Editor: Camilla Peffer    Posted: Thursday, April 26, 2012   Discussion: 1 Comment

Gary Hayes took to the stage as the first speaker for the first day of the Digital Futures event on Thursday. Speaking about the future of broadcast television and social media,  Hayes spoke of the critical need for a vision.

Without it, media companies will be left in the eye of the upcoming media storms. Yes, storms, plural. The news landscape is constantly shifting, and if we need a significant vision if we’re going to escape unscathed.

We need to ask ourselves in these coming storms: do we try and control it? or take the bull by the horns?

• The convergence of media communications is presenting a hybrid media challenge, but we need to remember that content is everything.
• Two of the most powerful forms of media are broadcast and social media. One should not overshadow the other. They should be merged together, especially with a decline in TV viewing.
• Facebook and Twitter have radically changed television viewing, as people recreate the experience of local community via sharing statuses and tweets.
• Services such as iView will eliminate the time lag that occurs during live broadcasts, connecting dispersed communities across Australia.
• Everything can be made portable and kept forever, and everything is now available on demand. We need to harness this by including all content in one integrated package.
• TV, Internet and Movies will disappear from our vocabulary altogether as media converges and the television becomes a portal for community.
• 18% of content is currently accessed via mobiles, growing at a rate of 1% per annum.
• Social media is not broadcast media, but can effectively be used for community building by bringing people into the story world. By making connections with viewers, we affirm consumer loyalty as viewers feel they are part of a community and a part of the communication process. This is called the ‘I Am Here’ effect.

Gary Hayes on Twitter @garyphayes