TechCrunch Disrupt: Evolve or Die

Evolve or Die: The Future of Music, TV, Games and Publishing, one of the first panels at TechCrunch Disrupt, featured Avner Ronen, CEO of Boxee; Sarah Chubb, President of Conde Nast Digital; John Hagel, Co-Chairman of Center for the Edge; and Fred Davis, Founding Partner of CODE Advisors with Michael Wolf, Founder and Managing Director of Activate as moderator.  The topic of the panel was just what it sounds like, how media companies have to evolve (or die) in the changing media spheres.

While much of the conversation was based on the corporate side of things, there were some interesting topics discussed that matter to those outside of the media industry.  One of the biggest themes of the panel, and of the conference as a whole so far, was the iPad.  According to Davis, the iPad is a better way to experience magazines than actual magazines.  Chubb’s numbers seem to reflect that, with 75 percent of Epicurious apps being accessed through the iPad.  Vanity Fair has also seen 90 percent of it’s 35,000 app downloads accessed from the iPad. While GQ’s man of the year issue may have had lackluster results on the iPad {Media Memo/AllThingsD}, it seems apps with more up to date content is faring a bit better.

If there was one major thing all the panelists could agree on, it was that content needs to be social.  According to Ronen, since we can now discuss content as soon as it’s aired or shown, media companies need to bring out better content.  That content could be better just by virtue of being a higher quality products, or something that offers a specialized focus.

According to the panelists, media companies are shifting from a product-centric model to a customer-focus.  That means more personalized content for everyone – we’ll see if that goes over better for publishers than it did for Facebook.  But personalization can  easily provide more specific content for segmented markets with different interests, and coupled with better content could only mean good things for everyone.

One of the first panels at TechCrunch Disrupt, Evolve or Die: The Future of Music, TV, Games and Publishing, featured Avner Ronen, CEO of Boxee; Sarah Chubb, President of Conde Nast Digital; John Hagel, Co-Chairman of Center for the Edge; and Fred Davis, Fouding Partner of CODE Advisors with Michael Wolf, Founder and Managing Director of Activate as moderator.  The topic of the panel was just what it sounds like, how media companies have to evolve (or die) in the changing media spheres.

A full transcript is available at TechCrunch {TechCrunch}.