Media Uncovered Public Media Alliance

What has the impact of the digital age been on public service media? What challenges has it thrown up? How have public media adapted? What opportunities does increasing digital connectivity throw up for public media entities? 

In this one-on-one conversation with the Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Nic Newman, we explore how the digital age gives public media access to young audiences, how it has presented financial challenges, and how it has impacted the entire media ecosystem. 

Presenter: Harry Lock. Guests: Nic Newman (Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism)

Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still. 

Links: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Digital News Report 2023: https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2023

PMA Global Grants 2024:

What has the impact of the digital age been on public service media? What challenges has it thrown up? How have public media adapted? What opportunities does increasing digital connectivity throw up for public media entities? 

In this one-on-one conversation with the Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Nic Newman, we explore how the digital age gives public media access to young audiences, how it has presented financial challenges, and how it has impacted the entire media ecosystem. 

Presenter: Harry Lock. Guest: Nic Newman (Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism)

Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still. 

Links: Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism Digital News Report 2023: https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2023

PMA Global Grants 2024: https://www.publicmediaalliance.org/resources/grants-opportunities/pma-global-grant/.

Speaking to three public broadcasters from three continents, we explore how public service media provide language services, why they’re so vital, and what difference they make, from the provision of critical lifesaving information, to the upholding of Indigenous cultures and languages. But language services face challenges – particularly when it comes to reaching the audiences, and getting the funding to provide the quality of service you need. 

Presenter: Harry Lock. Guests: Stanley Similo (NBC); Vicky Eluq (RTM); Bakel Walden (SRG SSR).  Reporter: Desilon Daniels (PMA). Special thanks to Menesia Muinjo and Bianca Gowases of NBC for the vox pops. 

Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still and Tom Brazier.

Over the past couple of episodes, we’ve been examining the relationship between public media and social media. In this episode – the final episode of this mini series – we’re asking how can we regulate social media? From news media bargaining codes to the

European Media Freedom Act, we explore what’s being considered by legislators around the world, and whether it’s enough.

Presenter: Harry Lock. Guests: Pascal Albrechtskirchinger (ZDF), Helen Jay (University of Westminster), Courtney C. Radsch, David Sutton (ABC). Reporter: Desilon Daniels (PMA). Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still and Tom Brazier. Special effects: Studio Kolomna, Microsammy and pixabay.

Public media’s relationship with social networks is becoming trickier. It’s led us to the point now where some public broadcasters are contemplating leaving social media completely. In the last episode, we ended with this vision, from the Director General of RTBF, Jean-Paul Philippot. 

In this episode, we dig deeper. Jean-Paul says to leave platforms, they first need to bring audiences to their own apps. So how can public broadcasters do that? We look to NRK and what we can learn from their experience moving away from third-party audio platforms. 

And when there is such a gulf in size and spending power between PSM and tech platforms, how can you attract those audiences? Does the answer lie in UGC? We explore two initiatives trying to find the answer to this question, and provide a digital space which is filled more with democratic debate rather than toxic abuse or mis- and disinformation. 

Presenter: Harry Lock. Guests: Jean-Paul Philippot (RTBF), Cathinka Rondan (NRK), Catherine Tait (CBC/Radio-Canada), and Matthias Pfeffer (The Council for a European Public Space). Music: Rachel Still, Lucas Thompson and Tom Brazier

Throughout the past two decades, social media networks have provided opportunities for public media to reach younger audiences and provide fresh content. It’s been a necessary move, as younger audiences increasingly use these sites as a source of news. But recent headlines about two networks in particular – Twitter and TikTok – have shone a spotlight on public media’s relationship with social media.

What do these issues tell us about what it means for public service media to be on social media? And when the mission and values that govern social media are so different to that of public media, can public service media survive on these platforms?

This month’s guests include: Jean-Paul Philippot (RTBF), Christian Gillinger (Swedish Radio), Courtney C. Radsch, and Philippe Edmond and Anne-Sophie Letellier (CBC/Radio-Canada).

Music: Rachel Still, Lucas Thompson and Tom Brazier.

How can public service media manage and mitigate the cyber security threats which they now face? These threats – such as phishing, ransomware, or online abuse & harassment – are becoming ever more present and real. And they’re having an ever-greater impact on public service media – both at an organisational and an individual level. The seriousness of the threat has seen the cyber security team at CBC/Radio-Canada swell in size over just one decade.

This podcast is a conversation with the people leading the Canadian broadcaster’s cyber security response, from how they deal with these threats, to where they see threats developing in the future. 

Presenter: Harry Lock. Guests: Philippe Edmond and Anne-Sophie Letellier (CBC/Radio-Canada). Music: Rachel Still, Lucas Thompson and Tom Brazier.