It seems like once a year, I step out of my normal role and move into a somewhat dangerous zone by going out on a limb and recommending a new movie. Last year, it was my big thumbs up for The King’s Speech, which was part of a post that talked about the disruptive quality of new media – in that case, the coming of radio.
I ended up feeling validated about suggesting you see that film, supported by the rash of awards The King’s Speech earned on that Sunday night back last February (12 nominations, 4 Oscars, including “Best Picture”).
Well, I’m at it again, and this time, the film is one that you probably haven’t seen yet – and in fact, it doesn’t open in some markets until later this month – The Artist.
Like The King’s Speech, it is a story that depicts the difficulty of transitioning to a new platform. In The Artist, it’s about the jump from silent movies to “talkies.” The film is about a silent movie star whose pride and artistic ego prevent him from making the leap to sound.
But another theme revolves around how the head of the movie’s film studio recognizes that the world has changed. He quickly “gets” how movies with sound would signify an important transition in film. To emphasize his understanding of the need to change, he blusters, “The public is never wrong,” and boldly commits his studio to the future, not even looking back at the silent past.
And that made me sit up and think about what we’re going through in radio. How have many of our industry’s “studio heads” embraced the inevitable change brought about by digital? From the Internet to streaming to social media, it’s been at times a slow begrudging acceptance, often littered with reluctance and denial, mixed with a false sense of hope that maybe the world isn’t really changing.
But, of course, it has. And the epic tech tsunami that is occurring cuts to the core of not just the ways in which the public seeks to entertain itself, but right down to the core essence of how they now communicate and interact with one another.
If you understand and use social media – Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms – you’re a lot closer to having a grasp on the changing ways in which people are now connecting and sharing experiences with family, friends, and co-workers. The same is true with Pandora and Spotify – you can’t truly understand their appeal to music lovers unless you experience them for yourself.
To not have hands-on experience with these new tools, platforms, and innovations is to simply turn one’s back on the powerful force of change that is affecting American society and the world. Paul and I are at CES today, doing our best to keep up – and hopefully stay a step ahead.
Every CEO, EVP, and head of digital in broadcasting should be active users of social media and streaming entertainment. It’s not easy to jump headlong into the techno abyss, but overcoming fear, denial, and doubt are what defines business courage and leadership in this century. Staying the course may have worked in the ‘80s, but today, it’s a recipe for obsolescence.
Just like the studio head in The Artist on the one hand, and the stubborn, scared silent film star on the other, these crossroads represent seminal moments in the course of business, entertainment, and cultural history.
The Artist is also one of the most amazing films you’ll ever see because it does something else besides contrast the challenge of transition. Just as it illustrates the public’s new fascination with “talkies,” it also reminds us just how amazing and entertaining silent movies truly were in their heyday. Faces mattered, and actors and actresses did incredible work to stir up emotions and passion without the aid of sound.
In that regard, The Artist might also remind us that radio – like silent films – had a certain innocence and a special charm long before there was streaming video, podcasts, and Facebook. Radio also had a personal connection with those who listened back in the day. It didn’t need visuals and digital platforms to become an important part of people’s daily lives. It managed to reflect the soul of communities, and it generated true passion and loyalty.
Just as modern filmmakers and those who aspire to make great movies will learn something valuable and special about the good old days of movies in The Artist, today’s radio programmers, managers, and owners might gain some insight about the qualities of ‘60s and ‘70s radio that romanced many of them into getting into the business in the first place.
It’s that kind of film, and I hope you have a chance to see it. And when you do, I also hope you gain a better understanding of the difficulty but ultimate value in making the leap, rather than clinging to a historic, nostalgic past.
The public is never wrong.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Great post. But the thought that radio’s Big Shots will be users of social media on a regular basis is a pipe dream. Yes, some CEO’s are on Facebook, but they are clearly personal accounts with not much to say about work.
Then there’s Twitter. Just look at the Twitter account of Jeff Haley, the President and CEO of the Radio Advertising Bureau: https://twitter.com/#!/haleymedia. Or Bob Pittman, Poobah at Clear Channel: https://twitter.com/#!/PittmanRadio
And just try to find ANY of the other big group CEO’s on Twitter. Or any other Social Media outpost.
I rest my case.
Mark, that’s why your favorite “agent provocateur” wrote this post in the first place. John Goodman’s “studio head” character in the firm is an old-line, curmudgeon who gets it. His commitment to new technology is impressive, and I hope impacts those who see it. After all, Richard Branson is on Twitter. So is Steve Forbes, Rupert Murdoch, and Bill Gates. But many others – in big industries – have not taken the plunge. It’s a mistake and something that we talk a lot about at our company. It’s a process, and I am hopeful that by starting the conversation, action will follow. Thanks, as always, for the heartfelt thoughts and comments.
Great post – and it makes me ponder a bit more.
The movie “Singin’ in the Rain” dealt with similar territory, and just 30 years after the “flip” to talkies. I eager await seeing “The Artist,” though from what you describe of it, it appears the biggest change is about control, or the loss of what control you thought you had.
Thanks to the large studios control (until anti-trust did them in) of making movies to distribution channels to theaters, the major players (the studio heads, not the movie stars) had a chance to control the access to audiences throughout the transition to sound. The Depression may have even kept competitors out.
This time, the “large studios” have some advantages with cable and over the air (radio, especially) still have influence over mass media, but are wrestling hard with how to harvest revenue out of the digital end product. The numbers are different now, and the cost and production structures are all out of whack with the old guard.
In the end, the audience is always right. Those who try to force behaviors with just money or sheer force of will will still have to pay attention to what audiences care about. But most of those audiences are now smaller niches. That makes our current state a bit different – there is no one “popular culture,” but many.
No one has this all figured out, old guard or new. And once they do have it figured out, it will change.
Oh – it has always been this way. Enjoy the ride!
Scott, I couldn’t have said it bettter. In the end, the audience makes the call. Today, they have more options than ever. And the Internet has made the “Long Tail’ become a reality. Thanks for adding some flavor to the conversation.