Catching up with Alla Salehian of TIMA

Amy Selwyn recently sat down with Alla Salehian, CEO of TIMA (The International Media Associates), a well known leader in broadcast media, to talk about his new company, his vision for the future and where he thinks the industry is moving. Alla and TIMA will be joining us in Barcelona this year, so be sure to continue the conversation at NX12!

TIMA is a content company specialising in the production of original video content for broadcasters and online video platforms. We cover News, Entertainment, Sports and Current Affairs and our services range from providing technical and production services including breaking news coverage to producing documentaries and live studio programmes.
 
1. You describe TIMA as a new company with many years of experience. How do you achieve the balance between tried and true ways of doing things (experience) and innovation in thinking and process?

We continue to talk about social media, smart phones Ipads etc. as being game changers for the media industry. My view is that people ultimately engage with compelling content which is far more important than the method of delivery. So we bring our experience of producing content and then look to technology to help us capture and produce it and then to deliver it to the consumer.    

2. When many in the NX Community think about the term "news agency" they think AP, Reuters, AFP, etc. You describe TIMA as a news agency. Are you looking to redefine the news agency of the future?

Yes. Although I like to think of TIMA more as a 'Content Agency'. The news agencies provide a valuable service but they distribute the same content to their large and geographically diverse customer base which means they do not provide the depth or variety of content that customers and viewers are looking for. TIMA is already producing original customised video content for our customers and we have plans to provide them with a wide range of content from around the world; utilising new technologies for access and distribution.

3. What is your vision for broadcast news and where it's going in the next two to three years?

I believe that we in the media have created and then believed our own fears about the threats and challenges to the broadcast news industry, and there is a danger that this will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I think there will still be an important role for broadcast news for many years to come as long as we invest in news gathering and professional journalism.

4. What is going to characterize the big winners in the news agency business going forward?

Those that can go behind the headline news and provide geographically relevant content for the stories further down the running order.

5. If you were asked to deliver a keynote speech at this year's News Xchange, what would you choose as your topic? What question would you love someone to ask?

My topic would be 'Content is king' and the question would be 'is this the end of journalism?' My answer is only if we allow that to happen.  We have been discussing the threat to professional journalism from social media, user-generated content and Twitter for many years. Whilst the internet has created a plethora of outlets and platforms for public commentary and opinion, this cannot replace the crucial role of journalism in society.  Our industry has had to adapt to new technology to reach our audience but I believe that however the information is received, the audience looks to us as a trusted source of information and expects us to adhere to professional standards of journalism to make sense of events.