---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What won't work - what can't work - is to…"
description: "\"What won't work - what can't work - is to act like the last years never happened, and that the survival of the [mass media] industry will be found by h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg"
---

#  What won't work - what can't work - is to act like the…

![“What won't work - what can't work - is to act like the last years never happened, and that the survival of the &#91;mass media&#93; industry will be found by hiding content behind walled gardens. Instead of sticking their finger in the dike, trying to hold back the flow of innovation, companies need to…” quote by Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg)

> “What won't work - what can't work - is to act like the last years never happened, and that the survival of the \[mass media\] industry will be found by hiding content behind walled gardens. Instead of sticking their finger in the dike, trying to hold back the flow of innovation, companies need to ride the rapids of progress and seize the opportunities it provides.”

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The author argues that media companies must embrace innovation rather than resist it, suggesting that clinging to old models hampers survival.

**In simple terms:** Adapt to change or risk obsolescence.

Key Takeaway

Innovation is essential for media relevance.

Themes

media innovation digital transformation strategy

Mood

urgent optimistic

Type

industry commentary advice

When to use this quote

- newsroom leadership workshops
- digital product road‑mapping
- media investment pitches

Key Concepts

disruption organizational inertia

Practical Applications

- Adopt agile content delivery platforms
- Experiment with subscription‑based models

Questions to Reflect On

- Which innovations truly add value for audiences?
- How can legacy media balance tradition with disruption?

A Different Perspective

Not all innovations succeed; reckless adoption can waste resources and alienate audiences.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Company](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/company/) [Flow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flow/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Mass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass/) [Mass media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mass-media/) [Media](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/media/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Survival](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/survival/)

## Related quotes

> [You're never guaranteed about next year. People ask what you think of next season, you have to seize the opportunities when they're in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-favre/you-re-never-guaranteed-about-next-year-people-ask-what-you-think-of/)

[Brett Favre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-favre/)

> [Seize the opportunities life has to offer you. Embrace the changes, and have the courage to travel on roads less travelled, even though what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/li-cunxin/seize-the-opportunities-life-has-to-offer-you-embrace-the-changes-and/)

[Li Cunxin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/li-cunxin/)

> [You must have the courage to trust your instincts and be ready to question what other people don't. If you do that, you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/you-must-have-the-courage-to-trust-your-instincts-and-be-ready-to/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [“At you look back on the year gone by, think of missed opportunities not with regret but as a reminder of what you learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-josephson/at-you-look-back-on-the-year-gone-by-think-of-missed-opportunities/)

[Michael Josephson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-josephson/)

> [I seize all opportunities with two hands. Everything that's happened to me has taught me to live in the moment as much as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-taylor-wood/i-seize-all-opportunities-with-two-hands-everything-that-s-happened/)

[Sam Taylor-Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-taylor-wood/)

> [Good things come not to those who wait, but to those who seize their opportunities..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/good-things-come-not-to-those-who-wait-but-to-those-who-seize-their/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [I see real opportunities for us to have stronger, closer collaboration between the three North American partners and seize on opportunities to achieve objectives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystia-freeland/i-see-real-opportunities-for-us-to-have-stronger-closer-collaboration/)

[Chrystia Freeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrystia-freeland/)

> [What is the recipe for successful achievement? To my mind there are just four essential ingredients: Choose a career you love, give it the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-the-recipe-for-successful-achievement-to-my-mind-there-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“There are times in our lives when the Lord calls us to seize the opportunities presented us. When we must, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-morgan/there-are-times-in-our-lives-when-the-lord-calls-us-to-seize-the/)

[Kathleen Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-morgan/)

> [“Dare to seize all the opportunities on your paths.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/dare-to-seize-all-the-opportunities-on-your-paths/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [“Do you ever sit back and wonder how and why other people are so successful, productive, or accomplished? What is the driver that inspires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/do-you-ever-sit-back-and-wonder-how-and-why-other-people-are-so/)

[Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/)

> [It is clear the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/it-is-clear-the-future-holds-great-opportunities-it-also-holds/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [“We believe that we’re in control of our lives. But in reality we can only seize opportunities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-klein/we-believe-that-we-re-in-control-of-our-lives-but-in-reality-we-can/)

