Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Skills and diversity aren't a priority right now': Why the media technology industry needs to take action

08/08/2024

Writing exclusively for TVBEurope, Carrie Wootten, co-founder of The Global Media and Entertainment Manifesto, details the need for the media tech industry to find a more diverse workforce who can plug the skills shortage

By Contributor

Published: August 8, 2024 Updated: August 9, 2024

Writing exclusively for TVBEurope, Carrie Wootten, co-founder of The Global Media and Entertainment Manifesto, details the need for the media tech industry to find a more diverse workforce who can plug the skills shortage

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Writing exclusively for TVBEurope, Carrie Wootten, co-founder of The Global Media and Entertainment Manifesto, details the need for the media tech industry to find a more diverse workforce who can plug the skills shortage

https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/skills-and-diversity-arent-a-priority-right-now-why-the-media-technology-industry-needs-to-take-action title=Share via Email class=share-email>

This is a conversation I have had since the World Skills Caf was launched a few months ago. And although I don't agree with this statement, I do understand why it is being made. The precarious position the industry is in, alongside the rapid innovation and focus on technologies such as AI and cloud technology, is all-consuming for companies who are not only fighting to develop and embed these innovations but who are also simply trying to stay alive. The saying survive to 25' has been ringing in many people's ears for months now.

Companies are making people redundant, some in the glaring light of the industry, others more quietly, but either way the impact on people's lives is clear to see. Other businesses are looking at how AI can be implemented effectively and immediately to drive cost-savings across their pipelines, whilst some are just waiting for a greenlight commission, which currently seem very few and far between. And all of this is happening simultaneously during one of the biggest sporting summers.

Global Media & Entertainment Talent Manifesto aims to address media technology skills crisis

Simply put, there just isn't the headspace, budget or resources to focus on skills or diversity and inclusion as much as there was five years ago - perhaps even two years ago. However, juxtaposing this is the fact that within the recent IABM Talent Shortages in MediaTech report, 80 per cent of respondents stated that they were still finding it very difficult to recruit technical and engineering staff. That is a staggering figure, but a quick search on many companies' careers webpages will show you that this is indeed the case. The dichotomy is real and is being felt across the industry.

Furthermore, the Creative Industries Policy & Evidence Centre reported in early 2024 that over 90 per cent of people in the creative industries are white. In terms of managerial positions, 70 per cent are men, with only one per cent being black. And yet we know that diversity is vital for innovation, product development, and improving the bottom line. A McKinsey & Company study found that companies with more than 30 per cent female executives were more likely to outperform companies that only had between 10 to 30 per cent. In the case of ethnic and cultural diversity, the same survey found that top-quartile companies outperformed those in the fourth quartile by 36 per cent in profitability.

The current situation that the media technology industry finds itself in is a complex one but one that needs to be addressed head-on. We can't stop the push for a more diverse workforce, and we ignore the skills crisis at our peril. The lack of clarity around career pathways, learning & development, remuneration and technology convergence are huge factors that impact how attractive the industry is to the outside world and to others already in it. All of these issues directly affect the shortage of people within technical and engineering roles across the sector and explain why we see such high figures being collated in the IABM report. Alongside this, although the industry is now acutely aware of the lack of diversity across the sector with great strides being made around gender diversity over the last eight years, there is also a huge chasm when we look at other diversity characteristics and representation including, but not limited to, ethnic, disability, LGBTQ+ and socio-economic characteristics. It is time to change this and be honest about our shocking lack of representation in so many areas.

World Skills Caf The World Skills Caf will be a hands-on interactive session designed to understand and unpick some of these issues and critically ensure we have commitments from every person and company in the room that will see action taken over the next year. There will be time to understand at what levels of seniority we need more technical people, in what job roles and where geographically these gaps exist. In addition to this, we will also be looking at how we can attract and retain more diverse communities into our dynamic and brilliant industry. The solutions aren't going to be easy and one size won't fit all either. But this session will hopefully give everyone the time to discuss these issues in detail and provide the breathing space to really consider what actions and steps need to be taken and how we can work collectively together.

As I mentioned early on, I am very aware of the challenges that the industry is facing at the moment, but if we continue to cut funding, investment and support for skills and diversity, I have no doubt that the industry will be in a worse position and have taken a step back in its drive for a more diverse workforce.

