The Media Industry Demands Multi-Faceted Skills

Dr Sreeram Gopalkrishnan May 11, 2019

The Indian media and entertainment industry has seen exponential growth in the last five years and is expected to continue expanding. The industry is estimated to be worth Rs 4,50,000 crore, contributing 2.8 per cent to the GDP.

According to a CII-BCG report, several variables such as the changing nature of consumer demands, new business models, and digital disruptions have led to an expectation and need for an entirely new workforce. Given the industry’s growth rate, the demand for skilled and talented professionals is likely to outpace the supply, the report predicts.

The shift to the digital landscape has seen massive changes in both content creation and consumption, and media and entertainment organisations are beginning to refocus their strategies accordingly.

Some of the ways in which the industry has transformed include the adoption of technology and the application of big data and analytics accompanied by structural changes. This has also meant the need for identifying creative, technological, and analytical skills for up-skilling the workforce.

The employment opportunities in the media industry stand close to around four million. Technology has caused this industry to proliferate into a number of subfields such as filmmaking, journalism, radio and TV broadcasting, digital interactive media, and animation. With such a massive expansion in these fields, employment opportunities are booming in the media and entertainment industry, with the added benefit of working in a dynamic, stimulating, and fun work environment. Some of the key skills that would be valuable in building a career in media and entertainment are:

Advanced Interpersonal Skills

The importance of developing your interpersonal skills cannot be emphasised enough especially in an industry that thrives on networking. The best companies seek to work with professionals with strong abilities of interpersonal communication as it minimises disruptions in operational workflows, resulting in greater overall efficiency. Your competency and creativity can only shine through if you can effectively communicate your ideas. In a fast-paced industry such as this one, communication lapses are non-negotiable. Make sure to hone your people skills as an initial stepping stone towards a promising career in media.

Technical Literacy

Being technically illiterate is no longer an option in the 21st century. Like strong communication skills, technical literacy is highly sought after in the world of media. Media and Entertainment industry has always been a pioneer and early adopter of technologies and the evolution in this space is rapid. Staying up-to-date on technology is bound to give you an edge over the fierce competition that exists in this domain. Mastery of technical skills makes you a better problem-solver and minimizes your dependency on others for complicated tasks. Companies upgrade digitally, but if you're one with sound IT skills, these transitions will be significantly less intimidating for you.

Research

No other industry is evolving as fast as media and entertainment. Good communication and content are vital to getting ahead in a competitive world. The ability to research and translate that into effective communication campaigns is an essential skill. Research lends depth to content and helps it stand out. The same applies to understanding technological developments and thinking about their potential applications. Careers are changing so quickly, leaving those who don't keep up with the pace redundant and at risk of becoming obsolete. A great example of this is programmatic marketing which now uses robots in place of humans for purchasing ads. It has become predominant that automation is taking centre stage in the media world. Brands are using virtual and augmented reality to create a highly interactive way for audiences to experience their adverts. These are all developments that have come around only a decade ago.

Experimentation

Media companies run on creativity. It is natural that companies will also employ individuals who bring tremendous creativity and visualisation and have an experimental bent of mind. It is often experimenting and changing up traditional methods and ideas that bring greater brand visibility. This makes media professionals who regularly experiment and take risks a highly valuable asset in any organisation.

The media industry is without a doubt a daunting place at the first glance, but it’s the incredible mix of diverse skill sets and qualities that make it such an exciting, challenging, and rewarding place to learn and grow in. All you need is solid faith in your abilities and the constant hunger to learn and you will be able to achieve great heights in the world of media.