OPERATING EUROVISION AND EURORADIO

PERFECT STORM THE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES FACING PUBLIC SERVICE NEWS, AND WHY TACKLING THEM IS VITAL FOR DEMOCRACY

BILL DUNLOP

OCTOBER 2017

1 2 CONTENTS

FOREWORD 5

1. WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? 6

2. JOURNALISM UNDER PRESSURE. RESIST - OR LISTEN? 8

3. WHERE SHOULD YOUR RESOURCES GO? 16

4. EDITORIAL APPROACHES TO THE MULTI-PLATFORM ERA 26

5. TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO THE MULTI-PLATFORM ERA 34

6. ADAPTING RADIO FOR THE MULTI-PLATFORM ERA 42

7. CHANGING NEWSROOM CULTURE 50

8. RETHINK EVERYTHING - EXCEPT YOUR VALUES 56

EBU CONTRIBUTING TO QUALITY JOURNALISM 62

AFTERWORD 64

3 4 FOREWORD

News and current affairs BUILDING ON THE are core to Public Service STRENGTH OF THE Media. Informing all audiences EUROVISION NEWSROOM with independent news and helping them to better For many decades the EBU understand the world is the has played a central role in basis of democracy. We providing Members with have been discussing the WE DON’T excellent news footage. disruption in our industry for GIVE A HOME Its role has become even some time now, but focusing more crucial in moments on how the tech giants TO THOSE of breaking news. Today, created global platforms. PEOPLE with excellent skills in user Today we see that these generated content verification, ”platforms” are becoming WHO HAVE we are among the leaders in the prime producers and A DIFFERENT clearing and sharing footage aggregators of content. coming from online sources. Sports and drama (two OPINION, genres really engaging with WHO HAVE With this report we launch the broad audiences) are in the Quality Journalism Initiative hands of a select number of FEARS. to build on the strength of players. Is the same going to the Eurovision newsroom, to Carsten Thurau, happen to news? develop new services, and to ZDF be the voice of high quality news provision. WE NEED TO REDEFINE WHAT WE DO I want to thank Bill Dunlop AND WE NEED TO for this report and conclude We need to reach out to all REPOSITION OURSELVES with his words: ˝Public service audiences. To all age groups news is a precious resource. and youngsters in particular, Journalism may seem to be Let the dialogue begin.˝ but also to a growing group in crisis, but even more than who no longer consume being a challenge this is traditional news sources or actually an opportunity for who have difficulties engaging public service media news, with the news as we provide since it remains the most it today. As the production trusted news source, provided process fundamentally by legacy newsrooms changes, we have a chance across the world. Journalism to redefine what we do and needs Public Service Media to invent new formats and tell to continue setting the the news in multiple ways on standards, to drive innovation multiple platforms to break in how we gather, produce the 51-49 paradigm, where and distribute news. But also half of the news reaches half to be the voice of quality in Jean Philip De Tender of the audience with often journalism. EBU Media Director half of the truth.

5

1. WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

YLE uses this montage to encourage journalists to think of all sectors of society when producing news output. IF YOUR AUDIENCE IS CONTINUALLY If you’re working in television This is a phenomenon which has news these days, you may touched all broadcasters; but for GETTING have noticed a change or two. public service broadcasters, there SMALLER AND Or three, or four. are several additional challenges on top. OLDER, THERE To begin with, calling COMES A broadcast journalism Across Europe there is pressure “television news” is a complete on budgets. In a growing POINT WHERE misnomer. The evening number of countries, political television bulletin is still there, parties on the right object to YOU CAN but the audience for it is what they see as the liberal bias NO LONGER getting smaller and older, and of public service media and want the resources which were once to see their funding cut, usually JUSTIFY YOUR almost wholly devoted to it by a reduction in a licence fee or FUNDING are now shared with 24-hour tax. In several countries where a day output on websites, an authoritarian government FROM THE mobile phone applications, has taken power, the public PUBLIC PURSE. YouTube, Facebook and other service broadcaster has been social media sites, which vary forced to become the conduit YOUR APPEAL in priority depending on where for news with a pro-government MUST BE the young are turning in any bias, while ignoring or under- particular country. reporting anti-government UNIVERSAL. statements and protests.

6 In other countries, the senior organizations with guaranteed Into this already challenging management of the public income allowed to publish environment come the risks broadcaster is changed in a news and features free of posed by eyewitness video blatantly political fashion every charge across a plethora of and fake news. The need for a time power passes from one platforms, thus taking away system of verification of what’s party to another. the need for consumers to pay known as “user generated subscriptions to publishers content”, generally meaning who have to survive in the the cellphone-generated open market? videos which quickly flood Twitter and Facebook While obliged to take steps to following a breaking news reach compromise over these story or controversial incident, issues, public service news has been understood for some providers nevertheless insist on time. There are well-developed the need to extend the reach techniques for quickly of their output. For most of verifying video which are them, the word around which relied upon by the customers their whole strategy revolves of social media agencies such is relevance. Put simply, if as Storyful or the members of your audience is continually the Eurovision news exchange getting smaller and older, there who tap into the EBU-managed comes a point where you can verification service, Eurovision no longer justify your funding Social Newswire. from the public purse. Your appeal must be universal, and “Fake news” is more if young people are going to challenging. The very stability new platforms and consuming of democratic societies can their news in different ways to be put at risk by deliberately- the old linear viewing model, planted false stories which you have to follow them and spread on social media with provide them with content that dramatic speed. In turn, public appeals to them. broadcasters are at risk: either they might inadvertently There is a second group of publish an untrue story, or broadcasters, such as TF1 in alternatively, be accused of France and TV2 in Denmark, bias for NOT running a story, who have a public service remit even though they know it to (meaning a commitment to be untrue. Even when the issue is not broadcasting a quota of news overtly political, there is and current affairs in peak How are public broadcasters opposition from competitors time), but are funded by selling to cope with all this? The to guaranteed funding for advertising. They face the same urgency of the need to accept public broadcasters. This may audience-related issues as their change, review procedures take the form of companies publicly-funded counterparts, and modernise output is questioning why, in the multi- but their strategy is different: widely recognised. From the channel age, one network or relevance remains important, Baltic to the Mediterranean, group of networks should but mainly in the pursuit European public service news have a guaranteed source of revenue. They too must providers are repositioning of income to produce chase the younger consumers themselves and developing entertainment, drama who are deserting traditional techniques to face up to the and lifestyle programmes broadcast news, but their challenges of a financially which could succeed in the emphasis is on a different set stringent multi-platform age. commercial market place, of alternative platforms: those This report aims to share as opposed to having much where advertising is possible. some of the insights from the lower funding only to produce This generally means that discussions which are taking “niche” programmes which websites and 24-hour news place, the strategies which otherwise would not be channels take precedence are being adopted and the made. That is a relatively for resources; these channels’ tools which are being used to well-established issue; but a presence on social media meet the challenges of today’s newer, related one is more is largely designed to drive media environment. focused on journalism: at a viewers back to platforms time when newspapers are which can be more easily struggling to survive, why are monetised.

7 2. JOURNALISM UNDER PRESSURE. RESIST - OR LISTEN?

I HAVEN’T SEEN ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE

Political pressure to reduce the scope of the BBC was overcome with the help of widespread public support. MEDIA IS ACTUALLY Matthew Boyle, the He was talking in November MAKING Washington Political Editor of 2016 at the height of the so- Breitbart News, was holding called populist revolution in CHANGES, his own in a hall full of 600 global politics: the vote for AND THE news managers with whom Brexit had shaken Europe and he had little in common. ”I Donald Trump’s election as FACT THAT hope for the greater good that US President had spread the THEY ARE you guys listen to what I’m tremor across the Atlantic. In saying and what those of us both cases the mainstream NOT MAKES IT on the centre right are saying,” media had been caught on EASIER AND he told the News Xchange the hop. They had certainly conference in Copenhagen. reported on the anti-European EASIER FOR ”I haven’t seen any evidence sentiment in the U.K. and BREITBART TO that the media is actually on the anti-Washington making changes, and the fact sentiment in midwest America; CONTINUE TO that they are not makes it but the assumption on each GROW. easier and easier for Breitbart occasion had been that to continue to grow, and the establishment would Matthew Boyle, organizations like us; there are eventually win the day and all Breitbart News many others out there.” would be well.

8 The risk to the political order coverage, which critics on that these events brought was the right say overwhelmingly matched by the risk to the reports on the negative, rather credibility of the traditional than any potentially positive, media, including public service consequences of the Brexit news providers. Breitbart, process. until then a brash voice on the THAT WAS right with a raucous but fringe In Spain, TVE’s budget has long following, suddenly had global been a target for the right-of- COMPLETELY ambitions. centre Popular Party, some NEW TO of whom would like to see it reduced in scale to something ME; I’VE akin to the underfunded Public NEVER BEEN Broadcasting Service (PBS) in America. In 2012 the Popular CONFRONTED Party overturned a law that decreed that senior appointees WITH IT at RTVE be approved by a two- BEFORE. THEY thirds majority of the Spanish parliament. They then very STARTED TO publicly replaced the senior HIT US: THE management of the network, sometimes with veterans of CAMERAMAN, the preceding Popular Party ME AND THE government. Journalists OTHERS. working at TVE lament that they once had a universally Carsten Thurau, respected news website ZDF but that in recent years its consumption has gone down because people no longer trust it as an independent source of In Finland, the intimidation information. comes through cyberspace. E-mails and social media posts Similar or worse situations exist accuse YLE’s journalists of in Hungary, Poland and Turkey, being corrupt and agents of where once proudly independent the CIA. Female journalists are public service news providers are subjected to highly derogatory currently obliged to toe the line language and accused of of governments which have little cheating on their husbands. respect for plurality of views and YLE have called in the police freedom of expression. to investigate what they say is It scoured Washington and systematic abuse of their staff New York’s journalistic circles In Germany it’s not in the on certain websites. in a money-no-object search boardroom but on the streets for experienced journalists who that journalists are feeling the DEALING WITH would bring more gravitas to its heat. The derogatory term POLITICAL PRESSURE political coverage. Then it turned ”lügenpresse”, or lying press, its eyes to Europe, with thoughts has re-emerged, bringing with How to react to this type of of expanding its small London it ugly memories of a past political and public pressure operation to other cities. era. ”Thousands of people has been the object of shouting this at you with a much discussion within Meanwhile all over the old camera team in the middle of a public broadcasters. Firstly, continent, public broadcasters demonstration, was a very silly there is deemed to be a were under pressure. The BBC situation to be in,” says Carsten certain inevitability about it is always a ready target for Thurau of ZDF, referring to in a fractured political and politicians and newspapers protests in Dresden led by the economic landscape. on the right, and they were anti-Muslim group Pegida. duly criticized for allegedly “That was completely new to ”We impose on ourselves the approaching Brexit with a me: I’ve never been confronted burden of impartiality and preconceived notion about with it before. They started to that’s a very good thing to the result. Still today the BBC hit us: the cameraman, me and do,” says Jonathan Munro, the is under fire for its post-Brexit the others.” BBC’s Head of Newsgathering.

