The Problem
Many media organizations struggle to compete with digital-native platforms. They have valuable content and audiences but operate with legacy structures—siloed teams, project-based thinking, and revenue models dependent on advertising alone. The shift to a product-led operating model isn't just about technology; it's about fundamentally changing how the organization creates and captures value.
Core Principles
Products over projects
Invest in persistent teams with long-term ownership, not temporary project groups that disband after launch.
Outcomes over outputs
Measure success by business impact (retention, ARPU, engagement) not feature velocity.
Platform thinking
Build shared capabilities that multiple products can leverage, reducing duplication and accelerating innovation.
Data as a product
Treat your data infrastructure as a first-class product with its own roadmap and stakeholders.
Customer-centric organization
Structure teams around customer segments or journeys, not internal functions.
Implementation Checklist
- Audit current team structures—identify project vs. product orientation
- Define clear product boundaries and ownership
- Establish product-level P&Ls or contribution metrics
- Create a shared platform layer with defined interfaces
- Implement outcome-based OKRs across product teams
- Build product management capability (hire, train, or both)
- Establish regular product review cadence with leadership
- Create feedback loops from customers to product teams
Common Pitfalls
Renaming without restructuring
Calling teams "product teams" without changing incentives, authority, or ways of working.
Platform without products
Building shared infrastructure without clear products that will use it.
Metrics theater
Tracking vanity metrics instead of leading indicators of business value.
Ignoring the culture shift
Underestimating the change management required for people to adopt new mindsets.
Moving too fast
Attempting organization-wide transformation instead of piloting with one or two products first.