Media companies face significant hurdles in digital transformation, survey notes

A new industry survey finds that more than half of media companies struggle to implement automated workflows and system connectivity, highlighting a significant gap between available technology and its adoption in the broadcast sector.

The M-Connect Survey, published by content management firm Mediagenix, indicates that 55% of media organizations remain in the early stages of digital transformation across three key areas: data-driven decision-making, automation and system connectivity.

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Based on responses gathered during the May 2024 M-Connect event, the findings show that nearly half of media companies use data-driven strategies only sporadically. Organizations scored an average of 2.6 out of 5 in using data for content acquisition, scheduling, and monetization decisions.

Despite industry-wide discussion about artificial intelligence and automation, the survey found that 67% of organizations lack structured approaches to automation.

Only one-third of respondents reported having developed specific strategies to automate core processes, scoring an average of 2.3 out of 5 in this category.

System connectivity emerged as another significant challenge, with 48% of respondents reporting limited integration capabilities. The average score of 2.6 out of 5 in this area suggests that many organizations struggle to achieve seamless data flow between systems, even with current cloud-based solutions in the market.

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The findings come as media companies face increasing pressure to streamline operations and reduce costs while managing growing content libraries across multiple platforms. Industry analysts note that effective automation and system integration can significantly impact a media organization’s ability to compete in the current marketplace.

MBC Group, a Middle Eastern media company, offers an example of successful digital transformation.

“The industry needs to step up its use of smart workflows to remain competitive,” said Gunel Mammadova, director of corporate planning and management at MBC Group. “By capitalizing on data-driven decision-making, automating our processes, and connecting our systems, MBC is future-proofing its workflows.”

The survey results suggest that while technology solutions exist for many common workflow challenges, implementation remains a significant hurdle for many media organizations. Industry experts note that successful digital transformation requires investment in technology, strategic planning and organizational change management.