44
CO L L A B O R AT I O N
quality. But, much of media today
insults the audience and ignores the
massive shift that has already begun.
And, for us, that’s actually the good
news. This is the moment when con-
scious leaders and media experts
have the opportunity to join together
like never before.
This is our time. This is our chance to
lead the industry to use the power of
media to show our commitment, our
values, our responsibility. To “change
the channel.” To “change the world.”
For too long, television, media and
entertainment so called “leaders”
have dismissed terms like conscious,
sustainable, transformational, shift-
ing and social impact as being “soft,”
“weak,” “nuts and raisins,” Northern
California” and “too niche.”
But, like most of the news media was
with America, these media titans
grew out of touch with the incred-
ibly shifting world around them.
And, on the other hand, those who
believe in “the space,” “the chang-
ing lifestyle” and “the shifting con-
sciousness” have hated what the
media is, does and stands for. There
was never a strong enough “meeting
of the minds” to bring together the
“media and the message.”
There was never a chance to present
a real plan to balance the “money
and the mission.” Until now.
Over the past 10 years, I have had
the privilege to get to know about a
dozen creative, brilliant and passion-
ate media people who “get it.” Who
are dedicated to making this happen.
The media shift is on. It’s now profits
with purpose. It’s mainstream now.
And, it will be massive. There are
hundreds of exciting, global media
and entertainment content initia-
tives underway, integrating brands
with socially responsible campaigns,
corporate social impact efforts and
LEAD | January 2018
the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.
A few examples: There’s a global
music contest to encourage support
of socially responsible efforts led
by changemakers in Austria and
Australia; a global film competi-
tion on the shifting world to be
announced at the October South
African Film Festival in Cape Town;
global artists from around the world
participating in the Independent
Music Awards at Lincoln Center in
January; a new digital global tele-
vision network, LOOKtv, celebrat-
ing the shifting world beginning
next year; an emerging community
“where the filmmakers go,” called
FIlmUp, birthed by two college stu-
dents; a Boulder-based online com-
munity for self-expression on all
sides of diverse issues, “Revolution
Universe”;
In its 10th year, the global music
super-performance platform,
“Playing for Change” looking to
expand its media and entertain-
ment presence; and a new-paradigm,
worldwide television ecosystem that
will change the way people watch TV,
the way entrepreneurs build social
impact companies, the way global
citizens make equity investments
and the way audiences directly influ-
ence the outcome of entertainment
programming.
In my years in the media and enter-
tainment industry, one of the great
areas of expertise I was given the
opportunity to develop was learn-
ing how to build content brands
by understanding the audiences,
becoming familiar how they used
technology and building media, mar-
keting and merchandising that deliv-
ered the experiences they wanted
and the revenues we needed to be
sustainable. That’s what all of this is
about. I call on media and entertain-
ment leaders to take the inevitable
step: to understand where audiences
are going, get there now and provide
content and experiences that meet
their shifting world.
By year end 2017, you will hear
about a new, global media indus-
try effort called “Shift Media 1%.” It
will be encouraging global, national,
regional and local media and enter-
tainment entities to pledge to shift
their content over the next 10 years
by 1%, to include content that is
aligned with the UN Sustainable
Development Goals. (http://www.
un.org/sustainabledevelopment/
sustainable-development-goals).
Something so small as 1% will make
a world of difference.
I call on my colleagues in the media
and entertainment industry to
become team of conscious leaders
who leave a positive, meaningful
impact on our fellow citizens and
our planet. We can do a lot of good
while doing great – in fact greater
– business.
Andy Orgel is an industry leader in the areas of Media, Entertainment,
Technology and Arts; a founding start-up executive at MTV, A&E,
Nickelodeon, CBS FM National Sales, U.S. West Interactive Video
Enterprises, The Movie Channel, The Box and QOL Media, Inc.; an entre-
preneur and innovator; and a lecturer, advisor and consultant to META
companies, universities and organizations looking to increase their com-
mitment to social responsibility, global impact and ‘profits with purpose.’
And, Andy is a proud founding member of the Conscious Leadership
Movement.] https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyorgel