Communicating Democracy: the EuroPCom podcast on public communication European Committee of the Regions

About the podcast
The EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.

Host 
Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster

Guest 
Andreea Gorbatai is an associate professor at Vlerick Business School, in Brussels. She has a background as a sociologist and researches and teaches about the impact of technology on entrepreneurship.  

In this episode 
In our daily lives, our behaviors are guided by norms as well as by ethics, through sets of principles that define what is acceptable or unacceptable, besides the purely legal perspective. Deviating from these codes implies consequences. But what about the digital world? Individuals and companies may not necessarily set out to engage in deliberate unethical behaviors or outcomes. Rather, we observe that, when it comes to ethics, processes in the digital world may contribute to unethical behaviors. Does tech reproduce or even exacerbate discrimination and inequality? How can digital ethics help shaping the online world, giving guidance about what actions are the right thing do to? This is what we want to explore with our guest Andreea Gorbatai, associate professor at Vlerick Business School, teacher and researcher about the impact of technology on entrepreneurship.   


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About the podcast
The EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.

Host 
Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster

Guest 
Cato Waeterloos is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Media Studies at KU Leuven and at the research group for Media, Innovation and Communication Technologie at UGent. Her main research interests include different aspects of the interaction between new media and citizens’ civic and political participation.  
In this episode From schooling and education to health and well-being to administration and political engagement, digital technology is increasingly intertwined with everyday life. It has transformed the ways in which we interact, relate to others, and access information. It now also offers new means for citizens to contribute to shaping political debate and drive "real world" change. Petition platforms, e-voting and other online tools expand opportunities to directly participate in civil society action and in democratic processes more broadly. But do these tools really have the potential to reinvigorate a more ‘citizen-powered’ democracy? Can people have a more direct influence on democratic processes? And what would be a strategy for engaging youth in local policymaking? This is what we want to explore with our guest Cato Waeterloos, postdoctoral researcher on interaction between new media and citizens’ civic and political
participation at KU Leuven and UGent.  


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About the podcast
The EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.

Host 
Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster

Guest 
Trisha Meyer is the Director of the Research Centre for Digitalisation, Democracy and Innovation at the Brussels School of Governance of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. She is the Principal Investigator of the EDMO BELUX project, an EU-funded hub to counter disinformation in Belgium and Luxembourg.  

In this episode 
A sound democracy needs informed citizens. A sound democracy can only function well if citizens can obtain proper information on public matters, if they can understand them and of course, if they can deliberate about them, if social media provide citizens with new opportunities to access information, enable them to express their opinions and to participate in democratic processes. But we know it, social media can also undermine democracy by distorting information, promoting false stories and facilitating political manipulation. So are social media a blessing or a curse for democracy, this is what we want to explore with our guest Trisha Meyer, director of the Research Centre for Digitalisation, Democracy and Innovation at the Brussels School of Governance of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.  


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About the podcast
The EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.

Host 
Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster 

Guest
Guillaume Kuster is the founder of Check First, a Finnish software and methodologies start-up that helps journalists, citizens and policy makers fight disinformation all around the globe 

In this episode 
Distortion of electoral processes, incitements to violence, dangerous conspiracy theories… We all know what disinformation is: “false information that is created and spread, deliberately or otherwise, to harm people, institutions and interests”. It is one of the major concerns of democratic countries. Behind false news or fake news, strategies are often articulated to manipulate public opinion and erode the stability of states and their institutions. Hoaxes and disinformation have long been a global threat to freedom and democracy but the development and widespread use of digital media allow for it to spread even more quickly, making disinformation a more pressing problem. What are the key communication tools in the fight against disinformation and the approaches we can take? These are the things that we will explore in this episode with our guest, Guillaume Kuster, founder of Check First, a Finnish software and methodologies start-up that helps journalists, citizens and policy makers fight disinformation all around the globe. 


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About the podcast
The EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.

Host 
Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster

Guest
Allison Gilliland is a Dublin City Councillor and member of the European Committee of the Regions 

In this episode 
In every local community, big or small, citizens express their opinion on issues that matter to them. Social media and online consultation tools have made it easier for them to do so. But while online consultation tools can be designed in a way to be specific and structured, the public debate on social media can be many-sided and dispersive, if it's not managed to bring good ideas to the next level, while monitoring and tackling radical behaviors, extremism and hate speech. Managing and driving the public debate online is part of the job of a local councilor, with the aim of making it bearing fruit for the public good. These are the few things that we will explore in this episode with our guest, Allison Gilliland, Dublin City Councillor and member of the European Committee of the Regions.  


Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About the podcast
The EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.

Host 
Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster

Guest
Markku Markkula is the President of the Helsinki Region and a member of the European Committee of the Regions 

In this episode We have all heard that data is the new oil – a still untapped, immensely valuable asset. Today, in the 21st century, we are witnessing a rise in digital economy, with data becoming more valuable than ever. Technological advancements and utilisation of big data are rapidly transforming businesses and industries. But what about the impact of big data on the public sector? Where does data come into play when it comes to creating more efficient and effective policies? How can governments use data to implement better policies that increase citizens' well being? And, most importantly, how can we make sure that these new processes are happening on citizens' terms? These are the questions that we will explore in this episode with our guest, Markku Markkula, president of the Helsinki Region and member of the European Committee of the Regions.  


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