This paper aims to inform theory and practice on the features of HRM that facilitate and hamper the transformation of creativity into innovation in the rapidly changing context of media organizations. The study takes an illustrative case approach to examine how conventional HRM and ambidextrous HRM create productive or counterproductive responses to the dual tensions that are characteristic of media content development work, i.e., exploration and exploitation. The analysis sheds light on what constitutes an ambidextrous HRM system generally, and, specifically, the features of an ambidextrous HRM in the context of creative media industries. The findings demonstrate that media content development work requires ambidextrous HRM for the successful management of innovation initiatives alongside on-going production processes, including that the lack of ambidextrous HRM may severely harm development initiatives. The results indicate that bridging conventional and ambidextrous HRM principles and practices is vital to ensure sustainable and harmonious co-existence of production and innovation in organizational contexts characterized by tensions. The longitudinal qualitative case study offers new understanding regarding managing development work and organizational creativity for innovation in a traditional media company, and the constraints, conflicts, tensions and complications they present for ambidextrous HRM development.