9 ”The trouble we will always of the public who are so have been waiting a long time have is that, on any sort of ‘hot disillusioned with our output to get? Or if, as their economic potatoes’ story, the perception possibly have a point? predicament endures in their of impartiality from one side new country, a petty crime or the other is not necessarily As a general rule, and wave emerges? To report issues the same as pure impartiality.” accepting immediately like this risks encouraging Munro notes that, while the that there are exceptions, prejudice and abuse against the newsroom may have been journalists in public service refugees. To neglect to report surprised by the Brexit result, news come from a mainly these issues risks accelerating there had not been much middle class background, disillusionment with public pressure from either side have gone through college service news, and potentially during the campaign. This lack or university education and aids in pushing people to the of pressure - or the converse, live in big cities. These factors political right. an equally high number of tend to engender a liberal, complaints from both sides enlightened view of society. A No network has had to face - is often used by public more controversial expression up to these questions more broadcasters to gauge their would be a ”politically correct” than YLE in Finland. The success in achieving impartiality view of society. What Brexit, company used to have an over a particular issue. Trump and the rise of the right ethical code which stated that in Europe have shown is that the background of someone this perspective is not shared committing a crime should by a vast number of people, not be mentioned if had no and they do not believe that relevance to the context of public service media reflect the crime. However editorial their views, nor adequately management in Helsinki report on the issues affecting eventually came to the their daily lives. conclusion that immigrant THE TROUBLE crime had become an issue WE WILL Dealing with this question facing Finnish society and is extremely sensitive and therefore it was permissible to ALWAYS HAVE fraught with problems. There mention the fact that suspects is a natural assumption that were immigrants. The fear IS THAT THE free movement of people was that if YLE avoided this, it PERCEPTION across Europe is a good thing would leave the field open for and racism is a bad thing. But less responsible news outlets OF what if the factory in your which have no commitment IMPARTIALITY town has just closed, causing to treating such issues with hundreds of neighbours, friends balance and sensitivity. Plus, FROM ONE and family to lose their jobs; they felt, if it becomes apparent SIDE OR THE and at the same time a lot of that something is true, no people are arriving from other matter how unpalatable, a OTHER IS NOT countries looking for jobs? public broadcaster has an NECESSARILY obligation to report the truth. Even more sensitive is THE SAME the question of refugees: Across the Baltic Sea, the AS PURE unfortunate people who are management at DR agrees. fleeing conflict which they ”I think we’ve been crippled IMPARTIALITY. most probably had no interest and hijacked by political in, but which was threatening correctness,” says former Jonathan Munro, their lives and those of their Executive Director of News BBC families. For public service Ulrik Haagerup. ”The refugee media this is a story with crisis is the best example but only one side: the plight of not the only one. You can see it refugees trekking across in France where the elite media But while the natural instinct Europe is heart-wrenching in combination with the political of any journalistic organization and the assumption is that a establishment decided 25 or is to stand its ground and civilised society will give them 30 years ago that the Front defend its work, there is a a sympathetic welcome and National was to be ignored.” new phenomenon in evidence a roof over their heads. But Although decisively defeated in newsrooms across the what if they are perceived in the final round of the French continent. Journalists are by people in the destination Presidential elections, the fact examining their output and country to be occupying public that 11 million people voted for asking: do these members housing which local families the Front National, and that the

10 As anti-immigrant demonstrations grew in Dresden, ZDF’s crew were physically attacked by some protesters. | © AFP

European Union was holding can be understood not as stay relevant at the same its breath over its very future, shifting to the right, but rather time as their public funding is suggests that ignoring this as stemming the desertion being squeezed. The pressure phenomenon of disaffection of the people to whom these on funds may be part of a and hoping it will go away is parties appeal from public country’s general spending not a sensible course of action. broadcasting to other, less cutbacks, or it may be because responsible sources of news of a perceived need to force a SVT in Sweden face the same on social media. ”These kind public broadcaster to become dilemma today as the French of people think we are part of more efficient. Networks like faced a generation ago: the a political class,” says Carsten RTÉ in Ireland, TVE in Spain rise of an anti-immigrant party, Thurau about the German and ERT in Greece have all felt the Swedish Democrats, in protesters. ”Public television the heavy hand of economic this most socially progressive is working very closely with austerity over the past few of countries. SVT, like any the government, with Angela years. public broadcaster, have an Merkel, that is what they think. obligation to consider that all We don’t give a home to these people are intrinsically equal, people who have a different and as such, no minority opinion, who have fears.” group should be covered in a way that might elicit negative For Ulrik Haagerup, it’s a matter reactions towards that group. of going back to basics. ”You This makes reporting the words can’t say you’re trustworthy if and policies of the Swedish people don’t trust you. There is YOU CAN’T Democrats a matter of extreme no commercial or advertising sensitivity, especially when they campaign that will solve that SAY YOU’RE rail against alleged immigrant problem. You have to show it, TRUSTWORTHY crime while the Swedish year after year, that in your daily government refuses to include news you want to reflect reality IF PEOPLE people’s ethnic origin in its in the best possible way to give DON’T TRUST official crime statistics. Equally, people the good and the bad. though, SVT cannot suppress You’re not biased, you try to be YOU. YOU the point of view of the Swedish fair and accurate.” HAVE TO Democrats when a YouGov poll showed in March 2017 that they ECONOMIC PRESSURE SHOW IT, had risen to become the most YEAR AFTER popular party in the country. Economic pressure on public service news providers comes YEAR. While difficult for many public in many forms. The basic Ulrik Haagerup, service journalists to come to issue is that across the board, DR terms with, the reporting of the broadcasters are having to views of such political parties resource new platforms to

11 The better news is that often maintaining its relevance can lead to lobbying to have when the pressure on a public to its audience. The British the publicly funded networks’ broadcaster is overtly political, government launched a public scale cut back. this provokes a reaction and consultation which elicited the more extreme tendencies no fewer than 192,000 emails, PRESSURE FROM of certain parties end up letters and online responses, NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS being moderated as the the majority in favour of voices of pro-public service maintaining the broad scope Pressure on public broadcasters lobbyists and the general of the BBC and the licence from privately owned public are heard. fee as its funding mechanism. newspapers is nothing new; The corporation ended up but as the printed press has Among networks breathing a with an 11-year settlement descended into economic crisis sigh of relief over their recent with inflation rises built in, the lobbying against broadcast funding settlements are YLE, and the right for the first time media with guaranteed funding which at one point faced a cut to charge the licence fee to has reached new heights. of 20%, with the consent of users of its iPlayer catch-up all three main political parties, service. In return it assumed ARD has even been taken to as the Finnish government the financial burden of court by publishing houses sought to rein in public providing free TV licences for alleging unfair competition. spending. In the end they old age pensioners. The net Their reaction has been to focus escaped with a 3-year funding financial result of these new attention on how much of the freeze then a commitment to provisions, including for the material on their website was an index-linked raise for four news budget, was negative, first produced for their core years after that. but not on a scale that could TV output. So on tagesschau. not be managed. de most reports carry a little As the BBC negotiated its camera symbol which tells charter renewal in 2016, it Pressure can also be put readers, and potential legal found itself in the hands of on one public service challengers, that the story links a Conservative Party culture news provider by another: back to video that was primarily minister who joked about France, Finland, Denmark produced for TV, and that its abolishing it. On a more and the UK are among use on the website is secondary. serious level, he believed its the countries where there remit should be restricted are commercially-funded DR is bullish in defending to producing unpopular channels with public service itself against such pressure. programming that no other obligations to broadcast news Ulrik Haagerup does not channel wanted. The way in peak time. There is often see the logic in commercial that such an extreme curbing resentment among those organizations trying to fix their of BBC activity was avoided channels over their generally own problems by crippling speaks to the importance bigger competitors with their public service media. ”I call it of a public broadcaster guaranteed funding, and this flat tyre logic,” he says. ”Two

Reporting on refugees is a matter of extreme sensitivity for public broadcasters. | © IStock

12 trucks are delivering important turn will share video and audio VRT not reporting it? You are goods, and one of the trucks material with the local news being really politically correct gets a flat tyre. The reaction organizations after it has first because you don’t want to say from the truck owner is to shout been seen on the BBC. Apart that this is true.’” In fact, there out of the window to everyone from bringing benefits to both were many stories which VRT passing by, ‘Now you have to parties in the agreement, it’s investigated and found to be puncture the tyres of the other hoped that the strengthened false, but what were they to truck, otherwise it’s not fair.’” In regional reporting will have do with them? Should they what way, he asks, does that a beneficial effect on local have given airtime to stories help to deliver the goods? democratic institutions in the that appear on Twitter only UK. to tell the audience that they were false? One issue which is gaining DEALING WITH FAKE NEWS traction, and which some An even bigger problem for broadcasters accept as valid, When discussing fake news, the responsible journalism is is the existential threat to local first problem is how to define that many people in today’s and regional newspapers it. Many journalists are sceptical sharply divided societies across Europe. In the crisis about the very concept, pointing apparently don’t care if a engulfing print journalism, the out that it has always been part piece of news is fake or not: local press faces the greatest of their profession to check if it reflects how they feel, danger of extinction, and one facts before putting them on air. they’re fine with it. That of the factors they cite is the Even the notion of deliberately phenomenon was writ large availability of free regional news false stories brings a shrug: during the American election produced by public service what’s the difference between campaign when Donald Trump broadcasters. When TV was TV that and propaganda, which was making statements which and print was print, each had governments have spread since were easily shown to be false. its role and the problem was time immemorial? Still the crowds came and the not so acute; but the merging voters turned out for him. ”In of media means that most What is different today is the my opinion, facts don’t have broadcasters now produce text sheer extent of the creation of the weight that they used and video-based regional news fake news, and the dramatic to,” comments Elina Ravantti, on websites and apps, obviating speed with which it can be Head of World News and the need for consumers to spread on a global scale. Current Affairs at YLE. ”It is buy a local newspaper. Even Completely false stories intended so hard to fight because even if a local publisher abandons to target a party or individual, if you present them with a print and goes online, the fabricated quotes from genuine kilometre of facts it doesn’t website has to be popular sources and the manipulation have any effect on them or enough to attract advertising to of genuine information or influence them. Because they survive, a huge hurdle in a local pictures are commonplace simply don’t believe you.” environment, and one not faced on social media. Viral sharing by the public broadcaster. means they can quickly become The main approach to accepted wisdom among users fake news is not difficult to Facing pressure over its of Facebook and Twitter, and determine, but constitutes yet effect on regional journalism, when the results of national another strain on resources: the BBC has a provision elections come into play, as start a fact checker team, and in its new charter to assist recently happened in the United link it to a global alliance. with funding a team of local States and France, that presents reporters based around the a dilemma for responsible news The best-established alliance UK. It has concluded an providers: do you just ignore is First Draft, supported by innovative agreement with what you know to be a false Google News Lab and several the trade body the News story, or do you spend time and founding partners, with the Media Association to fund 150 resources publicly debunking it? Eurovision News Exchange local journalists in regional participating in its partner towns and cities, at a cost to For VRT’s Head of News, network. They facilitate licence payers of about £8m Inge Vrancken, paying no communal fact checking (€9.5m). These journalists attention to false stories is among members and provide will be employed by locally- not an option. ”For us here in extensive research and based news organizations, not Belgium, especially after the resources on their website. An the BBC, and they will cover Brussels attacks, there were a associated service, CrossCheck, council meetings and stories lot of rumours on social media, was launched specifically to about public services. Their and we got a lot of complaints deal with false stories in the run- work will be shared with the from viewers or listeners up to the French election. BBC, and the corporation in who said, ‘I read this; why is

13 The good news about the Reality Check researchers is engulfed him had led to expense of establishing a fact widely disseminated internally action; Facebook announced checking team is that the to the many journalistic its own fact-checking alliance money is not just spent behind departments of the BBC, as with partners ABC News, AP, the scenes. Fact checking well as being used as a branded FactCheck.org, Politifact and teams produce material which feature on air and online. Snopes. If enough Facebook can be branded and published users report a story to be fake, to add depth to a network’s Going online also solved it is passed on to these partners website and social media Inge Vrancken’s problem at for review. Stories which fail the pages, create analytical items VRT. Discussing stories in TV authenticity test are flagged for TV news bulletins and even bulletins which are known to be with the warning “Disputed by be turned into TV programmes false is a poor use of valuable third party fact-checkers” and in their own right. airtime; whereas capacity on Facebook users are encouraged a website is unlimited. “We to think carefully before sharing Detektor became a series on started an online page where the story with their friends. DR based on the work of its we fact-checked all those Users can even click on a link fact checkers, and Faktisk is an stories, and we said to people, to find out why the story has alliance in Norway between the ‘Go and look on that page’,” been judged false. Facebook public broadcasters NRK and says Vrancken. “Then we said, says these measures brought TV2 and the newspapers VG ‘Okay, this paper said this, on a reduction in the proliferation and Dagbladet, which produces Twitter you could read that; of fake news during the 2017 branded content for use on we investigated and this is the elections in France and the each member’s website and result.’ And that gave us a lot of UK, though other reports said mobile phone apps. credibility with viewers.” that by the time some articles were flagged, they had already The BBC has Reality Check; Google and Facebook have spread virally and the damage it began as a fact checking come under fire for not had been done. The company effort for the 2014 Scottish tackling fake news at its source. also published full-page independence referendum, Facebook has been particularly newspaper advertisements in developed through the 2015 UK criticised. the UK giving tips on how to election and was used again for spot whether or not a story is the Brexit referendum and the In the wake of the US election fake. 2017 election. The BBC decided result in November 2016, Mark that there were so many big Zuckerberg scoffed at the idea Facebook is also attempting to stories with false rumours flying that false stories on Facebook suppress fake news by reducing around that they would make could have influenced the the possibility of profiting from the team permanent and give result. But within weeks, the it. Using artificial intelligence it a brand name. The work of torrent of criticism which technology it attempts to

During the recent UK election, Facebook placed newspaper advertisements telling people how to spot false news. | © Facebook

14 Mark Zuckerberg was criticized for downplaying the effect of fake news on the US election. detect and delete spoof pushed to the top of their news data-based factual material domains and it is removing feed an article from a far right which is freely available to links between Facebook and ad blog which named the wrong journalists and citizens on a farms, where people are paid to man. Further “alt-right” sites website entitled The European click repeatedly on content to were featured on Facebook’s Data News Hub. According to create the impression of activity, Crisis Response page. On AFP, the site aims “to inform which then leads to advertising this occasion the posts were and inspire debate about events revenue. removed, but not before they shaping the lives of people in had spread worldwide and Europe and across the world, However Facebook has resisted been screen captured and ranging from the state of the the ultimate step of simply forwarded innumerable times. environment to the impact of deleting articles which are A Facebook statement said migration or unemployment.” suspected of being false. It they were “working to fix the Content is in English, German, prefers to suppress rather than issue”. Italian and French and includes remove the articles. If they’re text, plus static and animated flagged as false they will be “We have always said our graphics which can be placed so far down users’ feeds mission is to make the world reversioned by broadcasters that readers are unlikely to see more open and connected,” into their own language and them and fraudsters are unlikely says Aine Kerr, Facebook’s style. to profit from them; but they’re Manager of Journalism still on the site somewhere. This Partnerships. “So fake news Politicians with an agenda; illustrates Facebook’s dilemma ultimately runs counter to that managements on tight budgets; of being a platform which and erodes trust. We know our industry competitors under wants to promote freedom of audience don’t want to see it existential threat; malicious expression, yet needs to protect and ultimately the partners we disseminators of falsehoods: the reputation of itself and its work with don’t want to have truly a “perfect storm” of legitimate content providers. to compete with false news on challenges for today’s public the platform. So it’s something service news providers. And Never has the scale of the we take very, very seriously, and that’s before even talking about challenge facing the social we’re committed to working on how to reach those millions media giants been more sharply it until we get it right.” of young people who aren’t in focus than in the wake of watching TV at all any more. the Las Vegas mass shooting The serious threat to stable The time has never been more in October 2017, when both democracies from fake news crucial to work out where a Facebook and Google not only has also caught the attention network’s resources can be failed to suppress reports falsely of the European Commission. best spent – and to develop an identifying the gunman and After the Brexit vote, they imaginative editorial strategy claiming he was an anti-Trump awarded a grant of €1m to a which ensures that public liberal, they actually ended up group of news agencies - AFP service news remains as vital to promoting the fake news. In in France, ANSA in Italy and society in the decades to come Facebook’s case their algorithm DPA in Germany - to produce as it has been in years past.

15 3. WHERE SHOULD YOUR RESOURCES GO?

WE ARE SEEN BY THE ARD’s evening news: still popular in times of change. MAJORITY OF THE GERMAN The audience for traditional with well-resourced original POPULATION evening news on TV is getting journalism; and still the smaller and older, bulletins are place where millions of AS in terminal decline and they professionals and influence TRUSTWORTHY should no longer be the focus makers get their round-up of of a broadcaster’s resources. the day’s events. NEWS WHERE THEY CAN GET That, it seems, is today’s DON’T WRITE OFF THE accepted wisdom. But it could EVENING NEWS BALANCED not be more wrong. REPORTING. As such, the traditional Despite the shifting landscape, evening news bulletin SO HOW DO traditional evening news remains incredibly important YOU CHANGE bulletins on TV networks as a vehicle for showing across Europe remain in that public broadcasters are IN THAT robust health: still attracting taking their responsibilities SITUATION? audiences which place for measured and balanced them high in their channels’ journalism seriously, as well Michael Wegener, ratings; still able to raise as being a key source of ARD national consciousness information for individuals

16 and families who are not as interviews and discussion as News Ulrik Haagerup freely glued to mobile feeds all day the country endures political admits to having plagiarised as bored youths, or people in turmoil and an acute terrorism from Cardiff University the TV industry, may be. threat. In Germany, the BBC’s journalism professor Richard dilemma is echoed virtually Sambrook. According to Jonathan Munro, word-for-word by ARD. ”We Head of Newsgathering at are on a very high level of ”Strategy should be so simple, the BBC, ”Broadly speaking, linear output, while knowing even I can understand it,” says our dilemma is this: the really that it will change at some Haagerup, drawing a large big built programs already on time,” says Michael Wegener, letter ”U” on a whiteboard. television are still attracting a Head of the Content Center At the top of the right side of very big audience. at ARD News in Hamburg. the ”U” he writes ”Update”, ”We are seen by the majority representing the need for a of the German population as stream of reliable information, trustworthy news where they including breaking news, to can get balanced reporting. be delivered at reasonable So how do you change in that speed. At the top of the left situation?” side of the ”U” he writes ”In depth”, representing Wegener and his colleagues the need for perspective, across the industry recognise different angles, nuance and that a process of constant background. At a time when review is essential, as is resources are being squeezed, having the courage to change the idea is that any piece of what is not working. In ARD’s output on any platform has case they concluded that to climb its way up either the their late night news bulletin right side of the ”U”, meeting was not making much impact the need for updates, or the so they reduced its resources left side, meeting the need and invested them elsewhere. for depth. Two-thirds of the In the BBC’s case the youth- way down the ”U”, Haagerup oriented Newsbeat website bisects it with a horizontal was found to be redundant line and shades in the part because young people would below the line. Any piece of find links to stories on their output which falls below that social media feeds and go line is deemed to be meeting straight to the story on the neither of the key criteria, and main BBC news website. The therefore faces the axe. And Newsbeat front page was thus came to an end DR’s bypassed altogether: so it was breakfast programme. abolished and the resources better used elsewhere. ”As we’re not getting more And they are reputationally money and most certainly very important to the BBC. Perhaps the most radical will get less money, we So the way that peaktime decision in terms of closing have to decide what is television and breakfast radio a traditional strand of TV really meaningful for people in particular perform has a output occurred at DR in regarding updates and disproportionately important Copenhagen, where the entire depth,” says Haagerup. ”Then effect on our reputation. And breakfast programme of the we should take out things that feeds into our ability to main DR channel was taken on the bottom, instead of command a licence fee and it off air. The money which had just cutting 3%, 5%, 8% of feeds into our ability to say to been spent on it was invested everything we do, which is a politicians who are lobbying instead in creating a fast crazy way of doing it. That us, ‘Hands off. We’re doing a reaction breaking news desk would mean everyone would good job for the audience.’ So which provides output to all just have to run faster with it’s really, really important.” of DR’s platforms, linear and less time for fact checking digital. and less time for being clever The continuing strength of with in-depth output.” the evening news bulletin is In deciding to cancel the reflected all over Europe. In breakfast show, DR used Notwithstanding the France, the 8pm hour remains the ”U” model of strategic robustness of the evening a big draw and the most decision making, which news, no-one denies that it is watched platform for political former Executive Director of facing a diminishing audience

17 and one which is getting older. as very high, given that the profit through subscriptions That means a public BBC’s central newsgathering and advertising and there broadcaster’s resources today operation provided most of the is deemed to be a need to need to be shared among field material. Nevertheless, produce a measure of original many platforms, which in turn in saving the channels the content to provide value for leads to the question of where BBC took a decision to stop those paying customers. channels can most effectively prioritising them for resources. direct their budgets in the The belief is that the growth of There are other motivations multi-platform era. rolling news channels in the UK for launching news channels. In peaked around the year 2011, September 2016, Franceinfo TV 24 HOUR NEWS CHANNELS and that since then investment debuted in an already crowded in other digital services has market because of a perceived The outlook for 24-hour news become a more productive use need to have a publicly-funded channels, once seen as an of development funding. news service on a platform essential tool if a public service which had been dominated broadcaster was to be taken At the other end of spectrum by private channels. This is a seriously as a news provider, is TV2 in Denmark, whose reflection of France’s strong is now mixed. These channels 24-hour news channel remains commitment to public services, are very expensive to run a high priority with growing, coupled with the will to find and the truth of the matter is, not diminishing, resources. the money to fund them, but they have a very low share of Referring to the recent it is highly unusual in today’s viewers except in the hours anniversary of the Treaty of media environment. For most following a major breaking Rome, Petter Ettrup of TV2’s public broadcasters seeking story. Even then, in the online foreign desk says, ”We had a to spread their budget for era people are just as likely to correspondent doing stories in maximum impact, launching turn to their phones to follow Rome for a week and she was a 24-hour news channel is not developments. told that we would probably even a consideration. not be broadcasting anything In 2016, the BBC carried on the main TV channel; she WEBSITE AND APPS out a review of its two news should focus on the 24-hour channels (domestic and global) channel and the website. That’s In the online era, websites and there was a serious school definitely a change in how we are the oldest form of non- of thought that at a time of think about news, especially linear output but they remain financial stringency, one of foreign news.” For TV2 this is extremely important to all them should be closed. In part of the shift towards being public service broadcasters, the end both were reprieved a 24/7 content provider in whether publicly or privately because the actual saving the modern era, but there is funded. Broadcasters like from staffing and airing the another motive: revenue. The VRT have launched second channels was not regarded 24-hour channel generates generation websites to refresh

VRT are among the EBU Members who have launched updated websites.

18 the design and introduce with social media reaction where permitted, of being more advanced tools for built in, analytical sidebars, easily monetised through constructing rich content correspondent blogs and fact banner and embedded video and measuring consumer checking modules. Rights advertisements. engagement. Other members permitting, there can be a live like RTÉ, who have come stream of TV news output. Having a well-developed through a long period of website which is considered economic retrenchment, Websites are often the a ”go to” destination for are now developing their destination for traffic driven authoritative, unbiased news web content under new from social media sites such coverage is a source of management. as Twitter and Facebook. great pride for public service Their limitless capacity broadcasters in most countries, Websites provide a platform and flexibility give them as well as being a major factor for longer takes on stories with more depth than social in maintaining their profile and embedded audio and video. media can offer within relevance. They allow live text-based their own platforms and coverage of developing news they have the advantage, To reach a young audience, websites must include formatting for mobile phones, and preferably a dedicated news app which will automatically kick in if a consumer tries to link to a URL on a handheld device. Apps turn web stories into a lower data, simplified format which loads easily over a cellular or wifi connection and is designed to be read on a small screen. According to a recent EBU survey of its members, there is very much an east-west split over which broadcasters offer news apps; they are universally available in the countries of the former western Europe, but most eastern European public broadcasters still rely on their website as their primary online presence.

With the rapid shift to mobile consumption, a comprehensive strategy for development of apps needs to be part of every broadcaster’s plans. RAI sees apps as a means of providing tailored output to different strands of its audience in politically fragmented Italy. Equally, a broadcaster can have a mainstream app and a youth news app; there can be an app for domestic consumption and a separate one for the international followers. The possibilities for serving specific parts of an audience through apps are endless.

