This morning, I spent the best $80 I have in a long time. My motivation for media was re-instilled - I was filled with excitement and ideas by the time I walked out. The event was the mUmBRELLA Question Time breakfast that featured these key four speakers, moderated by the site's publisher Tim Burrowes -
 |
| John Thompson |
 |
| Peter Biggs |
John Thompson - Senior manager for road safety and marketing at the Transport Accident Commission (TAC)
Peter Biggs - Clemenger BBDO Melbourne’s Managing Director (Advertising agency)
 |
| Eric Beecher |
Eric Beecher -Crikey co-owner (He has also worked as a reporter on The Age, The Sunday Times, The Observer and The Washington Post. He has been editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and editor in chief of the Melbourne Herald and Weekly Times newspaper group.)
 |
| Frankie Ralston Good |
Frankie Ralston Good - Naked Communications’ Melbourne Managing Director
 |
| Tim Burrowes, mUmBRELLA Publisher |
There were many pre-organised questions read out by audience members and, finally, it came to my question. Earlier in the week, I had made contact with the lovely and clever Tim Burrowes who, after a conversation about my current career position in life, he kindly suggested he would help me reword my question to this one -
"I've worked as a journalist, and in media sales. I'm about to get back into the job market. Which side of the fence does the panel recommend will lead to the most satifying career?"
Here are the short versions of the panel's answers, which I believe could apply to anyone who is trying to decide on a career, even if it is not in the media:
Frankie's advice - How do you define job satisfaction? Find out what satisfies you and run with that.
Eric's advice - Journalism schools are full. You have got to love it and get the job satisfaction out of it.
Peter's advice - Follow your bliss. (Funnily enough, it was randomly pointed out that he started out studying to be a Catholic Priest.)
John's advice - Follow what you love, don't take the easy path.
It was an absolute thrill to hear their answers and I was quietly stoked to be amongst such important and influential media people. For someone who is passionate about anything to do with newspapers, online news and media industry news - it was quite exciting.
Interestingly, for young people (and aspiring writing and journalists that this blog is aimed at), Beecher talked about the online publishing content industry growing enormously - however, their challenge is finding bright, young graduates who can be moulded into online journalists. (note to readers, this is something to think about!)
The panelists also talked about the innovation being stirred in the world of online media. Eric Beecher pointed out that, broadly, print media needs reinventing but, if they can get an app for a tablet or mobile device right, they are onto a winner.
To be completely honest, I felt a quite out of my depth at the event, as their were many high fliers from the media and marketing industry there; yet I was also grateful that I went along, as it is not often that the opportunity arises to hear from such brilliant media minds in person. For me, my buying a ticket was the equivalent of someone else my age treating themselves to a ticket to a music festival. It was a highly interesting experience that has left me with lots to think about in terms of online media. I would recommend the mUmBRELLA Question Time event to anyone along with having a look at the media and marketing orientated, fabulous website - I find there is always something interesting and fun to look at on there even if you are not extremely interested in the media industry.
Their next event is in Sydney on Wednesday, November 10th - you can find further details here.
