20 Aug DEG Connects Members Across Social Distance With Magazine Special Edition
In 2020, we’re all finding new ways to connect, says DEG President and CEO. The ‘Q&A’ is one of them.
By Amy Jo Smith
August 19, 2020 | We take our role as a builder of community seriously at DEG, and as working from home amid broad quarantine orders became the norm in Los Angeles, New York and across the country back in March, we knew we must quickly pivot to a virtual event strategy, without sacrificing the quality of programming we have traditionally delivered at in-person
meetings.
This is an excerpt of Smith’s letter in the Special Edition DEG Q&A.
I’m proud to say that we have now done that in five live-streamed DEG Expo meetings and two Canon Club salons, with speakers including Warner Bros.’ Jim Wuthrich, A+E’s Mark Garner and Barry Jossen, Paramount’s Ted Schilowitz, ViacomCBS’s Dan Cohen, Google’s Jonathan Zepp, AT&T’s Jeremy Settle, PBS Distribution’s Andrea Downing, Intel’s Lynn Comp and John Webb, Whip Media Group’s Carol Hanley, and many more.
We’re pleased with the positive response we’ve received from so many of you. “DEG is like the industry water cooler, and they’ve done a great job in pivoting to online events during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Jeff Stabenau of Giant Interactive. “It almost seems as though they’re doing more, with smart topics and a good focus on what it takes to succeed in this business, in this environment.” Thanks, Jeff!
The one thing that the members of the DEG team really find ourselves missing in the switch to virtual events, however, is the post-meeting networking reception, where all can share a beverage, a bite and a chat, personal or professional. So, this special edition DEG Q member magazine — the “Q&A” as we’ve dubbed it — is our attempt to complement the Expos and to replicate, in some small way, those reception conversations. To enable all of our members to get to know another member, even virtually, with whom they might not yet be acquainted.
I was fascinated to read that half of the executives profiled here still live near their hometowns. I am charmed by their pets — the camera-loving dogs, and the coy cats — and curious about their interests outside of work. We’ve got at least two fly fishermen, four singers, a couple of baseball fans, as many #Hamilfans, many nature lovers and one (admitted) sourdough bread baker. These fun facts give us added perspective on people we usually know best through their place in, and perspectives on, the digital media industry. And that perspective is not left out of these interviews.
Consider A+E Networks’ Mark Garner, a new DEG member: “What consumers once knew as a TV channel is morphing from a narrow wrapper to a wide-ranging brand delivering content experiences through innovative apps,” says Garner. “The user journey for television is now a self-led discovery more akin to travel, where within any location one could choose, or happen upon, a multitude of various experiences.”
How about these people?
GET TO KNOW:
Jean Abreu, Sony New Media Solutions
Tim Alessi, LG Electronics USA
John Calkins, ROW8
Michele Edelman, Premiere Digital
Mary Kay Evans, Verizon Media
Mark Garner, A+E Networks
Cheryl Goodman, Sony Electronics
Rick Hack, Intel Corp.
Sergei Kuharsky
Bill Neighbors, Xperi
Paulette Pantoja, Blu
Cale Pritchett, The Great Courses
Steve Rosenberg, Premiere Digital
Galen Smith, Redbox
Jeff Stabenau, Giant Interactive
To be included in the fall edition of the Q&A, email our editor, Marcy Magiera, at Marcy@degonline.org.