Franceinfo’s news app, part of the integrated approach involving radio, TV and online

19 SOCIAL MEDIA about the high average age of notoriously difficult to pin viewers of the 7pm newscast. down; the phrase ”non- When considering a social As a result, a new editor of disclosure agreement” media strategy and which digital services was hired and quickly enters any platforms to prioritise the small existing team of conversation on the subject. for resources, one name digital journalists beefed up. ITN, the producer of Channel absolutely dominates the Facebook was not the only 4 News, publicly lambasted landscape: Facebook. platform served, but it’s the Facebook in the early part of one which emerged as a 2017 for the low level of revenue Perhaps this is because media runaway success. In 2014, from advertisements that professionals of a certain Channel 4 News had 80 Facebook shared with content age are all on there and think million digital video views on providers, together with the they’re hip as a result! More Facebook; in 2015 that rose lack of transparency over how seriously, it’s because of the to 600 million and in 2016, the revenue figure was reached. sheer scale of the Facebook the channel had around 2 They also complained privately platform, together with billion views of its Facebook that they had never been its massive power to drive video posts. Compare that to approached to be an official consumers to other platforms a viewing figure for the TV content partner, a privilege such as websites and YouTube. evening news programme of which at the time was reserved Many millennials long ago around 700,000. for a small elite of companies deserted Facebook for more in each country, again with no fashionable platforms, but The success of the Channel transparency over how any Facebook nevertheless brings 4 News Facebook posts has particular partner was chosen. the mean age of public transformed awareness of the service news consumers programme worldwide. It has Facebook was clearly in a down. As a rule of thumb, more than 4 million followers learning process over its and acknowledging that the on Facebook for its main development as a platform situation varies from country output plus some secondary for professional editorial to country, broadcasters issue-based pages. The content. To its credit, it took expect viewers of the audience is relatively young on board the criticism from the traditional evening news to and well educated, and the content providers and there have a mean age in their 50s, comments following each was rapid action during 2017, 60s or higher; consumers of video demonstrate a high as part of what it called the Facebook have a mean age in level of engagement with Facebook Journalism Project, their 30s and 40s; consumers global issues. to demystify the process of of Instagram are generally partnering with Facebook, in their 20s and early 30s; However, although Channel bolster its reputation as and millennials are glued to 4 is a public service news a platform for reputable Snapchat and various similar provider in the commercial journalism and clarify the platforms. sector, the Facebook activity revenue model. has not made it rich. Details of financial agreements The biggest change was between Facebook and its the dramatic expansion of partners and suppliers are Instant Articles, the form of

MASTERING FACEBOOK

For an example of a news provider which has made a massive success of its Facebook feed, it’s hard to look past the UK’s Channel 4 News. IN 2014, BRITAIN’S CHANNEL 4 NEWS HAD 80 MILLION DIGITAL VIDEO The motivation for diversifying into Facebook did not come VIEWS ON FACEBOOK. IN 2015 THAT from within. The editor ROSE TO 600 MILLION AND IN 2016, of the programme, which is produced by ITN, was THE CHANNEL HAD AROUND 2 summoned to a meeting at BILLION VIEWS OF ITS FACEBOOK Channel 4’s headquarters in London and told that VIDEO POSTS. management was concerned

20 partnership which once was it is unrivalled as a platform for the steps they’re taking to the reserve of the few, but expanding an audience and resolve them will certainly do which is now available to all growing brand recognition. Facebook no harm. broadcasters and is currently They are also developing used by more than 10,000 features such as sign-ups for WHERE ELSE ON SOCIAL content providers worldwide. newsletters which can further MEDIA? After a simple sign-up and increase audience loyalty to a verification process, networks brand. While Facebook is by far the can start contributing text, most important platform in audio and video and, where It should be noted, though, that social media, as we have seen, allowed, take a clearly defined the rush into Instant Articles it is not necessarily the primary share of revenue from is not without its pitfalls for destination for the youngest advertisements. Facebook content providers. One of consumers that a public says that if a broadcaster sells the major benefits from a service broadcaster wants to advertisements using its own Facebook user’s point of view engage early in their adult lives. sales team, it can keep 100% is that the articles load much Because there are so many of the revenue; if it relies on more quickly than a link to platforms, every broadcaster Facebook to find and place the a web page – it’s estimated has to make a decision about ads, the share is 70-75% to the as much as ten times more which ones to serve and content provider. quickly. But the reason for this which to leave alone. This is is that the consumer is being not just be about audience Facebook has also launched kept on the Facebook platform size; it’s also about the brand what it calls “ad breaks”, rather than diverted to a web and reputation of the public which are little different browser – which, of course, is broadcaster, which can quickly to commercial breaks on of benefit to Facebook. That’s be compromised by content TV: during a live video a likely to diminish the value of appearing in an environment message will pop up saying, Facebook as a driver to other deemed too trivial, obscure or “Back in 30 seconds,” and an platforms such as websites, morally inappropriate to be a advertisement will play. To something which has been good use of public money. qualify, a content provider cited by all news providers, must have a minimum of commercial or publicly funded, 2,000 followers and 300 as one of the platform’s main concurrent viewers on its benefits. page. The revenue share is 55% to the broadcaster. There Those in the commercial sector are also methods by which in particular have to make a broadcasters with sponsorship calculation over whether the INSTAGRAM: FEWER deals for programmes can revenue generated around SUBSCRIBERS BUT HIGHER link to their sponsors from Instant Articles makes up ENGAGEMENT the programme’s Facebook for the potential loss of content. revenue from web pages with The next most important embedded ads, which will platform for most Facebook also understands inevitably receive fewer hits. broadcasters is Instagram. that many public service TV2 Denmark says that no Of course, this only adds to broadcasters are not seeking less than 40% of its web traffic the dominance of Facebook, revenue: for them, the benefit comes from clickthroughs from since it is Instagram’s parent of working with Facebook Facebook, so for a company company. Instagram can be comes from expanding like this, the issue is very real. added to a broadcaster’s audience reach and pushing The idea that web content portfolio relatively easily consumers to additional is more easily monetised because it can carry content content on other digital than social media content similar to that already being platforms. Even for these news may no longer apply and a produced for Facebook (or providers with a public source refocusing of digital output vice versa; ARD often edits of funds, the new form of may be necessary. For non- with Instagram primarily in Instant Articles is an attractive commercial broadcasters, it’s mind because of its higher proposition. Despite the rule not an existential question, standard of aesthetics, then of thumb age groupings but they are likely to see a uses the same video on mentioned above, Facebook rebalancing of time spent on Facebook). Videos stack up argues that the massive size Facebook over time spent on on Instagram as little squares, of its membership – now more the equivalent web pages. the way photographs did in than 2 billion regular monthly Facebook may be listening to the app’s early days, and they users - means it has powerful broadcasters’ concerns about remain viewable indefinitely. reach into all age groups and the partnering process, but

21 Instagram will not produce the it is undoubtedly worthy of of Snapchat for serving sheer volume of subscribers consideration when allocating millennials and has a number of that Facebook does; the BBC, resources. themed pages on the platform, with a well-developed strategy is sceptical about the return for the platform, has 4.2 million on investment. ”The number of followers, which is dwarfed people who are on Snapchat by its 44 million followers on to consume entertainment Facebook. stories or share stuff in clubs is enormous and growing,” However Instagram can extend says Social Media Editor Mark a news provider’s reach in a SNAPCHAT: HOME TO Frankel. ”But the number of number of important ways: MILLENNIALS BUT OF people who are on Snapchat LIMITED VALUE to engage with news is minute; - Its user profile is younger. in the UK it’s less than 1% of all Statistics vary by country Snapchat, on the other hand, is Snapchat users. BBC News on but normally a majority of problematical. It is the platform Snapchat, which we’ve been users are under 35 years of of choice for teenagers, and doing since January 2016, has age, sometimes by a large the steep growth in young 4,500 followers. That’s tiny.” percentage. people using it makes it superficially attractive: in the Coupled with that is the - It has a higher female to male fourth quarter of 2016, there need to dedicate production ratio. Whereas the gender of were 161 million daily active resources and personnel Facebook users is roughly users globally, up 50% on a specifically to doing separate equal, in most countries there year earlier. What’s more, users edits for Snapchat. The need are many more women than visit the site on average 18 for items to conform to the men using Instagram. times per day, which should upbeat style which teenagers be music to the ears of a news are used to from material on - It is ahead of other social provider looking to attract a Snapchat, including slicing media apps by a long way in new generation of consumers. longer items into easily terms of user engagement. digestible segments, means it’s The research company There are two major problems, not effective simply to transfer TrackMaven analysed 51 million however. an item made for Facebook or posts by 40,000 different Instagram to Snapchat. companies in the first half Firstly, very few users are of 2016 to gauge the level going to Snapchat in search Taken together, these of interaction by consumers. of news, nor are they likely to factors mean that for many Instagram subscribers had be engaged when they find broadcasters, the Snapchat an average of between 50 a news feed. The BBC, which equation does not add up. and 70 interactions per post recognised the potential ”If you look at our Facebook per 1,000 followers, whereas Facebook was way lower at around 6 interactions per post per 1,000 followers. Other social media apps were lower still. This dramatic difference in engagement is probably a reflection of the sheer volume of material on Facebook, which means many posts are FACEBOOK WAS CLEARLY IN A never even seen at all by their LEARNING PROCESS OVER ITS intended recipients, as they are constantly pushed down their DEVELOPMENT AS A PLATFORM feed by newer posts. FOR PROFESSIONAL EDITORIAL A public service news provider CONTENT. TO ITS CREDIT, THERE which has not yet embraced Instagram must make a WAS RAPID ACTION AS PART OF THE judgement about how valuable FACEBOOK JOURNALISM PROJECT it is in their particular country; but as a means of attracting a TO DEMYSTIFY THE PROCESS OF new generation of discerning PARTNERING. consumers on a platform which is still growing strongly,

22 audience, it’s 70% under 35,” providers in the commercial material, including library says Jon Laurence, Digital sector prefer platforms footage, to add depth and Editor at Channel 4 News. ”It where the insertion background to a topical story. skews more towards the 25 to of advertisements is 34 bracket than the 16 to 25, straightforward and a revenue For news-related content the but Facebook is still a place share is possible. However, it’s viewing numbers on YouTube where people in their late teens about more than that. are not in the same league as and twenties come together Facebook, but the length of in huge quantities. Its 2 billion YouTube has a special place engagement is far superior. users is a huge market for us.» in the social media portfolios A recent extended cut of That reflects the argument of of many broadcasters as the an interview with Angelina Facebook management about home for long form video. Jolie in Cambodia done by the primacy of their platform; That can mean anything BBC World News saw more although the Channel 4 News from 7-10 minute features, than 80% of viewers still Facebook feed isn’t specifically either specially cut or watching on YouTube seven targeting the millennial extracted from broadcast minutes into the video, an audience, the sheer number programmes, all the way to astonishingly high level of of people on Facebook means full-length current affairs. The commitment for today’s that a lot of millennials are attractiveness of YouTube for restless consumers. seeing it anyway; probably this may derive from the fact YouTube viewers are regarded more than would ever be that it is still often viewed by news providers as engaged if Channel 4 News on a desktop PC or laptop, thoughtful and committed, were to launch a Snapchat where the experience is more and reaching them is page. enjoyable than watching a easy: any broadcaster can long video on a mobile phone. establish and populate a YouTube channel with no A glance through some dedicated resources, then public broadcasters’ YouTube drive viewers to it from their channels reveals a 16-minute more popular platforms feature from ARD on life as a such as Facebook, or by Muslim in Berlin; a 21-minute trailing it on TV. If revenue is YOUTUBE: THE HOME FOR Channel 4 News interview a factor, a broadcaster can LONG FORM VIDEO with Martin Scorsese as opt in to allowing pre-roll part of a series on Donald advertisements for which it For TV2 Denmark, there is Trump; and a whole series will receive revenue, without no more valuable platform of hour-long BBC Panorama complicated contractual for streaming video than documentaries. The BBC also arrangements, via a Google YouTube. That conforms regards its YouTube channel AdSense account. to the notion that news as a place to put additional

Ulrik Haagerup: if a piece of output neither updates nor provides depth, it falls to the bottom of the U and gets cancelled.

23 politicians, but are dismissive they would not be prepared of its ability to serve the public to say in a TV broadcast. as a whole. That is partially Particular attention needs to reflected by the UK’s Channel be paid to retweets, when a 4 News, who see Twitter correspondent might start TWITTER: A “FIRE HOSE” as a place to post unedited forwarding other people’s posts OF CONTENT videos of political interviews which are not as balanced as his and doorsteps, gaining or her own work would be. Twitter shares with Facebook them a following of political and YouTube the honour of afficionados more than the There is one other drawback being one of the original social wider public. to Twitter. If the statistic above media platforms, as well as one showing that the proportion of the dwindling group which is The good news about Twitter of people who interact accessible on a desktop PC as is that it needs no dedicated with Facebook content is well as on mobile devices. resources; everyone in a surprisingly low, the number for newsroom who is authorised to Twitter is lower still. Originally its 140 character do so can just create a handle Twitter has been described as a format was designed to share in the company style and start ”fire hose of content”, spewing content that would fit on to an tweeting. out tweets in chronological SMS text message. Since then order, often dozens per minute Twitter has become universally For the same reason, however, depending on the number adopted in newsrooms as a Twitter carries risks. Hundreds of people a user is following. means of alerting followers and sometimes thousands None of it is prioritised. Unless a to breaking stories and of journalists within an Twitter feed is being constantly hyperlinking them to more organization may be allowed a monitored by the recipient, substantial sites. Twitter account on which they the vast majority of posts will Photo attachments and can post material without it simply be missed. Therefore a embedded video have become being previewed by a second news provider using Twitter as possible, giving Twitter a degree pair of eyes. Any mistake will a platform to engage viewers of functionality as a content quickly go viral and can be very needs to be committed to platform in its own right. damaging to a broadcaster’s providing a very regular diet of reputation. Worse, anything content so that at least some The importance given to libellous can land an of the tweets will be seen by Twitter by public service news organization in court. the network’s followers at any providers depends very much particular time. Even then, the on the level of interest in the Careful thought about who percentage of people who platform in individual countries. is authorised to tweet in the react with a click through to The English-speaking world company’s name is therefore additional content will be tiny. is more attached to Twitter essential, as is a robust set than countries speaking of social media guidelines. In considering which platforms other languages. Both Danish Journalists need to be to be on and which to bypass, networks regard it as a way to reminded that they must not it’s important to remember reach influential people such as write anything on Twitter which that these outlets are not an end in themselves. ”Ten years ago, I think we had a mentality about thinking and nurturing the different platforms as if the platforms themselves were very important,” says Naja Nielsen, Head of News at DR, ”whereas now I think we have realised I THINK WE HAVE REALISED THAT that the platforms, television THE PLATFORMS - TELEVISION OR or radio or mobile or web or Facebook or whatever, are just RADIO OR MOBILE OR WEB OR tools we use to solve our task.” FACEBOOK OR WHATEVER - ARE In the end, the task is about JUST TOOLS WE USE TO SOLVE providing compelling, reliable OUR TASK. and unbiased news content. The choice of platform is about Naja Nielsen, how best to get that content DR to as wide an audience as possible.

