ASHLEY WELLING
Staff Writer
“Nip/Tuck,” the “Bachelor,” “Friends,” “E.R.” and the “West Wing.” Many know the faces of the stars in front of the cameras for these celebrated shows, but not many know the faces of those behind them.
Who decides the fate of shows like these that people turn to for entertainment? While the president of Warner Bros., Bruce Rosenblum, might not have a totalitarian hold over the entertainment industry, he certainly has a mighty hand over some of the most popular shows in the world.
The technological theme was significant during his speech, as he discussed the dark cloud oppressing the major networks in the modern era.
“Believe it or not, the biggest competitors we face are no longer Fox or even NBC,” Rosenblum said. “It is the people all over the world with enough computer sense to type in YouTube on their Web browsers or hook up their TiVo that we have to worry about.”
Speaking to a crowd filled with Pepperdine students, alumni and other notable executives, Rosenblum had large shoes to fill at Tuesday’s Dean’s Executive Leadership Series held at the Graziadio School of Business. With speakers before him including Andy Bird, president of Walt Disney International, and Deborah Platt Majoras, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, he tried to set himself apart by focusing on the creativity that is necessary to head a major corporation.
“We aren’t just storytellers,” Rosenblum said. “You have to constantly be innovative, creative and aggressive in every sense of the word. That’s how you reach people.”
Indeed, it is this creativity that has helped him make it to the top of his industry and onto Pepperdine’s graduate campus.
“He’s one of today’s most significant and innovative executives,” said Graziadio School Dean Linda Livingstone, who later interviewed Rosenblum in front of an audience of hundreds. “He is on the front lines of an industry that is facing significant change due to technology, and I have no doubt that we will learn a great deal from his experiences.”
With all these new ideas and business banter to mull over throughout the night, a few MBA students were already feeling the pressure surrounding this career choice.
“At first it was really overwhelming and intimidating,” said first-year MBA student Benjamin Fieman. “But there are so many influential people here that you can’t help take something away from this experience.”
Indeed, that was why the Dean’s series was originally made into a formal gathering almost five years ago by Assistant Vice Chancellor Debi Klein.
“It is so important to spotlight creative leaders and thinkers in any place of higher learning,” Klein said. “This series addresses the needs of the students to learn more about the world outside and how to be successful within it.”
While discussing his own success, Rosenblum attributed most of it to those surrounding him as well as his mentor and boss, CEO of Warner Brothers, Barry Meyer.
“He has always told me to do what I do with passion and hire people to do the rest,” Rosenblum said.
The series continues March 4 with a presentation by the Chairman and CEO of Mattel Inc., Robert Eckert, and then again April 1 in Silicon Valley with the President of the Jelly Belly Candy Company, Robert Simpson.
With so many influential leaders walking the halls of Pepperdine since the series began, it is not hard to see why its success has blossomed.
“It’s an honor to be a part of something like this,” Rosenblum said. “Things seem to be getting more exciting everyday and I’m just glad I could share it with you all.”
01-24-2008