Changing media: 10 things we learned about how technology helps us…and the problems it can’t solve

Change is a product and data forum organised by Fluxx and News UK. Last year we hosted hundreds of people in person. This year we moved it online.

Last week we teamed up with News UK and Dell Technologies to bring you #Change2020; a 60 minute virtual event, bringing together forward thinking publishers, broadcasters and technology providers to help navigate the new world of Media.

Not your ordinary conference, in true Change Forum style we kept things virtual, interactive and engaging. There was a great panel of contributors from Twitter, Dell, News UK & WIRED UK, who shared insight about the challenges and opportunities of the future, to help navigate a new world of work.

If you missed it here’s a quick round up of the top 10 interesting insights from the session:

1. The optimists don’t survive: The Stockdale paradox tells us in times of stress the optimists fare worse, because they think it will all be over soon and then get worn down when tough times rumble on. The world of work has changed and we’re not going back, the people who are asking ‘how can I be an agent and build a long term future’ are the ones in front, rather than the optimists waiting for the short term pain to end.
2. Every age group prefers working at home: The older workers like it the most. The least happy people are the people who used to have their own private office at work. Now is the time to build a new version of how to make working-from-home work, rather than clinging to the past.
3. Decision making has accelerated: The most important thing a company can do is make brave decisions, the worst thing you can do is dither. News UK launched Times Radio in the middle of a national lockdown — something they’d never thought possible before. Christina Scott, CTO of News UK explains; “Now is the time to challenge yourself to go quicker and be brave with your decisions.”
4. The media industry has had to adapt to once in a generation change — again: Some businesses are still launching products — remote working hasn’t stopped this. Bruce Daisley, ex-VP Twitter mentioned a media company he’s been chatting to that used to have 1,400 people coming into the office, now has just 30 and they still managed to deliver products.
5. Offices needed to change: Open plan isn’t working. Offices will need to fit a post COVID world; one that’s more connected to our personal lives. Ben Hammersley, WIRED UK commented, “The companies who are failing are the ones who are waiting to see if it goes back to normal. It’s never going back to normal”.
6. There is pent up demand for live and in person: Cinemas, live sport, music — once restrictions are eased they will come back. There’s also the feeling that live broadcasting will come back with a vengeance when it can.
7. The conference business is going to go bananas in 2022: Humans love being with each other. We’ve got no memories from lockdown because in-person meetings are where memories are made.
8. A better user experience in media is coming: Augmented reality and virtual reality are going to be a key evolution in media and also we’re seeing this in retail, anything that can be done to enhance the user experience. Our consumption of media will only increase in the next year so this needs to be the focus.
9. Technology will only be more sophisticated tomorrow than it is today: Of the jobs we do today, its estimated 45% will be automated by 2030. The digital experiences in a supermarket today tells you that story. Digital is here to stay, it’s accelerating how we live, work and connect as a society. Data and transparency is a big theme in digital adoption, there’s work to be done in this space.
10. The digital divide is getting bigger: this pandemic has exposed the cracks that existed. Margarete McGrath, CDO Dell Technologies UK says up-skilling is essential to our shared future prosperity.

If you’d like to be kept in the loop of the Change plans for next year, register your interest here.

Ed Curwen is a Consultant at Fluxx. Stay tuned with all that’s Fluxx by following us on LinkedIn or signing up for our WTF Newsletter. Get in touch Ed.Curwen@Fluxx.uk.com.

Fluxx is the UK’s leading independent Innovation Company. For the last 9 years, we’ve been supporting clients to accelerate growth and sustain change; helping big companies be purposeful, build internal innovation capability and develop new products and services at pace.