24 © IStock

25 4. EDITORIAL APPROACHES TO THE MULTI-PLATFORM ERA

In VRT’s Brussels newsroom, the presenter becomes familiar with the new Facebook Live facilities.

The corridors of a network ranged across the top of eight THE AGENDA newsroom are not the place columns, while down the left OF NEWS where you’d expect to be are time slots: 06.00, 09.00, confronted by a cluster of 12.00, 15.00, 18.00 and 21.00. OUTPUT human cardboard cutouts, but Every journalist working at YLE HAS TO BE that’s exactly what happens is expected to take a glance at when you enter YLE. this poster from time to time SIGNIFICANTLY and ask: what are we doing to EXPANDED. Eight people representing a serve THIS person at THIS time cross-section of society (among of day? THE SECRET IS them a young female student, TO BROADEN an executive in a suit, a parent, YLE call it their clock model, an unemployed man from a and it’s the backbone of the IT WHILE STILL rural area) are lurking wherever most radical approach to the you turn, reminding you that new era anywhere in Europe: MAINTAINING they exist, and they expect a 100% “mobile first” policy. ITS AUTHORITY, to be served by their public Every item that is produced broadcaster. The same eight at YLE News is published the DIGNITY AND people appear in a poster on moment it is ready on the DEPTH. the newsroom walls. They’re company’s website and social

26 media platforms. That includes evening news. Nowadays, not previously have made it background and analysis from nobody is forced to sit into a linear running order; specialist correspondents: through a running order of or would at best have been nothing is held back for the items created by someone confined to the end of it. evening news bulletin, which else, and nobody will stay a Significant developments becomes a depository for the second longer on an item if in areas like health care best of what’s already been it loses their interest. “You’re and nutrition also fall into created during the day. “The in a completely different this category – but only if correspondent has already competitive environment,” they are a genuine news written a beautiful piece says YLE’s Elina Ravantti. “You development, rather than about what a story means,” says have to make them interested, just lifestyle tips. Jukka Niva, Editor of YLE News. you have to make them find your story and try to do it a Not all broadcasters are way that they don’t run away. ready to take as radical an And that is new.” approach to their output as YLE, but most of them have In parallel with the obligation adopted key elements of the to publish as soon as strategy that the Finns have possible, the clock model also embraced as a whole. encourages a broadening of the news agenda. At this “I don’t know how you point we enter a sensitive wake up,” says Brecht area: news is a serious Decaestecker, Editor-in-Chief business - about wars, of digital platforms at VRT, political policy and disasters. “but the first thing I do is When it goes beyond that, take my smartphone and traditional journalists rail see what’s on there. Some against what they see as the people go immediately to “dumbing down” of their our website. Other people go profession. However, if there is to Facebook. Other people one consistent message from go to their email, so we have all news managers who have to have a newsletter there. piloted through successful You have to be everywhere.” digital strategies, it is that the That means providing fresh agenda of news output has to content first thing in the be significantly expanded. The morning that Belgians didn’t secret is to broaden it while see seven hours earlier when still maintaining its authority, they fell asleep. Then that dignity and depth. content has to be renewed throughout the day. Therefore, to serve some of those eight people at certain In Italy, RAI has a particular “The same correspondent can times of day, news which problem because of the just march into the evening might have been the sixth or number of “stakeholders” news studio and explain the seventh item in a traditional they have to keep happy. same thing as they already did bulletin rises to the top. The three RAI channels’ six hours earlier online.” Issues facing families with news bulletins are identified children is an example cited with three different political Underpinning YLE’s approach by Jukka Niva. shades and this has impeded is a realisation that in the development of a network- non-linear world, every “Parental leave is something wide digital strategy. consumer has to be fought that is interesting for for. In the old days, the theory everyone in this country However RAI’s approach to goes, a captive audience from age 20 to 40 and it overcoming these problems would sit in front of the TV has a tremendous effect on has lessons for other and absorb a broadcaster’s their life, on their salary, or if broadcasters: essentially, they news output, no matter what they get fired from their job want to produce a unified was in the bulletin. They when they have their first website with a single front had the choice of changing kid.” The idea is not to do a page and content for all of channels, of course, but lifestyle feature on parental RAI, but then personalise their whether intentionally or by leave, it’s to recognise and social media apps. That would default, a large percentage explore genuine issues linked mean that the company’s of society would catch the to the topic which would news app could be tailored

27 by users to deliver items in Stories which feature men tune with their thinking, while in suits walking through the website remained the revolving doors in Brussels, independent, unified face of Strasbourg or any number RAI. of European capitals, will not engage consumers of “The app is very different Facebook or other social WE WANT TO from the web user media platforms. “We want to experience,” says Giuseppe talk about people, not society,” TALK ABOUT Mondelli, who is responsible says Kristoffer Pinholt, Editor- PEOPLE, NOT for new media projects at RAI. in-Chief of Digital Content at “You can personalise your TV2 Denmark. “And we want SOCIETY. AND home page, setting the type to use real cases; we want WE WANT of content and the themes or to use humans to tell their keywords so you can filter the stories.” TO USE REAL news that you find when you open the app. Then for each If there’s any doubt about the CASES. WE topic, you can subscribe to market for human interest WANT TO USE notifications.” content, the dramatic growth of the news agency AFP from HUMANS TO All over Europe, then, being a French language TELL THEIR broadcasters are developing entity to a global video brand, STORIES. their own approaches to should dispel it. They looked at serving online platforms. the content offered by Reuters Kristoffer Pinholt, But what kind of content is and AP, which is valuable as TV2 Denmark actually needed to fill these a video source for breaking multiple strands of output? stories and institutional events, and recognized the need to HUMAN INTEREST IS KING take a different approach. They set up multi-skilled “Talking about Venezuela, we Universally, when talking to journalist/videographers say OK, let’s talk to a woman editors with a well-developed around the world with a who is queueing up four hours multi-platform strategy, there specific remit to dig out a day; let’s talk to a person who is agreement that the primary untold stories with a strong doesn’t have medicine; let’s criterion for content aimed human element, or to develop find the human consequences at digital outlets is a strong the human angles of stories of the story,” says Juliette human interest element. which were already in the Hollier-Larousse, the Director news. of AFP’s TV section.

RAI aims to produce a unified news website while allowing personalisation of its news app.

28 Constructive news does not just report on what’s bad in society; it asks, what can we do about it?

A measure of the forward through the issues time, correspondents to attractiveness of this human and problems that people figure out, ‘So we have this interest oriented material in face in their lives. The most problem here, what did they the multi-platform era came famous iteration of this is do in Holland? What did they when the EBU partnered “constructive journalism”, the do in Canada? Can we do the with AFP to offer selected brainchild of Ulrik Haagerup same? Can we put inspiration stories which would broaden during his time at DR. The idea into the public debate about the content in the Eurovision has made such an impact, it?’ That’s constructive News Exchange. Then in early especially in the Nordic journalism.” 2017 the BBC announced countries, that Haagerup has that it was dropping its now left the company to head subscription to AP and a Constructive Institute in signing a contract with AFP. partnership with the University The old argument that a of Aarhus and the EBU. broadcaster had to have both of the big agencies as Constructive news is not “insurance”, in case one of about trivialising the news, them got exclusive video nor ignoring big stories such CONSTRUCTIVE of a big story, was not as the aforementioned crises strong enough in an era of and disasters. Haagerup’s NEWS financial stringency. This is theory is that reporting on ATTEMPTS especially so because this these events is important, but type of insurance today is it’s only half the story: the TO PROJECT just as likely to come from half which has taken place in the mobile phone video of the past. Constructive news FORWARD. IT’S an eyewitness as it is from an attempts to project forward. ABOUT POSING expensive news agency. It’s about posing the question: THE QUESTION: CHANGING THE TONE OF now that we know this, what NOW THAT WE NEWS can we do to improve the situation? KNOW THIS, Another part of the effort WHAT CAN to “humanise” news content “The interesting thing for a lot is the drive to change the of people is, who has ideas WE DO TO daily agenda from being about how we can solve this IMPROVE THE relentlessly negative – political problem with housing or with crises, disasters, scandals drugs?” explains Haagerup. SITUATION? – to finding positive ways “We use energy, resources,

29 Having a positive effect on ENGAGING THE CONSUMER how well a story will engage the democratic process is followers. “We look for topics important to proponents YLE have adopted and parts of a story that are of constructive news. In constructive journalism as discussable, that people can today’s sharply divided part of their overall strategy actually interact with,” says societies the concept aims to to serve a broader audience. Patrick Weinhold, Head of move politicians away from They say that traditional Social Media at Tagesschau. internecine squabbling and news full of negative events “They have an opinion on it. towards thinking about how creates alienation because They agree with the story or to improve the society they’re people do not recognise their they disagree with the story, elected to govern. If they fail own lives from what they see but they need to have an to do so, popular engagement in the news. For YLE it’s all emotion towards it.” with constructive news part of the trend away from exposes them as being a broadcaster unilaterally Other companies like TV2 increasingly out of touch telling its viewers what’s Denmark seek to achieve a with public sentiment. And important, to engaging in different kind of engagement, constructive journalism does a dialogue with those TV one which will bring positive appear to be popular. Since viewers and online followers. change to society. “Almost implementing the strategy, every day in the evening DR’s audience research “This interaction thing is news we have a piece figures show a rise in trust extremely difficult; we don’t which we call “The 7 o’clock for their news output on all have the DNA for it,” says inspiration,” says Mikkel platforms, but most markedly Mika Rahkonen, Head of Hertz, Editor of TV2 News. online: the metric for trust YLE’s Media Lab. “But this is “We try to find stories that on their website rose 11 something we have to start will inspire people to do percentage points in the learning from the ground up.” something, to help each space of a year. other in some way. It’s not As everyone knows who has about soft pieces, it’s about read an online comments the individual who stands section, the interaction out. A lot of people like that.” is not always positive; moderation on the part of MAKING FACEBOOK WORK the broadcaster is essential FOR YOU to ensure that the worst of malicious posts are kept Following on from the under control. However the widely understood need to ability of the consumer to have a significant presence talk back does generate on the goliath of all social THIS engagement, and if a media platforms, Facebook, newsroom takes time to read is the need for individual INTERACTION the reactions, they may well broadcasters to develop a THING IS benefit. “We cannot write a strategy there which works single story in which there well for them. EXTREMELY is not someone out there DIFFICULT; WE who knows better than our Britain’s Channel 4 News reporter,” says Rahkonen. has achieved its success DON’T HAVE He and his colleagues have by playing to its strengths THE DNA FOR developed ideas, pursued and, importantly, resisting fresh angles and made the temptation to produce IT. BUT THIS IS valuable contacts through content in areas where it SOMETHING paying attention to the more knows it is weaker. thoughtful online responses WE HAVE to their stories. As a long-form once-a-day TO START broadcast with a relatively ARD also regards interaction small team specializing in LEARNING with its social media content original reporting, virtually FROM THE as important. When selecting the entire Facebook output stories they consider a of Channel 4 News is in GROUND UP. triangle with three key the form of short videos attributes at the corners. featuring its in-depth Mika Rahkonen, Relevance is the number one coverage reformatted for a YLE consideration; aesthetics wider, younger audience. The is another; and the third is best recognized example

