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Soho New Media: Older & Wiser?

01zero-0ne Creative Learning Lab joined forces with the CLP to explore the common issues of learning in the digital industry. Focusing on companies based in Soho, Suzel Pitty reviews their 2005 snapshot study...

Older & Wiser? - Soho's New Media Sector

By Suzel Pitty

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London has an international reputation as a truly creative city. With its ‘rich mix’ of people and talent and strong technical and cultural infrastructure, London is home to an impressive combination of creative businesses and institutions.

In terms of the new media sector, little knowledge is formally gathered in a London context to consider the sector’s development aspirations and subsequent workforce needs. When any particular business sector experiences extremely rapid growth the associated pressures often leave little time for the establishment of suitable infrastructure, which is critical to sustain healthy growth over the long-term.

To provide a snapshot of the sector, this research study undertook to interview a number of companies located in or on the fringe of Soho and operating in the new media, digital and interactive sector, about their current workforce ratios, development and learning needs, methods of recruitment and aspirations for how to grow the sector from within.

Key findings:

Whilst the sector is diverse and characterised by a strong entrepreneurial approach, there seem to be collective experiences that can inform a sectoral response to the issues around learning development, from both the companies working in the sector and the agencies supporting it.

(1)Introducing pre-professionals into the workplace

Placements and internships: study companies experienced little returned interest in developing a link between college and company, which is missed opportunity for both.

(2) Ways into the sector

Word of mouth: a consistently used method of recruitment, not only in new media but across audio-visual industries. However, whilst a reliable way of gaining contract or freelance staff, it can often be a painful way to recruit as it’s more emotional.

(3)The drip-feed approach to skills

With the new recruit having learnt the particular ropes of the company, the learning continues as outward facing to the sector, in keeping up with software advances.

A team member will identify a specific skills need, source the training solution, seek agreement and funding and feed the necessary information down to their colleagues in an organised session, citing this method of filtrating knowledge as organic but effectively peer-led.

(4) New media networking

Staff owning the exchange of knowledge in work practice and in front of a friendly, familiar audience can improve necessary communication skills, which can only bring benefit to client interface.

The old adage of time versus interest would appear to be negating formal networking but, as the sector has spread across London to form additional clusters, it becomes more important to maintain local conversations in effective networks to consolidate learning as visible blueprints for best practice across the sector as a whole.

(5) A new industry that’s not sure what that means

For an industry only in its second proper decade, it is essential that examples of best practice are captured, as continuing this rate of growth will require a more considered approach to managing learning and development processes.

(6) Learning, not training

It would be implausible for a business to remain static, as it moves further away from early routes and references. But one thing is clear. It’s not about training, it’s about learning, as training is more indicative of a set established industry, rather than this sector which is a relatively new industry.

A rapid business evolution, driven by technologies which advance at such a rate, presents completely different concerns with each new project development.

(7) Getting older and wiser

Alongside evolving staff roles and infrastructures, the sector is maturing in its approach to the work itself, with a development towards honest information design and usability, rather than ‘flash and grab’ graphics.

Schism extends into the varying definitions chosen to reflect the nature and breadth of business. As Televisual, the production community magazine noted in its most recent new media market survey, ‘in new media more than any other production sector, there’s no such thing as an average company.'

(8) Accounting for a management structure

Regardless of which media platform is employed, a project still comes down to the client and the brief, and how that client is serviced comes down to the account management structure in place. Companies have chosen not to adopt the more traditional account handler tier, preferring a more fluid approach so clients don’t have to put up with too many layers before they get to source.

(9) Interventions

There are a plethora of support agencies and schemes offering skills and career development to the sector but most of the companies expressed little knowledge of these. The whole approach towards intervention needs to be like the sector itself, a sum of so many parts, bespoke, flexible and easy to adapt.

“It all comes back to growth and the imperative to learn from today’s new media, before tomorrow’s new media arrives. The sector has matured into a more systematic approach and definition, but as the ‘new’ doesn’t stay new for very long, it becomes clear how quickly this context changes. The challenge for the sector’s future development is to sustain itself in the face of such continuous change and continue to embed the necessary frameworks for doing so. “ Daljit Singh, Digit


Further Information:

This report was launched at an event held at 01zero-one, the Creative Learning Lab on 20th January 2005. The report was funded by the Central London Partnership, the Learning & Skills Council (London Central) and Westminster Kingsway College.

A PDF version of the study can be downloaded from the websites of 01zero-oneand Central London Partnership

About 01zero-one:

01zero-one, the Creative Learning Lab is an new initiative developed by Westminster Kingsway College to respond to current and future skills needs in London's creative industries. Situated in Soho, 01zero-one is a space for innovation, new thinking and new practice for creative learning, skills development and networking across the sector. It offers a wide range of short courses, seminar-workshops, showcases and network events focusing on film, TV, interactive and new media, and design.

About Central London Partnership:

CLP brings together the many organisations and players from both the public and private sector across Central London. Through taking concerted action, the partnership helps improve prospects for the heart of the capital and provide a better quality of life and experience within Central London for its citizens, workers and visitors.