What is a media producer?

I have a student/friend that is looking to move from a Batchelor’s in Management Information Systems to a Masters in Film Producing. That seems like a huge change. My first question was what does a producer do? It turns out that they handle everything on the business end of a film, or TV program, or theatrical production. They get the financing, hire the director, casting director, and everyone else involved in the production. They also get the thankless job of firing anyone that does not work out or contribute positively to the production. It is a job that I can relate to being a serial CEO. A producer is a person that brings the production to the final end or distribution, whether it be in the theater, movie theater, or the television. If you watch the credits at the end of a news program, you will see an executive producer and then many producers, one producer for each segment. My student with an undergraduate degree in business will be an excellent producer. I have written several letters of recommendation for her and can only hope that she is able to get the education that will enable her to enter the field. I expect to see her accepting an Oscar or Emmy or Tony in the future.