If you would like to join the World Skills Caf on Thursday 12th September at IBC2024, RAI Amsterdam, you can register here: https://www.mediatalentmanifesto.com/
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/skills-and-diversity-arent-a-priori...
See more stories from tvb

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

12/08/2026

LPTV Advocates Petition FCC for Voluntary 5G Broadcasts

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/08/2026

Tubi Media Group Inks Content Discovery Deal with Gracenote

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/08/2026

Matrox Video Showcases IP-Based and Software-Defined Tech...

As Matrox Video celebrates 50 years of trusted innovation, the company will showcase its portfolio of interoperable IP technologies and software-defined innovat...

12/08/2026

SMPTE Showcases AI and Open Media Workflows and Industry...

SMPTE, the home of media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced a program of expert-led sessions, professional workshops and networking eve...

12/08/2026

Berklee Announces Full Details for Inaugural Block Party, a Music Festival Next to Fenway Park

Berklee Announces Full Details for Inaugural Block Party, a Music Festival Next ...

12/08/2026

ACLU Requests ABC Station Probe Documents from FCC

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/08/2026

Roger Keating To Retire from Hearst Television

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/08/2026

Netflix Closes U.S. Upfronts, Nearly Doubles Ad Commitments

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/08/2026

CBS Pittsburgh Debuts New AR/VR News Studio

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

12/08/2026

Matthews Intros T-Go Extreme Rigging Solutions

Matthews Studio Equipment introduces T-Go Mounting Solutions extreme camera rigging systems, engineered for the most demanding environments in motion picture pr...

12/08/2026

Anton Bauers EDEN Becomes Only Mobile Power Station in it...

Anton/Bauer, a Videndum brand and the industry leader in mobile power solutions for broadcast and cinematic production, announces that the EDEN Mobile Power Sta...

12/08/2026

TAG Video Systems Cuts Hardware Costs for Customers with...

TAG Video Systems, the global leader in software-based IP monitoring and multiviewer solutions, today announced a memory usage optimization that lowers the tota...

12/08/2026

Unified Streaming Launches Trusted Media - C2PA in Dynami...

Unified Streaming announces Trusted Media, a new solution that enables broadcasters, streaming platforms, and premium content owners to attach verifiable authen...

12/08/2026

Tedial Powers the AI-Driven Media Supply Chain at IBC 202...

Combining intelligent automation, composable business services and user-centric experiences The media industry is entering a new phase where AI intelligence is...

12/08/2026

DPA Microphones Appoints Raul Contreras as West Coast Reg...

DPA Microphones welcomes Raul Contreras as its new West Coast Regional Sales Manager. In this role, Contreras will oversee sales and customer relationships thro...

12/08/2026

Weather is Not a Factor for Marshall Electronics New CV57...

Marshall Electronics' first all-weather, all-IP 4K POV camera, the CV574-WP, makes its European debut at IBC 2026 (Stand 10.C11). Built for the elements, th...

12/08/2026

A double off-switch helps cells respond to stress

LA JOLLA, CA-Scientists at Scripps Research have discovered that two seemingly unrelated cellular enzymes become locked together during times of stress, simulta...

12/08/2026

NVIDIA CEO Tops Glassdoor's 2026 List of Best CEOs

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang is ranked No. 1 on Glassdoor's Best CEOs list for 2026. In the just-released ranking, recognition is earned directly fr...

11/08/2026

Apple To Bring Friday Night Baseball Live to Apple Immersive on Vision Pro Beginning Aug. 28

Weekly immersive broadcasts will feature 8K 3D video, a 180-degree field of view...

11/08/2026

Looking for a New Cameraperson? ProductionHUB Guide Lays Out Considerations, Pitfalls

By Briana Brady, Social Media Manager, Production Hub Sports content is having ...

11/08/2026

SVG Sit-Down: Backlight CEO Kathleen Barrett on Building Media Infrastructure for a Global, AI-Driven Sports Landscape

She addresses why media organizations need more than asset storage, how sports t...

11/08/2026

FloSports Dennis LeMire on Implementing Cloud-Based Workflows on Lower Tier Sports

Remote commentary has improved significantly on these broadcasts At a clip of ...

11/08/2026

Miami HEAT's Revamped IP-Based Control Room Coordinates Workflows With Meinberg Intelligent Modular Synchronization System

A pair of LANTIME IMS M2000 PTP Grandmasters deliver resilient timing infrastruc...

11/08/2026

LTN Expands Live Event Master Control Capabilities for Sports Organizations

LTN has announced expanded capabilities for its Live Event Master Control offering, providing sports broadcasters, leagues, rights holders, and content owners w...

