USC President C. L. Max Nikias and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger hosted the official launching of the USC Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy on Sept. 24 with a daylong symposium that brought together prominent leaders in government and entertainment.
The institute, housed at the USC Price School of Public Policy, focuses on the responsibility of policymakers to move beyond partisanship to implement policies that best benefit the people they serve. Its priority areas include education, energy and environment, fiscal and economic policy, health and human wellness, and political reform.
In the afternoon, USC Price Dean Jack H. Knott introduced the panel discussion on "The Power of People and Innovation," which featured top executives from the entertainment industry.
Knott explained that innovation "occurs at the confluence of disparate opinions and approaches."
The panel's speakers included Schwarzenegger; Rob Friedman, co-chairman of Lionsgate; Brian Grazer, chairman of Imagine Entertainment; Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M and chairman and co-founder of Beats; and Ron Meyer, president and chief operating officer of Universal Studios. Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed, moderated the panel.
During the discussion, Schwarzenegger noted how, in some cases, the power of entertainment can have more impact — and be more influential in shaping public culture — than politics.
