The Digital Media Universe & Definition

Rutberg & Co, an investment bank focusing on wireless and technology sectors, has come out with a “framework” for the digital media industry, its attempt to “define” the industry. Unfortunately, it only focuses on the audio-video side of it, but we include text as well. (Our definition: digital media is the universe where media, information and entertainment industries collide with technology and finance) But for its own purposes, that’s probably the most lucrative area, so understandable (it used our sites as a research resource in developing the universe).
From its note, it has a taxonomy of 14 sectors and 271 subsectors, and an initial list of 1,476 privately-held companies organized within that taxonomy. “We define ‘digital media’ as those companies that engage in or enable the creation, publishing, distribution, and consumption of audio, video, images, and games stored in digital form. In this definition, we include multiple dimensions and elements of the digital media value chain. In terms of the process value chain, we include creation to consumption, and in terms of the product/service value chain, we include semiconductors, hardware, software, and services. In addition, we focus on rich media in both physical and electronic formats, specifically excluding text content. From an OSI model perspective, we focus on layers above IP and thus exclude most of transport networks and telecommunications infrastructure. We also exclude communications and content that is not stored for later playback; for example, our definition excludes real-time communications such as voice over IP, instant messaging, and Web conferencing, as well as communications adjuncts such as voicemail.”
For some more detail on its framework, download this PDF.

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