Regardless of what the stock market shows, Viacom is a great place for people and personality. The culture is great, we've worked for years to cultivate great people into success stories. The only caveat is that we haven't had any content in the past few years while other companies have surpassed us. We can't be nostalgic and think that a younger audience will just embrace us because we are who we are. ... We need younger voices to tell us who we need to be. ... I hope Viacom finds those voices.
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Exactly! ^^ To both comments. This really is the #1 systemic issue that plagues Viacom's content strategy (or, rather, lack thereof).
I agree about the culture. In my 10+ years I was always impressed by the kindness and willingness to collaborate. And the lack of egos (at least in my division at my level).
But I completely disagree about "younger voices." The problem is that while some in management and below have great ideas--and the experience and talent to pull them off--the highest levels of management overrule them on a whim every day. The "strategy" changes every few weeks based on some EVPs latest pet theory or idea. Or something she read in her car on the way into work. Couple that with constant budget cutting and re-orgs every 16 months, and you get a culture that is depressed and a company that cannot innovate. And a workforce of smart, talented people who are not listened to. They can hire all the youngsters they want (and really it all comes down to the money they'll save replacing us with 20-somethings.) There's no guarantee the ideas from those "younger voices" will be better or that their ideas will be considered or enacted.