Media at a time of change.

How media, communications and marketing are changing for ever.
Gerhard Kürner, Director Corporate Communications, Voestalpine AG

In the framework of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed Gerhard Kürner, head of Corporate Communications at Voestalpine AG. In his talk the communications expert summarized the key changes that have taken place in the media world in the last few years. He spoke of the crisis of journalism, which he sees as a triple crisis: an economic crisis, a structural crisis and an innovation crisis. That led the speaker to the question: “Do we still need the traditional media?” His answer is “yes”, especially with regard to independent media, but he is convinced that they must be capable of presenting the global picture.

For Voestalpine, Gerhard Kürner proposes a communications policy focussed on content management – with a company magazine, an in-house newsletter, a corporate blog, an apprentice website and social media channels. For him the basic principle is “to think like a publishing house” in order to guarantee excellent employees, attractive investors and enough customers.

The event was moderated by Professor Siegfried Walch, Program Director for Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management and for International Health & Social Management. The talk was followed by a lively discussion.