Executives struggle to keep up as technology keeps moving.

FEEL like you're having a tough time figuring out what all the new technological developments--like Blu-Ray DVDs, streaming cell phone content and satellite video-on-demand--really mean to you as a consumer?

You may find this news heartening or unsettling, but it seems the majority of financial executives in the entertainment world are, too.

An Ernst & Young study released last week surveyed 200 finance executives from major media and entertainment companies and found the speed of new media evolution has them scrambling as they try to figure which technological horse to back.

"They are definitely feeling a little pressure because a lot of things are converging at same time. On the other hand, it's a very exciting time to be able to shape policy," said Ernst & Young's Global Media and Entertainment Leader John Nendick. "The CFOs are looking to be more strategic in the planning process, but many companies in the industry are still working to get systems up to current standards."

Translated to consumer terms, they just figured out how to program their TiVo, and their phone company is pushing them to change to a Web-based digital video recorder.

The firm compared the results of the recent study to a similar one in 2004. In that one, 75 percent of respondents viewed digital video recorders as the primary driver for industry change.

The current study found 86 percent of respondents believe that the changes in entertainment and media content, as well as new distribution models, will be the greatest catalyst for industry revolution.

In addition to trying to hit a moving target, executives must also deal with raised consumer expectations.

"The public now expects that a new groundbreaking technology will come out every several months rather than every several years," Nendick said.