30 Harrowing reports from inside Aleppo garnered 300m views on the Channel 4 News Facebook page.

was use of its award-winning THE VALUE OF FACEBOOK studio throwing questions at reporting from inside the LIVES the correspondent, although siege of Aleppo in Syria. For that involves a higher level of 18 months Channel 4 News Facebook Lives have, however, resources. More usually, they received exclusive material proven successful for other, simply have the correspondent from the city, which won the more mainstream public on location being filmed by the programme multiple awards. service news providers; so producer on a mobile phone, The original broadcast reports much so that a number of taking questions submitted were shortened, the most them have built small live on the spot by viewers in the striking shots put at the top areas in the corner of their form of Facebook comments. and subtitles added. The newsrooms and equipped Usually the producer will Channel 4 News identity was them with remotely-controlled simply shout the questions strongly featured but not until cameras to make going live to the correspondent; the the end, once the viewer had fast, easy and low cost. rawness of this, in contrast to been hooked by the content. the smooth professionalism In all during the time that The most basic type of of a studio presentation, is all Channel 4’s Aleppo material Facebook Live involves a part of the attraction. was prominently featured on presenter and one or more Facebook, it attracted more correspondents sitting A variation of adding depth than 300 million views. together on a basic set giving to a story through Facebook detail and background on Lives is to give viewers insights The areas that Channel 4 News a big story of the day. VRT, into the process of news doesn’t normally get into are YLE, TV2 Denmark, the production. running updates on breaking BBC and many other public This will involve showing news, partly because the team broadcasters have areas in what’s going on behind the knows it has well-resourced their newsroom suitable for scenes; for example, the rivals who specialise in that this, and DR has kept the difficult living and working area, but mainly because the old breakfast news studio conditions in a conflict zone. remit of the channel is to be equipped for short-notice live TV2 Denmark often features distinctive. For much the same use. one of their correspondents, reasons Channel 4 is reluctant Rasmus Tantholdt, who is to get into Facebook Lives, Facebook Lives from the field regarded as being especially because they know they do are also popular. These usually good at engaging his not have correspondents feature a correspondent on audience as he travels to stationed all over the world location giving additional some of the most dangerous and therefore the lives would depth to a story. They can be places on the planet. be inconsistent. anchored by a presenter in a

31 - create youth-oriented output but post it under the main broadcaster brand.

Once again YLE has adopted the most radical approach. They launched a brand name IN A FACEBOOK LIVE, USUALLY Kioski, featuring factual THE PRODUCER WILL SIMPLY content for young people. It started as a daily TV SHOUT THE QUESTIONS TO programme, website and THE CORRESPONDENT. THE social media apps. In the spirit of trying things out RAWNESS OF THIS IS ALL PART and quickly discarding those OF THE ATTRACTION. which don’t work, the TV programme was cancelled, and while there is still a web presence, it contains numerous hyperlinks to push Tantholdt’s work for Facebook industry than the general consumers towards Facebook, is a mix of showing the way public, but it has value as a YouTube and Instagram, the he and his team operate on tool for demystifying the news primary platforms for which a very personal level, while process, especially at a time Kioski content is designed. at the same time folding in when public broadcasters are perspectives on the story facing cynicism from sectors There is also minimal mention they’re covering. Managing of the public over how their of YLE. It is there in the to provide information on a news agenda is managed and ”handles” on each platform story while simultaneously their choices made. (e.g. @ylekioski), but that is building audience attachment where any reference to YLE to the broadcaster is clearly REBRANDING FOR A YOUNG ends on the social media a feat of immense value. A AUDIENCE apps; once you’ve established recent Facebook Live done yourself as a follower on a by Tantholdt from Syria had One issue which is much platform, you might never 500,000 views, a substantial discussed is whether it is see the YLE name again. proportion of Denmark’s a good idea to create a This has both an upside entire adult population. separate brand for the part and a downside. It clearly of a public service news distinguishes the content As well as doing pieces from provider’s output which is from the branding of the the field, the BBC has done aimed at young people. If the main channel, which is the lengthy Facebook Lives from familiar names Tagesschau, whole point if the theory is their London headquarters. In Telediario or Le Journal are a that mainstream news is not one of them, the live camera turn-off for millennials, what attractive to this section of and reporter streamed from about something snappier the audience. On the other inside the studio control room which might catch their hand, if the aim is to say during an actual broadcast interest and hopefully create to young people, ”Here is of the 6 O’Clock News. An a foundation for long term interesting content generated unflappable studio director loyalty? It’s an issue on which for you by your public service happily turned and answered views are mixed. news provider,” in the hope questions from the Facebook There are essentially three of overcoming cynicism Live reporter while the ways to go: about establishment news programme’s edited reports output and one day migrating were playing out. Other - create distinct brands these young viewers on to valid themes for this kind of of output aimed at young the main network, it may be Live might be with editorial people which intentionally self-defeating to expunge all staff discussing their subject look completely different from mention of that fact that it is choices in the course of the the main broadcaster brand; YLE which is behind Kioski’s day, and camera crews talking content. about how difficult situations - create a more hybrid were filmed. solution in which youth VRT is a broadcaster which brands are established but occupies the middle ground To an extent, of course, this kept within a broadcaster’s on this issue. They produce kind of thing is of more design family; a product called Ninja News interest to people within the for the radio network NMN,

32 with a target audience of which is linked to VRT News.” which says clearly ”BBC 16-24 year olds. They intend The extent to which the Newsbeat”. The same is true to develop it on to other design of the extended Ninja on Instagram, Snapchat and platforms because of its News should reflect this is wherever else BBC output potential for extending the currently under consideration. appears. If there’s a section age profile of VRT News. of youthful society that In doing so, the parent Not surprisingly perhaps, rails against an established brand might not be explicitly it is the broadcasters with broadcaster’s news output, mentioned, but the intention the strongest brands which the BBC is keen to win is that young consumers stamp their name on every them over, but not at the should at least subconsciously strand of output, whether it’s expense of compromising equate what they’re watching youth oriented or not. The the consistency of its global with VRT. ”I think it has to be BBC’s Newsbeat web pages brand. a look and feel from the same may have been deemed family as VRT News,” says redundant but the brand for Brecht Decaestecker. ”So they young people is alive and well know they are not watching on social media. Wherever VRT News, but something it appears, it is with a logo

YLE’s social media platform Kioski packages news and features for a young audience.

33 5. TECHNICAL APPROACHES TO THE MULTI-PLATFORM ERA

A Channel 4 News “meme bar” at the start of the Jeremy Corbyn interview dissolves away as the video IT’S SIMPLY zooms in to fill a square box. NOT GOOD What’s the most important EDITING ITEMS FOR ENOUGH TO thing a public broadcaster can FACEBOOK do in 3 seconds? TAKE ITEMS The first rule is that it’s simply EDITED FOR Answer: engage a Facebook not good enough to take viewer. items edited for broadcast BROADCAST and stick them on a Facebook AND STICK That’s how long you’ve got, as page. Many broadcasters Facebook users flick through still do this, some because THEM ON A the feeds on their phones, to of a lack of resources, some FACEBOOK make them pause and take a because Facebook is not look at your content. If they their primary priority and PAGE. flick on without stopping, some because they have not you’ve lost them. For this yet realised how ineffective reason, the process of making such a policy is. A well- a successful item for Facebook developed Facebook strategy the one with the emotional has turned into a fine art, involves identifying items tug. That must be moved to with endless experimentation with a strong human interest the very top of the item and and continuous format element and reviewing them accompanying words added development. to find the most striking shot: over the opening frames to

34 grab a user’s attention. Once RETHINK WIDESCREEN engaged, the story can then be developed. It will almost The square format is another certainly need rewriting Facebook essential. After from the original TV version years of producing material because of the different order that looks good in widescreen of the shots, and voiceover 16:9 format, now digital video TYPICALLY, by a reporter needs to be editors have to go the other replaced with subtitles. One way and find the part of each OVER 80% OF of the most remarkable shot that looks best within FACEBOOK statistics of the digital era a square, cutting off the bits is the number of Facebook to the left and right. The VIDEOS ARE reason is simple: if you are VIEWED holding your mobile phone horizontally, a widescreen WITHOUT picture will fill the screen and look great. But as soon as you SOUND. turn your phone vertically, the position in which most people hold their devices, so that they are legible on a widescreen picture gets a mobile phone screen. The squeezed down to a tiny sub-editor’s art truly comes image which fits across the to the fore here: maximum centre of the screen, with impact from video, nursed large black bars above and along by the minimum below it. By using a square number of words needed to format, the image remains get the story across. Channel a consistent size whichever 4 News has also developed way the phone is held. It is what they call ”meme bars” notable that since their launch for the first shot of an item: Facebook Lives have had a large words across the top square picture, and of course and bottom of the opening this format means videos frames of a video, again become interchangeable with aimed at hooking the viewer Instagram, which has used a in a split second. These then square format for photos and dissolve away as the video videos from the start. zooms in to fill the square box. The exception to the use of square video would be if a To make editing quick company had very strong and efficient, experienced material shot by its own broadcasters have these videos which are viewed camera crews and it decided formats stored as dozens without sound. Typically it’s it wanted to feature the full of templates within their over 80%. breadth of the images. In this editing software (usually a case, for best results it would normal commercial product ”All of our digital material is be relying on its Facebook such as Adobe Premiere). audio agnostic on Facebook consumers to tap on the There will be widescreen so it can be consumed with video and turn their phones and square video boxes, plus or without sound,” says Jon horizontally to see it full sample captions written in the Laurence, Digital Editor at screen, which implies a high station’s usual typeface and Channel 4 News. ”About 85% degree of commitment to colour palette and pre-stored of our views are consumed the item. For average stories, in all the sizes and positions without sound, so that’s really square video is a safer bet. which are commonly used. important for us. We basically These can then be overtyped made sure that everything we ASSUME NO AUDIO in seconds with the actual made in terms of digital video words which tell the story. could be consumed with the As for subtitles, the whole mobile phone as the primary story needs to be told Also in the video clip store destination. That meant with succinct captions. will be an animated graphic captions, it meant subtitles, it Proportionally to the video, featuring the network’s branding meant lots of square videos these need to be much bigger (normally its name, logo and rather than 16:9.” than they would be on TV any slogan which it uses).

35 This will usually be added at style and music would all contain too much information the end of an item, never the have to be upbeat, and the for a cellphone screen, beginning, which is reserved length of the items kept and they definitely will not for the most engaging shot. short. fit a square format. Yet a simple animated graphic EDITING FOR OTHER YouTube presents fewer with an interesting piece of SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS problems. For this platform, information is attractive for a the key thing is creating mobile phone user, either on As mentioned above, editing graphics which are suitable its own or within an edited for Instagram can follow for the target audience of package. This is something much the same lines as for any particular piece of video, often overlooked when Facebook, but story selection to be added to the opening resources are being allocated and formatting should ideally and closing of items. Since to social media production by have a greater emphasis on broadcasters post content newsroom managers: they’ll aesthetics. This means that on YouTube aimed at all probably devote a proportion it is sometimes better to age groups, and it is the of journalists and video edit first for Instagram on platform of choice for long- editors to digital output but the basis that a well-crafted form video, it’s possible that they probably won’t think to item featuring breathtaking several variations on style make provision for a graphic images will be equally usable will have to be developed; designer. on Facebook; whereas not but these are just a matter of every item for Facebook design, they do not present Linked to the need for will be worthy of posting on major technical challenges. graphics is an area which is Instagram. Longer videos watched on new to most people working a tablet, laptop or PC are in a TV newsroom: the need If a broadcaster decides to also more likely to be viewed for still photographs. When move into Snapchat, the with the sound turned up, so it comes to editing for video formatting becomes captioning is not so crucial. social media, high quality even more difficult. Ideally stills are in huge demand. images would fill the screen THE PROBLEM WITH Remembering that the most in 9:16 format (the opposite TV GRAPHICS effective items are those of widescreen; the screen which produce an emotional would be filled with the If video edited for TV rarely response, a harrowing photo, phone held vertically). Square translates directly on to or a joyously happy one, video can also work with social media platforms, will often portray a situation graphics added to fill the graphics created for TV never more concisely and with screen above and below. The do. Their typeface is too greater impact than a piece video editing, script, caption small, they almost certainly of video.

