2021 Media Summit Examines the Future of Video Streaming

2021 Media Summit Examines the Future of Video Streaming

The 2021 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit on Oct. 27 featured a combination of in-person and virtual panelists in Tyler Hall’s Waterman Theater, a career connection event with six recently graduated alumni and classroom visits from panelists and Career Connector alumni. Read related story.

The panel was hosted by Justin Dobrow ’17, the supervisor of program operations at NBCUniversal, who works for the company’s streaming service, Peacock. At SUNY Oswego, Dobrow graduated with a degree in broadcasting and mass communications, and was the general manager for WTOP-10, the on-campus, student-run TV station.

On the panel was Frank Palumbo ’83, the vice president and account manager of local television for Nielsen Holdings. Alongside Palumbo was Renard Jenkins, senior vice president with product and creative technology services for WarnerMedia; Chrissy Guest, an associate professor at Ithaca College in the department of media arts, sciences and studies; and Jamie Duemo, the media and entertainment business development leader at Amazon Web Services.

Panelists discussed topics related to streaming services like Netflix or NBC’s Peacock, and answered questions submitted by students. Palumbo and Jenkins joined via Zoom call, while Dobrow, Guest and Duemo were in Waterman Theater with no limitations on attendance.

President Deborah F. Stanley opened the panel, speaking about the importance of television and media over the past years as a comforting escape from hard times.

Topics discussed during the panel included how the market shifted from broadcast television with limited channels to hundreds of channels, and now to streaming services.

Panelists mentioned how streaming services have mirrored the traditional television channels, going from three to four major streaming platforms like Netflix or Hulu, now to most corporations like NBC, HBO and Disney having a streaming service. Panelists shared how the trend indicates streaming services may be bundled like television channels, allowing consumers to choose packages of services to get the most value for the best selection of shows and movies.

The panelists also discussed the benefits and disadvantages of streaming services with ad revenue, oftentimes having paid premium accounts with less or no advertisements as opposed to commercial breaks on traditional television.

The panel ended with a quick question segment, with the focus being on what employers are looking for when hiring in the mass media industry. Guest said that candidates should be focused on organizational and communication skills more than worrying about their specific qualifications like majors or exact experiences.

After the panel, the following alumni shared their experience and advice: Travis Clark ’15, senior media reporter at Insider; Matt Stone ’15, segment producer at ABC’s Good Morning America; Kalie Hudson Dobrow ’16, senior social strategist at Edelman; Imani Cruz ’17, talent, casting and series development coordinator at MTV Networks; Geselle Martinez ’17, stage manager for CBS Mornings; and Carmen Mendoza ’17, commercial operations coordinator for AMC Networks – Sundance TV.

Students could speak with the alumni and ask questions about how they got their careers started, the job field or any other questions.

The Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit will return in 2022, with no official date nor topics announced yet.

About the Media Summit

The Media Summit was founded in 2005 by Lou Borrelli ’77. In 2007, Al Roker ’76 became a co-sponsor of the event, which was renamed in memory of their beloved professor, the late Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell.

 

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