a foundation for understanding and partici-pating in the ongoing evolution of the media industry. It provides the concepts and vocabulary that managers have devised to meet the challenges of today’s market and to position their organizations to succeed in a dynamic future business environment. At the same time, managers rely on many traditional ideas and processes to guide their actions. In some ways, media businesses are not so different from how they were in the past, or isolated from the practices that govern modern businesses everywhere.

The book tries to keep one foot in the recent past, another in the near future, without losing sight of the present, which demands knowledge of both past and future dimensions:

• Chapter 1 introduces students to the media industries - their size, structure, segments, and role in society.
• Chapter 2 looks at media organizations, what they do, and how they create value to be successful and profitable.
• Chapter 3 examines leadership and management techniques, with brief bios of the business accomplishments of media industry managers.
• Chapter 4 details how media companies handle human resources, in industries that are highly dependent on skilled creative people.
• Chapter 5 shows students how to follow the money, giving them insight into the pervasive importance in media industry organization of financial planning, budgeting, and management.
• Chapter 6 explores the new paradigm of media consumers, who may be customers, viewers, listeners, readers, users, players, friends, and followers, depending on which media segment an executive manages.
• Chapter 7 discusses the revolution in media content, including traditional and new means of production, content acquisition, and user-generated content.
• Chapter 8 presents the Big Picture strategies for marketing media content, at the heart of organizational growth and profitability.
• Chapter 9 gets into the detail of marketing - readying content products and shaping them to succeed in the marketplace.
• Chapter 10 covers sales management, a key function in any organization, where the revenues flow into the cash register.
• Chapter 11 lays out the new world of content distribution as companies maintain the traditional means of delivering content to consumers, even as they try to seize the opportunities offered by digital channels.
• Chapter 12 considers the language of conducting media business, showing how every part of the industry creates value in the marketplace, allowing organizations to bring in revenue.
• Chapter 13 presents ever-evolving media industry business models that serve as a shorthand way of describing the products the business will bring to market and how it will attract consumers. The business model also includes how the organization will deliver the product or service and derive revenue from it.
• Chapter 14 provides an overview of the legal and regulatory issues that affect media enterprises that operate in both U.S. and international mar-kets, including the new frontier of the Internet.
• Chapter 15 asks some of the most difficult questions the media industries face: the ethical considerations brought up by their influential role in the public sphere and private consciousness of individuals.

Some readers may want to know why there is no chapter - perhaps even several chapters - specifically looking at communication technologies. To some extent, these topics are covered in Chapter 11, in the discussion of distributing content. The distribution infrastructure - wired and wireless networks - figure so large in all our lives that such a topic deserves its own book to estimate the likely future growth and capacity. Such projections are more or less impossible for consumer devices. There are probably college students at work in their garages and dorms right now figuring out some new fabulous way to consume content that no one has ever thought of before and will turn some part of the media industry upside down. I look forward to their products and the enchanting creations that will follow, but I will not attempt to guess what they might produce! Indeed, if I could, I would be out in my own garage.

Acknowledgments

Joan Van Tassel

I want to thank so many people for their help, guidance, and patience as I wrote this book. First and foremost, Elinor Actipis and Michele Cronin at Focal Press deserve medals for their forbearance and kindness to me as I wrote this book. I admire them and cannot express entirely my gratitude to them, except to say a heartfelt “Thank you.” I am also indebted to the skilled copy editing of Nancy Kotary.

To my co-author Lisa Poe-Howfield, I extend my appreciation for her knowl-edge, willingness, and creativity. She has been a stalwart companion in this pro-cess. I am also grateful to contributors Augie Grant (a veteran co-conspirator/ grad student with me at the Annenberg School at USC) who has gone on to great success, and his student, Chris Roberts, who provided such knowledge and skill for Chapters 14 and 15. Reviewers played a key role with their comments and observations, delivered honestly and constructively. Truly, Robert B. Affe, Todd Chambers, John Allen Hendricks, and a reviewer who wished to be anonymous have improved the book far beyond what it would have been with-out their generous assistance.

An author’s family always pays a price, including my siblings, Elaine Baer and Nancy, Gordon, Karen, Bailey, Emmy, and Lucille Van Tassel. Robert and Irene Newton, Mona Nasir, and my personal coach, star journalist Mary Murphy. Have always been huge supporters, too. I love them, each and every one.

National University colleagues have given me time, encouragement, and sup-port in the writing of this book. I must mention members of the administra-tion, Debra Bean, Patricia Potter, and Karla Berry. I would not want to leave out my wonderful faculty colleagues: Cynthia Chandler, Louis Rumpf, Scott Campbell, Sara Ellen Amster, Sara Kelly, Roger Gunn, John Banks, Maureen O’Hara, and Ismail Sebetan.

Finally, Peter Clarke and Susan Evans at the University of Southern California were my mentors at the Annenberg School for Communication and continue to inspire, encourage, and help me to this day. I remember Everett Rogers, a member of my dissertation committee when I was a graduate student, and always regret his passing. The world without Ev is a lesser place. To Ron Rice, I will always be grateful for his direction given to me on the day I defended my dissertation: “Go forth and communicate.” With this book, I hope I have.

Lisa Poe-Howfield

First and foremost! In my maiden voyage as coauthor, I send out my eternal gratitude, respect and thanks to Joan Marie Van Tassel for providing me with this incredible opportunity. Your dedication to share your knowledge, not to mention your patience in walking me through the process, serves as a great inspiration to all…thank you! Thank you to Elinor Actipis and Michele Cronin at Focal Press Media for keep- ing me on track and providing just the right guidance.

Professionally, I have been blessed with great role models in my life including Jim and Beverly Rogers (Owners of Sunbelt Communications); Ralph Toddre (President and COO of Sunbelt Communications); Desiree Long (Executive Assistant, KVBC TV 3) and my dear friend and former colleague, Judy Reich-Milby. You have all inspired me to greater heights-thank you.

Brad Williams Sincere appreciation to those who contributed to our “Day in the Life” seg-ments: Elliott Grove, Bob Kaplitz, Vivi Zigler, Valerie Geller, Craig Robinson, , Richard Conlon, Sam Bush, Wendy Shelton, Anne-Marie Gillen, Dorothy Hui, Lloyd Kaufman, and Debbie Carter. Also, much thanks to Terry King from Clear Channel who provided great insight to the world of radio. Thank you all for taking time from your busy schedules to share your real life experiences.

On a personal note, I give thanks to my parents, Allen and Peggy Poe, who sacrificed much and worked diligently to provide me with the means to obtain my college education at Pepperdine University and to my Mother-in-law, Margaret Howfield, who lost her battle with leukemia while this book was being written, but left a legacy of true strength. A very special thank you and much love to my husband, Ian Howfield, and son, Kyle Root, who continually demonstrate incredible support with their kind words, witty humor and pow-erful hugs - making all things possible.