Social media items can be edited on the same commercial software as TV reports, in this case Adobe Premiere.

36 The BBC’s own software, Telescope, gives detailed information of individual stories.

A strong still photo can be Some public service news Facebook, the consumer used as the first shot of a providers have developed has been presented with social media item and more their own innovative ways to a revenue-generating web stills can be mixed in with keep a viewer engaged. advertisement. video as the item progresses. Grabs taken from video rarely We have seen how TV2 INNOVATIVE USE OF work as stills: they don’t have Denmark relies for revenue FACEBOOK MESSENGER the necessary resolution, on having consumers migrate depth or clarity, nor the from social media apps to Other networks maintain their perfect composition needed their website, which can users’ interest by engaging to achieve maximum impact. be more easily monetised them in virtual conversations. The news agency AFP, in through advertising. As with To do this, they have developed partnership with Getty other content providers, tools for the Facebook Images, reports a big rise in TV2’s Facebook feed Messenger app. demand from broadcasters features video which, when for professionally-shot it first appears, is silent. The two German broadcasters, still photos compared to When a viewer taps the ARD and ZDF, jointly operate a a decade ago, and this is video, two things happen youth platform called Funk; it directly related to the needs simultaneously: as intended, was mandated by the regional of digital output. the sound is activated; governments to cater for but at the same time the people between the ages of DRIVING THE CONSUMER video is moved to the top 14 and 29 and has a presence TO OTHER PLATFORMS half of the phone screen across a range of social and in the bottom half, a media platforms. Realising its As well as satisfying the page carrying the same potential for disseminating need for content on a story from TV2’s website factual information to a particular outlet, a well- automatically appears. The younger audience, a group of developed social media first thing the viewer sees on employees in the Tagesschau strategy will also aim to drive that web page is the banner newsroom in Hamburg users on to a broadcaster’s advertisement across the top. created a ”chatbot” for use on other platforms. The most The benefits of this for TV2 Facebook Messenger. It’s called obvious example of this are twofold: firstly, whether Novi and users of Funk are is Twitter, where a short the Facebook consumer encouraged to subscribe to it. message is normally chooses to click through to accompanied by a bit.ly-style the web page or not, it is The conversation on Facebook URL which will take a reader registered as a page view Messenger starts with a twice to the full story on a website just because it has popped daily feed to Novi users of top or news app. up on the phone. Secondly, stories, written as messages in without ever leaving a brief conversational style. 37 hand baggage might be Then the user takes control. accompanied by the question, She or he has the option of ”Also mobiles?” If a user taps clicking on prompts such on the question, back comes as ”next” to skip a story, a new message with the or ”more” to be linked to a answer: ”No, mobiles are fine, fuller report on a website. Or it only affects laptops.” When THE LENGTH the user can send his or her the user moves on to the own messages back to Novi: next story, it will also have a OF TIME THAT typing the word for ”explain” question attached. Whatever A CONSUMER will return a message with choice the reader makes, the a selection of shortform important thing is that he is REMAINS backgrounders explaining staying for longer and longer ACTIVE ON complex stories as a series of on DR’s app. text messages. Typing in any A PLATFORM subject (for example, ”Trump”) MEASURING SUCCESS will return a message with IS MORE content on that subject from When it comes to measuring IMPORTANT Tagesschau’s online archive. how successful a broadcaster’s online strategy is, there is one THAN THE ”It’s a little bit like artificial statistic which is now regarded NUMBER OF intelligence,” says Michael as paramount. It is the length Wegener of ARD. ”They come of time that a consumer PAGE HITS up with some news stories remains active on a particular OR UNIQUE of the day. If you decide you platform, whether that is a want more, you press on website or social media app. USERS. ”more”. Or ask it a question and it will try to find an Content providers used to answer.” obsess about the number of that’s not a worthwhile level individual page hits they got, of engagement, neither in DR’s product is similar. or the number of unique users measuring popularity of the Subscribers to their Facebook they had; these metrics are still content, nor in returning Messenger feed receive important as a first step, but meaningful statistics to a daily update of stories, they’re discredited as an overall advertisers where that is a then are encouraged to ask measure of success. If tens of consideration. questions relating to the initial thousands of people click on message. For example, a text hundreds of thousands of web The length of time a consumer message about the American pages but then immediately stays with a piece of content, ban on carrying laptops in click on to the next thing, known as engaged time, is

Chartbeat in action, showing how stories are performing on the BBC website.

38 YLE led the way in developing detailed feedback for individual journalists about how their stories performed. regarded today as a much are divided among PCs, mobile approach but focuses very more meaningful measures of phones and tablets, and the much on individual journalists’ accomplishment. Related to current popularity ranking of story performance. It returns that is whether the consumer each individual story on the detailed statistics to the writer sees a link to related content front page. It also shows how of each story showing the and clicks on that, known as far a reader scrolls down a number of hours spent by web recirculation. The third key page, a crucial measure of users on that journalist’s stories metric, visitor frequency, engagement. In Chartbeat and which articles were the shows how often a particular terms, for a presence on a web most and least successful. It consumer comes back to a site page to be classed as a ”quality also gives precise statistics on for more. Frequent returns by click”, the reader must remain Facebook interactions such as loyal users who stick with items on the page for a minimum of shares, likes and comments, all to the end constitutes the 10 seconds. of which add up to a measure ultimate prize for any content of an article’s impact. provider. The BBC supplements Chartbeat with its own For measuring success on For all digital platforms, there in-depth tool, Telescope. their social media sites, most are tools to provide detailed By clicking on an individual public broadcasters rely analytics of these activities; story, this shows the total on the service provided by they might be provided by number of views a story the individual platform; for the platform host, such as has had and the average example, Twitter Analytics or Facebook or Google; they may engagement time during those Facebook Insights. be bought from commercial views. It’s also possible to see third parties; or they may where readers came from; in The Facebook tool provides be developed in-house by a the case of a well-established statistics not just on views, broadcaster. provider like BBC News, the but also on the percentage majority will come directly from who like and share an article, TOOLS FOR MEASURING the site’s own front page. In the number of people ONLINE PERFORMANCE terms of social media referrals, actively talking about it, Facebook is by far the biggest plus the gender, age group For websites, the most popular source, and in keeping with and geographical location piece of real time analytical findings elsewhere in this report, of consumers. A start-up software is Chartbeat. Through a surprisingly low number of recently bought by Facebook, the application of a widget referrals come from Twitter. CrowdTangle, allows content on a website’s front page, providers to track in detail Chartbeat shows at a glance YLE Dashboard, the Finnish how their articles are being how many people are currently broadcaster’s advanced forwarded around the world. on the site, how those users in-house tool, takes a similar

39 NEVER BEFORE HAS SUCH PRECISE INFORMATION BEEN INSTANTLY AVAILABLE ON HOW PUBLIC SERVICE NEWS PROVIDERS’ WORK IS BEING RECEIVED AND THE REACTION IT IS ENGENDERING.

These insights can be taken Daily reach of Facebook items a step further by third party produced by DR social media companies like Socialbakers team: and Quintly, both of which log a company’s performance on - March 13th, 2017: 1,521,043 all major social media sites and - March 14th, 2017: 1,330,457 create benchmarks to show how it is performing against its Daily reach of Facebook items competitors. produced by other journalists during the social media team’s When it comes to absence: demonstrating that a broadcaster is making wise - March 20th, 2017: 960,182 use of its public money, these - March 21st, 2017: 749,073 kinds of in-depth statistics are essential. Never before has With the Facebook specialists such precise information been out of town and no-one instantly available on how thinking about that crucial first public service news providers’ shot and caption, the number work is being received and the of hits fell by more than a reaction it is engendering. third. It is remarkable evidence not just of the importance of Sometimes the statistics training for social media, but can produce a surprise. In also of how much sustained March 2017, DR was without effort it takes every day its specialist social media to build up a social media producers for a couple of days audience, and then to keep it. because they were attending a seminar. For those two days the channel’s Facebook output in Copenhagen was produced by other newsroom journalists with no special training in social media. What happened to the daily reach figures gave management a shock:

40 © IStock

41 6. ADAPTING RADIO FOR THE MULTI- PLATFORM ERA

NO-ONE IS

Key BBC programmes like Radio 4’s Today have a social media presence which reflects their distinctive tone GOING TO WAIT while staying within the overall BBC brand. FOR THE NEWS

Radio is a survivor. That doesn’t mean in any ANY MORE. THE sense that radio can be OLD MODEL OF The medium has prospered complacent. The competition for almost 100 years, defying online for the ears of listeners BULLETINS ON regular predictions of its is as acute as the battle for THE HOUR AND demise in the face of more eyes in the video world; and advanced technologies when you add offline music HALF-HOUR such as television, home libraries on smartphones, the NEEDS TO BE and car entertainment odds of someone choosing systems, smartphones and to listen to public service SUPPLEMENTED the internet. Among the news rather than all the other WITH THE plethora of output from options available to them the BBC today, the single become longer still. ABILITY TO greatest audience reach BREAK NEWS is for the 08.00 news For this reason, it’s as summary on Radio 2, a music necessary for radio as it is for RAPIDLY ON station which, in its present television and newspapers A VARIETY OF incarnation and its previous to develop a multi-platform one as The Light Programme, presence. The core will be PLATFORMS. has been around since 1945. audio content but each

42 strand of programming has there is a dilution of the BBC Members of the EBU with to build audience loyalty by brand.” Munro feels that, both TV and radio output will adding value on a website as long as the BBC name be able to add video from the and social media platforms. is still featured within the Eurovision News Exchange to sub-brand, that’s fine. “The their radio-oriented websites Notwithstanding its social media attached to and social media apps, and commitment to having its programmes need to reflect members who are radio only name attached to all news the mood and the tone of the can apply to sub-licence output, the BBC produces programme, and that means News Exchange video for distinct social media content they can be a bit different the same purpose. Most and even individually in a good way from the core news agency agreements for tailored apps for its key BBC brand.” broadcasters should cover radio websites which come One thing is evident for under the overall company radio as much as for other brand. To provide a measure traditional media: no-one of original content, traditional is going to wait for the radio correspondents need to news any more. Therefore be trained and encouraged to the old model of bulletins shoot snippets of video, even on the hour and half-hour, on a mobile phone, which while it will continue to will enrich the placement exist as a staple, needs to of their reporting on digital be supplemented with the platforms. ability to break news rapidly on a variety of platforms. BUILDING RADIO’S REACH “You have to redevelop your formats both when it comes Just as with television, to linear radio and when it 24-hour radio news channels comes to the digital and sprung up in many countries social environment,” says in the 1990s and most Cilla Benkö, Director General continue to this day. However of Swedish Radio. “And you whether launching such have to customise the news. a channel is the best use Who do you want to reach at of resources in the cash- what time on which platform strapped multi-platform era with what?” is open to question.

