When Paolo Sigismondi changed careers after a decade-plus as a leader in media and entertainment on both sides of the Atlantic, curiosity was the motivation. In academia, he could delve deeply into theoretical frameworks for understanding the media industry. Reciprocally, his research and teaching are firmly grounded in real-world concerns.

“Los Angeles is home to a multibillion-dollar industry, and I try to never lose sight of the reality of that industry working, thriving and providing jobs,” said Sigismondi, clinical professor of communication. “It helps that I find the intersection of theory and practice to be a very interesting place.”

His scholarly domain — the interrelations of globalization, media, technology and economics — is sweeping in scope. And he is accordingly ambitious in tackling complex topics. See his new book, Redefining Media in the Digital Age: New Global Competitive Advantages, which explores seismic shifts in the media business. Streaming content and social media have reshaped how, when and where people engage with media, including all types of cinema, TV, sports, news, internet video and more. The ongoing digital revolution means massive and pervasive change affecting both business and consumers.

“Previously separated sectors of the industry now overlap,” said Sigismondi, who earned his doctoral degree in communication from USC Annenberg in 2009. “A growing variety of entertainment artifacts vie for the attention of the same individuals, and for the same advertising and subscription dollars.”

Sigismondi outlines two key distinctions: between the legacy studios and big tech companies that now lead the field, and between scripted and nonscripted content.

Immense libraries built over the better part of a century give legacy studios a substantial competitive advantage in the scripted sphere. But while technologically driven upheaval is nothing new for legacy studios, the challenges of the digital age might be the biggest yet.

“The way to monetize what you create has changed dramatically,” Sigismondi said. “You have a change in not only platform, content and business model, but also the players. All of this is new. Compared to the sound revolution, the TV revolution and cable and satellite, the digital revolution has the strongest impact on multiple levels.”

Unsurprisingly, Silicon Valley titans gain an advantage in the new ecosystem shaped by digital convergence, with the internet unifying a broad array of services and content and putting them right into users’ hands. Moreover, alongside robust competition from established players from outside the United States, tech companies are leading in some aspects of nonscripted media — a category of entertainment ranging from user-generated content on social media to reality TV and quiz shows to sporting events.

“Nonscripted content is a much more dynamic, competitive landscape,” Sigismondi said.

He also highlights how the digital age alters consumers’ relationship with entertainment. The level of interactivity and number of options have never been higher. At the same time, digital technology recasts a traditionally communal experience as an individual one. The switch from viewing movies with a theater full of others to perusing seemingly limitless choices at home may have troubling implications.

“Entertainment has been a communal experience since ancient times,” Sigismondi said. “These platforms that can be enjoyed in complete isolation may lead into even more isolation. That is potentially problematic, because we came out of a pandemic where we were forced to be isolated, and which expanded the reach of these platforms.”

For media professionals trying to find their way through fast-changing and often perplexing times, Sigismondi counsels an approach embracing the best of both worlds.

“If you’re coming from legacy media, part of the learning curve is integrating data-driven decisions based on consumer behavior, an advantage from the tech side,” he said. “Professionals coming from the tech side could learn from the creative aspect, the expertise in telling stories built over decades in legacy media. A convergence of the two would be the best position.”