[Stefan Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-klein/)

> [The Gods cannot help those who do not seize opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-gods-cannot-help-those-who-do-not-seize-opportunities/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You can't be a first-world economy in the 21st century if you haven't laid the groundwork to seize the opportunities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-swan/you-can-t-be-a-first-world-economy-in-the-21st-century-if-you-haven-t/)

[Wayne Swan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-swan/)

## More by Arianna Huffington

> [Fearlessness is like a muscle. I know from my own life that the more I exercise it the more natural it becomes to not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/fearlessness-is-like-a-muscle-i-know-from-my-own-life-that-the-more-i/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [“To live the lives we truly want and deserve, and not just the lives we settle for, we need a Third Metric, a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/to-live-the-lives-we-truly-want-and-deserve-and-not-just-the-lives-we/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [The next generation will remake the world in a way that allows us to live in a more sustainable way, both personally and globally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-next-generation-will-remake-the-world-in-a-way-that-allows-us-to/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [The Huffington Post Investigative Fund's goal is to produce a broad range of investigative journalism created by both staff reporters and freelance writers, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-huffington-post-investigative-fund-s-goal-is-to-produce-a-broad/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [A lot of effort and money are - rightly - expended keeping the president physically safe. But it's up to the president to maintain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/a-lot-of-effort-and-money-are-rightly-expended-keeping-the-president/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [“pictures of pictures, or of other”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/pictures-of-pictures-or-of-other/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [There is nothing that can bring you closer to fearlessness about everything else in the world than being a parent - because everyday fears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/there-is-nothing-that-can-bring-you-closer-to-fearlessness-about/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [The journey toward self-discovery is life's greatest adventure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/the-journey-toward-self-discovery-is-life-s-greatest-adventure/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [More young people are volunteering than ever before. More people are including service to others on their busy lives' to do list. The promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/more-young-people-are-volunteering-than-ever-before-more-people-are/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [It would be futile to attempt to fit women into a masculine pattern of attitudes, skills and abilities and disastrous to force them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/it-would-be-futile-to-attempt-to-fit-women-into-a-masculine-pattern/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [Being fearless doesn't mean living a life devoid of fear, but living a life in which our fears don't hold us back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/being-fearless-doesn-t-mean-living-a-life-devoid-of-fear-but-living-a/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [I usually start with a big question, such as whether people today are happier than in the past, or why men have dominated women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/i-usually-start-with-a-big-question-such-as-whether-people-today-are/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [All around the country, individuals are choosing to redefine their lives and the pursuit of happiness in ways much closer to the original notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/all-around-the-country-individuals-are-choosing-to-redefine-their/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [I always try to practice what I preach. I meditate for fifteen minutes every day and do yoga several times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/i-always-try-to-practice-what-i-preach-i-meditate-for-fifteen-minutes/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

> [Why worry about minor little details like clean air, clean water, safe ports and the safety net when Jesus is going to give the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/why-worry-about-minor-little-details-like-clean-air-clean-water-safe/)

[Arianna Huffington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

[Explore all 310 Arianna Huffington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/)

## More Behinds quotes

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/)

[Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/)

> [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/)

[Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/)

> [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/)

[Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/)

> [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/)

[Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/)

> [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/)

[Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/)

> [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/)

[Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/)

> [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/)

[Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/)

> [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/)

[Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/)

> [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/)

[Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/)

> [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/)

[N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/)

Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What won't work - what can't work - is to act like the last years never happened, and that the survival of the [mass media] industry will be found by hiding content behind walled gardens. Instead of sticking their finger in the dike, trying to hold back the flow of innovation, companies need to ride the rapids of progress and seize the opportunities it provides.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Arianna Huffington"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-act-like-the-last-years-never/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Behinds"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-act-like-the-last-years-never/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8ae/arianna-huffington-1005_behinds_what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-ac_112732.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What won't work - what can't work - is to act like the last years never happened, and that the survival of…” — Arianna Huffington",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Arianna Huffington",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arianna-huffington/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What won't work - what can't...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-act-like-the-last-years-never/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arianna-huffington/what-won-t-work-what-can-t-work-is-to-act-like-the-last-years-never/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
