COURSE NUMBER: MBA295N.1A

Previously numbered MBA295T.2A

COURSE TITLE: Media: New and Otherwise

UNITS OF CREDIT: 1

INSTRUCTOR: Roy Bahat

E-MAIL ADDRESS: *roybahat@gmail.com *

MEETING DATES: Spring A only

PREREQUISITE(S): None

CLASS FORMAT: Students will present strategies for media companies, hear from guest speakers, and discuss the transformations happening in media -- much as they would if they worked for a media company. Students should expect to have significant input into the companies and topics we discuss.

Note: This course is best for students who already have a strong interest -- personal or professional -- in media. It assumes a high level of curiosity about what is happening in news, entertainment, and related industries. No professional experience in media is expected.

REQUIRED READINGS: Textbook and some industry overview books, as well as a course reader. No cases.

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: Project and class participation, no exams.

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: News, online, movies, advertising, television, mobile, videogames, music, books, social media -- all part of the industry of informing and entertaining, and all being revolutionized. In this course we will do a quick overview of the media business -- from startups to global conglomerates.

We will address a wide range of topics: the economics of media organizations (and industries), their organizational structures, cultures, brands, and approaches.

Some of the questions we’ll discuss:
What kinds of media companies are likely to succeed in the future?
How do traditional media address changing technologies?
How is the media business driven by metrics and data? How is it driven by artistic creativity?

CAREER FIELD: Entertainment, news, media -- business or creative

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Roy Bahat (@roybahat) is the head of Bloomberg Beta, a venture fund backed by Bloomberg L.P. that invests in companies that make business work better. 

Roy was the founding chairman of OUYA, a Kickstarter-launched game console company acquired by Razer. For five years, he ran News Corporation’s IGN Entertainment, an online media company.

He is on the boards of CodeNow, a nonprofit teaching technology skills to underprivileged students, and the Center for Investigative Reporting, a nonprofit newsroom.

Roy graduated from Harvard College, where he ran the student public service nonprofit. He was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. He writes at http://also.roybahat.com