Media leaders advise creativity, courage and entrepreneurship

10/27/09Leaders in communication fields spoke to a large group of Emerson students Thursday on innovation and creativity in uncertain economic times. The panelists stressed developing good ideas while thinking as an entrepreneur. The event was sponsored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

"Innovate, look for new ideas, be smart about how you build them, and don't be afraid to try," Phil Balboni, co-founder and president of Globalpost.com, said. Globalpost, an international news site, was launched in January and has received good reviews. Balboni built three journalism enterprises from the ground up throughout his 43-year career. He created Chronicle, a nightly television program on WCVB, and New England Cable News.

"We've arrived at one of the most transformative moments in journalism," Balboni said. He said the road ahead will be a challenge for journalists, but he remains optimistic.

"The future is one step, one entity, one business model at a time. Journalists must take hold of the future and build new models of journalism. They should be the ones to build the next generation of high quality news, and the Internet's the only way to do it," Balboni said. Globalpost makes money through a paid subscription option, and it transmits news to more than 20 outlets, including CBS. "It begins with a good idea, and then you just have to have courage in your convictions," he said.

Boathouse Group advertising executive Brent Turner said localization is a current trend in the industry and students should connect with a hyper local market. "Do great work and we'll keep paying you," he said. He said research is key. "Do your homework. You are selling yourself," Turner said. Turner said students must forge strong relationships with peers and employers. "It's not networking. It's about relationships. Big difference. That's where you live and die."

Dave Andelman, creator of Phantom Gourmet, a television program, said his take on the media is different. He said the media often focus on things people are sick of hearing about. "If it's 90 degrees out, you can't keep serving soup. I think that's what the media does," Andelman said. He advised students to learn everything they can, work hard and read The Wall Street Journal daily. "I'm sorry, but it's a business, and the people you're going to talk to- it's all about money."

Balboni agreed with Andelman on the importance of acting as an entrepreneur. "If you want to be successful today, you have to be tough on cost," Balboni said. "Journalism entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart."

The panelists agreed that newspapers are on their way out and television is regressing. "I wish I could be more optimistic about the future of newspapers," Balboni said. The media, if not dead, are dying, he said.

WCVB meteorologist and GrowingWisdom.com creator, David Epstein said, "I hear this theme of all of us doing a lot of things. Diversify yourself. Don't think of yourself as being one thing." He told students to act on their ideas. "Don't think that we're special," he said. "I'm really you guys, just a few years later.