Another day, another senior media executive starting his speech by showing his 4 year-old children as an example of how he ‘understands new media’. Please - no more. I have seen enough presentations opening with images of these kids and their ‘proud fathers’. Some even have images of their kids using mobile phones, Wiis, CBeebies and Apple Macs as illustrations of how these executives have become fluent in new media.

If these guys are to be believed, they are being educated by their young children in the finer nuances of online business models, user interfaces and consumer trends. Absent are the slides about panel-based research, global trend analysis, years of experience built up through creating innovative new media projects. In its place are picture of a small child, and the conclusion that it is able to conjure up the magic ‘Open Sesame’ that will open the Alladdin’s Cave of monetised content and future new media trends.

As a colleague said yesterday as I started on this topic: “Kids TV is not produced by kids, so why should a new media strategy?”. A perspective I agree with wholeheartedly. Please show me the rows of 5 year-old animators at Pixar, the pre-school scripwriters creating the Finding Nemo sequel, or newly-borne babies writing strategy papers for content portals.

Is this peculiar to our new media industry? In some ways I hope this embarassment has not management-consulted its way into other industries. If it has, please let me know and send examples. Only for ridicule though please. If it has not, then are we not seeing a group of very highly-paid senior executives publically demonstrate that they have no more knowledge of how to create new media projects than a small child? “Ahhh” is not an appropriate response. Next time, please try: “Arghh!” and hope that the following presentation has creative insight based on experience, innovative thought and solid new media business practise.