11/08/2026

WTA Ventures Appoints IMG as Managed Production Services Partner

WTA Ventures has appointed IMG as its managed production services partner in a multi-year agreement commencing with the 2027 season. The partnership is the late...

11/08/2026

New York Jets and CBS New York Extend Multi-Year Partnership

The New York Jets and CBS New York have agreed to a multi-year extension of their partnership, keeping CBS New York as the official broadcast home of the team. ...

11/08/2026

Nielsen Acquires DoubleVerify to Create New Combined Media Intelligence Platform

Nielsen Holdings and DoubleVerify have announced a definitive agreement under which Nielsen will acquire DoubleVerify in an all-cash transaction with an enterpr...

11/08/2026

AES Elects David v.R. Bowles as President-Elect for 2027, Unveils Other Election Results

The Audio Engineering Society has announced the results of its 2026 Board of Dir...

11/08/2026

SVG Sit-Down Creator Sports Network's Barrick Prince on Building the Next Layer of the Live-Sports Rights Stack

The CSN co-founder details its network and affiliate' model, how creator wi...

11/08/2026

Gravity Media Providing Host Broadcast Operations for Esports World Cup 2026

Gravity Media is providing host broadcast operations for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, supporting ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) in delivering the tournament to glo...

11/08/2026

TAG Video Systems Reduces Memory Requirements for Compressed Workflows

TAG Video Systems has released a memory usage optimization for its MCM software that reduces the cost per channel by up to two-thirds for compressed workflows. ...

11/08/2026

SMT Expands LED Production and Scoring Services at 2026 Cincinnati Open

SMT is expanding its technology partnership with the Cincinnati Open this year, adding new LED displays, production capabilities, and fan-facing experiences at ...

11/08/2026

Pac-12 to Stream Fall Olympic Sports Home Events Free on YouTube

The Pac-12 has announced that home Olympic sports broadcasts throughout the fall season will be available free on the conference's YouTube channel at youtub...

11/08/2026

Case Study: Real Life Network Taps LiveU for Broadcast-Grade Streaming

Spreading a message of faith requires both widespread accessibility and uncompromising visual quality. Real Life Network (RLN), a free, faith-based digital stre...

11/08/2026

Tennessee Titans' New Nissan Stadium Will Live Up to Its Music City Location

Taking the synergy of sports and entertainment a step further, the NFL venue in Nashville will house iterations of two iconic music clubs The marriage of Taylo...

11/08/2026

The Crow Hill Company introduce Pocket Strings

Free library captures pro classical string section There's no shortage of freebies in The Crow Hill Company's line-up, with their Vaults series offe...

11/08/2026

Emergence Audio unveil Envoy

Percussion instrument introduces all-new engine Emergence Audio have just introduced a instrument that brings together a vast collection of percussive analo...

11/08/2026

Boris FX reveal Sequoia 2026.5

Introduces new all-in-one Spatial Panner tool Boris FX have recently announced the latest major update for their mastering and broadcast-focused DAW softwar...

11/08/2026

Rohde & Schwarz installs millimeter wave security scanners at Airports of Thailand (AOT) Airports

Rohde & Schwarz installs millimeter wave security scanners at Airports of Thaila...

11/08/2026

Dolby Acquires VVC Patents From Florida Atlantic University

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/08/2026

Alyson Stewart Joins Zixi as Senior Director, Sales

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/08/2026

FCC Issues Alert Over Scammers Impersonating Its Commissioners

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/08/2026

Comcast, Disney Ink Deal to End NFL Network Blackout

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

11/08/2026

farmerswife and Cirkus are Exhibiting at IBC 2026

farmerswife and Cirkus will return to IBC 2026 to showcase new tools designed to help broadcast, media and post-production teams manage workflows with greater s...

11/08/2026

LiveU Powers Cross-Venue Coverage of Glasgow Commonwealth...

LiveUs LU900Q intelligent production unit played a central role in the host broadcast operation for the Games in Glasgow (July 23 to August 2, 2026). The host b...

11/08/2026

Jigsaw24 Appoints James Morse as Client Director to Drive...

Jigsaw24 has appointed James Morse as Client Director, Media Sales, as it deepens its focus on sports, live events and integrated production. His appointment co...

11/08/2026

Net Insight enables one of Europes largest broadcast grad...

Net Insight today announced that DMC Production Norway has selected its Open Live Media solution to centralize the production of Blinkfestivalen 2026. Combining...