“I know some broadcasters do their own in-house development,” says Berg, “but ultimately the skill set I have developed here is broad, and I don’t feel that experience in broadcast technology is limiting to my career at all. I can take what I’ve learnt here and go anywhere I want to.” GENERALISTS VS SPECIALISTS The breadth of Vizrt’s product portfolio reflects this horizontal expansion out of the traditionally narrow broadcast vertical. From being a top supplier to Tier 1 broadcasters, Vizrt now offers tools for broadcasters at every level – from YouTubers to companies delivering the world’s greatest live events. This also means that the talent Vizrt seeks must be able to turn their hand to a wide spectrum of solutions. “We still want some product specialists,” explains Catherine Webb, “but we also want people who can be moved between different products that serve various markets, customers and verticals. Otherwise, we’re not flexible, and if we’re not flexible then we’re not fit for what the future holds.” Is there a danger of broadcast becoming just another digital industry,
akin to any software-based business? Not likely. Broadcast still has its own unique requirements that will stick around. The process of working with and delivering large video files alone requires its own specialist skills. But these will need to be applicable to a variety of situations in an industry that isn’t going to sit still. “We need to trust that the new generation of technologists – the generalists – can learn the required specificities on the job,” says Webb. “People now know the processes, and how to simplify them, a lot better. They can provide better insights and make them fit for the future.”
AS A RESULT, BROADCAST IS NOW OPEN TO A VARIETY OF SKILL SETS
INTERNSHIP INITIATION Spending time at the company helps students get used to its technical parts
feedmagazine.tv
Powered by FlippingBook