By Shayla Reaves

John Lavine is the founder of Northwestern University’s Media Management Center (MMC). The Center is a leader in educating media executives on the changes and challenges of the media industry. Lavine’s career spans over 25 years and has included positions as publisher/editor at four daily and four weekly newspapers in Minnesota, teaching in the United States and abroad, and the founding of the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) to study Latin American newspapers (1985). Currently, Lavine continues to research while also serving as professor of media management and strategy in the Kellogg School of Management and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern.

How do you think digital media will impact the broadcasting industry in the next few years?
“The move from analog to digital changes everything but at the same time it changes nothing. The broadcasting industry still has to provide great content and appeal to consumers and advertiser needs. With that said, once content is digital, it can be interactive, delivered by cable, satellite, cell phone, PDAs and by means that are currently unclear. In other words it can be endlessly targeted.”

What is the impact of enhancing the consumer's "experience" of a product?
“The Readership Institute does not have data regarding this area as of yet, but we do realize that it [the consumer’s experience] does have an impact on all areas.”

How is broadcasting being affected by the increasing convergence of print and broadcasting mediums?
“Leading up to the FCC ruling, we saw more convergence as companies began buying other companies in anticipation of the ruling. The new rules will only foster more cross ownership alliances in the future.”

What do you think is the toughest issue the broadcasting industry will be facing in the next 10 years?
“The toughest issue facing this industry is changing its culture and becoming more strategic.”

Where does broadcasting stand regarding diversity? Is it where it needs to be and where do you think it needs to go?
“The world has changed and will continue to change at a faster rate. Media organizations must have more staffers that understand what it means to be Black, Hispanic, young, old, disabled etc. Those [organizations] who do not make improvements do so at their own peril, and those [organizations] that do should be congratulated.”