For Swedish Radio, Certainly 24-hour channels sharpening up its news can extend reach into those content during peaktime sectors of the audience hours comes in the form which it’s feared are of dispensing with any increasingly turning away radio segments, designed to “sidekick” presenters in from traditional media: VRT appeal to the target audience the morning programme with MNM, the German of each strand of output. studio and keeping the news networks with Funk and Newsbeat is one example, presenter there throughout Swedish Radio with its brand and there are many others. the broadcast so that he P3 News have all developed or she can step in at any distinct youth-oriented “We’ve spoken a lot at the moment with a breaking platforms. The BBC, in adding BBC about how much of story and run with it. That Radio Five Live to its line-up our social media profile is is supplemented with the alongside the more sober BBC News and how much is creation in the newsroom of Radio 4, brought an informal associated with a programme a digital desk which has a tone to its speech output and brand, particularly a radio target of getting coverage attracted a younger, more programme brand,” says of a breaking story on air sports-oriented audience Jonathan Munro. “So The within three minutes. The first to the crucial breakfast and Today Programme on priority is to get together early evening slots. Radio 4 has a social media as much radio output as identity: its own streams, its possible, but soon the desk However maintaining own Twitter feed, its own will turn to feeding the 24-hour channels is a huge Facebook page, etc. That’s network’s website and pages financial commitment, and increasing our reach and our on Facebook, Instagram and the relatively low audiences range but at the same time so on. outside of peak times makes

43 the equation difficult for years to become a major English speaking countries, less well-resourced public global host of podcasts. For where in-depth discussion of broadcasters. One possibility commercially-minded news current affairs in the country’s opened up by digital audio providers, Acast offers the own language is widely broadcasting is to create possibility of inserting highly appreciated. “pop up” channels, which targeted advertisements might occupy an available around their content. MAKING YOUR CONTENT slot on a terrestrial multiplex Podcasts on platforms such FREELY AVAILABLE for a few days or weeks as Spotify and Acast have the around a major event such additional benefit of bringing From there, the next question as an election, or a breaking down the age profile for is, just how widely do you news event such as a terrorist radio content compared to a want to make your content attack. The same content can traditional off-air broadcast. available? be streamed on the web and social media platforms for as Content for podcasts can When dealing with long as it is relevant, then the simply be a radio bulletin video, there will almost channel simply closed down or programme segment certainly be conditions until the next big event. which has been “topped and attached specifying what tailed” with station branding. a broadcaster can do with PODCASTS However the next logical step it. This might take the form is to produce programmes of contractual restrictions Radio broadcasters are also specifically for the digital over which platforms third- able to utilise platforms audience. Extended party video can be used which are less easily adapted discussions on sport and on, which countries it can to television. Podcasts are politics are obvious choices: be broadcast into, and so an essential part of any Swedish Radio established on. If a news provider is the comprehensive radio strategy; a US election campaign originator of the video, it while video podcasts are podcast in 2016 which may want to monetise it by not uncommon, the format proved so popular that it has striking supply agreements remains most suitable for, been extended indefinitely with broadcasters in other and therefore dominated and rebranded simply as territories. All of this adds by, audio. Subscribing to a USA podcast. Extended up to tight controls on video podcasts has been around for explainers giving a historical distribution which are likely almost as long as iTunes itself, perspective on global issues to be less stringent for and more recently the music such as the Syrian crisis, audio; and certainly for audio streaming service Spotify has would be another ideal role originated by the broadcaster added podcasts to its library for a podcast. The market itself. and the start-up website for material like this is Acast has grown in just three particularly strong in non- With this in mind, and given

The three main protagonists in the “smart speaker” war: Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple Homepod.

44 the desire to broaden the audience as much as possible, the Swedes took the radical decision to make the entire content of their public radio network available to whoever wanted to use it. That is the [SMART SPEAKERS] ARE GOING reason why it appears freely on Spotify and Acast, but it TO CHANGE THE WORLD. THEY can also be embedded by ARE EXTREMELY GOOD FOR newspapers on their websites, by third-party owned apps, AUDIO AND IF YOU ARE A RADIO and even by other radio BROADCASTER YOU HAVE TO networks. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE What makes this possible is Swedish Radio’s adoption of GOING TO BE THE NUMBER ONE a technology known as “open CHOICE THERE. API”, short for “application programming interface”. Cilla Benkö, Essentially, this allows any Swedish Radio organization to access the network’s content freely on an HTML5 player and embed and the reach of the audience it within their own web pages are the most important For now it’s not clear and apps. The users are not factors, a generous approach how that will happen. allowed to change or edit to use of content can help Whereas European TV the content, so SR preserves cement the broadcaster’s and radio networks are its editorial integrity and can position in society and heavily regulated with get credit for producing the strengthen support for its requirements to be fair content by including station continued public funding. and balanced, output from branding within the audio smart speakers carries no segment. But the network THE THREAT – AND such stipulations. Even if a plays that aspect down. OPPORTUNITY - FROM country’s government were to “It’s not so much about ALEXA discuss somehow regulating promoting the Swedish the output of these boxes, Radio brand, it’s because As if transforming into the idea would be highly the audience are asking for multimedia news providers controversial and impossible it,” says Chief Innovation wasn’t enough of a challenge to enforce without getting Officer Simon Gooch. “We for radio broadcasters, there’s into the area of blocking see an opportunity to fulfil an a new threat - from a little internet content, which is audience need as part of our box in the corner. unthinkable in most European remit and our reason to exist.” countries. Therefore when They know that the best way The growth in use of “smart consumers ask Alexa what’s to maintain their relevance is speakers” – principally in the news, there is no to be universally present and Amazon Echo, Google Home guarantee that what Alexa recognised as the foremost and Apple Homepod - will play is a bulletin of provider of high quality provide a particular problem public service radio news, speech radio in Sweden. for audio news providers. as opposed to news from If you want to read or view either a randomly chosen It should be said that in something, the current provider, or worse, whichever countries with more globally- generation of these devices is organization has paid the used languages and larger irrelevant; but if you want to platform most money to populations, where there is listen to something, it looks be head of the queue. The intense competition between very much like they’re the listener may not know the radio networks as well as future. “They are going to source of the news at all: between broadcasters and change the world,” says Cilla Alexa could be playing out newspapers, there may Benkö. “They are extremely fake news from a source be a less magnanimous good for audio and if you are which has worked out how to attitude towards rival outlets a radio broadcaster you have exploit the operating system embedding a broadcaster’s to make sure that you are and get to the head of the content. However in most going to be the number one queue when someone asks countries, if public service choice there.” for a news bulletin.

45 Radio networks used to dealing with audio now have to think visually to build a strong online presence.

MAXIMISING YOUR That gives public This combination of CHANCES ON SMART broadcasters an advantage; broadcaster preparation and SPEAKER SYSTEMS but there are also important consumer awareness really practical steps which they can comes to the fore with the An important part of the take to increase their chances Echo’s Flash Briefing feature. answer lies in consumer of being played out by the Any user can log in to the education. When promoting box in the corner. Alexa website and set up their content available via Alexa, own personal Flash Briefing. broadcasters have to Both Amazon Echo and They will be presented with encourage listeners to ask Google Home are based a long list of news sources, specifically for “BBC News”, on open platforms, which from global brands such as “France Info” or news from means anyone who obtains Deutsche Welle and CNN RAI, Czech Radio, RNE or a developer kit and has a to local stations which have any other public broadcaster. modest understanding of how written the necessary skills It could be that consumers the systems work, can write to ensure that they appear will learn to be more specific what Amazon calls a “skill”, here. The listener can select themselves once they have the smart speaker equivalent as many or as few sources as been subjected to a few of an app. There are already they want, and place them bulletins from less reputable more than 15,000 skills active in the order they want to sources. on Amazon Echo and they hear them. Once that’s set help to transport consumers up, the consumer only has At the BBC, Jonathan Munro directly to particular streams to say, “Alexa, play my Flash believes that the quality of of content based on the Briefing,” and the latest news broadcasters’ output will voice commands that Alexa summary uploaded by each help them prevail. “We need receives. Having a series of the selected sources will to be acutely aware that of skills linking to a public be streamed in the specified there’s a lot of so-called broadcaster’s strands order. Crucially, if the same “news” out there, and the of output, coupled with consumer calls out the more brand power that many educating listeners to be general command, “Alexa, members of the EBU have specific in what they request, what’s in the news?” the Echo to associate themselves with are the single most important will play out that person’s properly, rigorously checked ways to ensure that public Flash Briefing; which means authoritative news is a really service content is found and that the worry over whose important tool which we need played out. news is streamed in response to play very carefully,” he says. to that command goes away.

46 If a radio broadcaster hasn’t household and a higher level comes to languages. It is based yet done any development for of automation, together with around the latest version of Amazon, all is not lost. When the Google brand’s superior Siri, which understands more no specific skill is detected, the recognition around the globe. than twenty different tongues. Echo will turn by default to the Google Home will have eight TuneIn radio app, which carries Following its December 2017 languages active at the end live streams from 100,000 radio release in the US, UK and of 2017, but Amazon has been networks around the world. Australia, Apple HomePod criticised for its slowness to Provided that a public service will be made available in move beyond English and broadcaster is present there, additional countries during German. Of course, it is still and again that the consumer 2018. It is controlled by the possible to get the device has been specific in requesting iOS operating system and to play radio stations in any a particular network, the therefore does not have the language, but the instruction chances are that the Echo will same open architecture as the will have to be in one of find it on TuneIn. Amazon also other two devices. Just as for the very few languages the has partnerships with Google the iPhone and Mac computers, Echo understands. Google’s Play Music, Spotify, Pandora it’s expected that the writing commitment to the rapid and iHeartRadio, another of skills by third parties will be addition of new languages is reason why broadcasters permitted, but this will require another reason why it may should consider formatting a higher level of specialised skill ultimately prevail in the smart content for these platforms. and the environment will be speaker war. more tightly controlled. In terms Google Home is far behind of partnerships, the HomePod is So are smart speakers a threat Amazon Echo in terms of programmed to direct listeners or an opportunity? adoption, at least in the English- primarily towards Apple Music, speaking world; but it has the rather than the many other Peter MacAvock, the Head of same open architecture, and sources which are available, so Distribution and Platforms in skills can be written using the only radio networks which are the Technical Department of Google Assistant tool. Some included on Apple Music will be the EBU, notes with optimism analysts think that Google Home easily found by the device. that listening to radio has will eventually overtake Echo already emerged as the primary because of more advanced The HomePod has an activity on these boxes. “The features such as the recognition advantage over its longer- most popular skill on Amazon of multiple voices within a established competitors when it Echo is the radio. So it may be a threat, but for sure it is a significant opportunity,” he says. “The standard battle cry of the broadcaster is that his content must be available on any device that any customer uses at any time. The same holds for these personal assistants. The broadcasters need to be very careful as to how they positions themselves, but they need to be on these different platforms.”

The next stage in this developing technology is likely to be personalised radio. When you combine an individually-controlled delivery platform like Echo with apps such as Pandora and Spotify which built their business around creating personalised music selections, it cannot be long before listeners start to create their own ideal radio station. Whether this is a good thing is open to question: the dreaded “filter bubble”, A typical running order for an Amazon Echo Flash Briefing. Consumers choose from a range of news sources and place them in the order they want to hear them. in which people only listen

47 to output which is in line with their own views rather than being exposed to a broad range of opinions, comes into play. The creation of personal filter bubbles flies in the face of the mission of public service news to provide a broad range I THINK THE THING THAT PUBLIC of views; but they are a reality SERVICE MEDIA SHOULD BE which has to be faced. DOING IS SURPRISING PEOPLE; “The industry has a window SURPRISING THE AUDIENCE WITH of opportunity but we should beware that the audience’s NEW IDEAS, WITH NEW CONTENT. perception of radio might get SO A SMART ALGORITHM FOR A changed into something that radio itself no longer serves, PERSONALISED SERVICE WOULD that would then provide a STILL SURPRISE LISTENERS. disconnect with our audiences,” says Benjamin Poor, the EBU’s Benjamin Poor, Project Manager for Digital EBU Project Manager, Digital Radio Radio. “I think the thing that public service media should be doing is surprising people; surprising the audience with with a dose of imagination CONNECTING EVERYTHING new ideas, with new content. and originality, backed by TOGETHER So a smart algorithm for a encouragement to listeners to personalised service would still be specific about the source of So in the multi-platform surprise listeners.” content which they want, will world, radio has to be be of paramount importance everywhere: part of the great Once again, the broadening of in keeping public service news media convergence in which content to appeal to different to the fore as personalization TV stations write text stories groups of consumers, together of radio content takes hold. for websites, newspapers embed live video, and radio studios include, well, television cameras.

The gradual adoption of digital audio broadcasting across Europe has opened up the possibility of enriching the radio experience with metadata, including details of the programme that’s being listened to plus graphic and video illustrations. The EBU is working to ensure that a common standard is adopted by device manufacturers so that a single feed of supplementary material can be received without problems on whatever platform is being listened to, be it a digital radio on a kitchen table, a phone with cellular data, or a car radio with a video screen.

The next development will be to grow audience engagement by introducing a button which a listener The radio studio used by RTBF’s “La Première” network is now fitted with a set and multiple TV cameras.

48 THE MOST POPULAR SKILL ON AMAZON ECHO IS THE RADIO. SO IT MAY BE A THREAT, BUT FOR SURE IT IS A SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY

Peter MacAvock, EBU Technology & Innovation

The smart speaker gains a screen: Amazon Echo Show. can press to obtain more been discussed as an audio- information about what only device whose threats they’re listening to. Perhaps and opportunities are unique that will bring a broadcaster’s to the radio world. However web page to the screen, or in May 2017, Amazon revealed perhaps it will interrupt the its latest device: the Echo broadcast with additional Show, a smart speaker audio content such as a with a screen. With it, the podcast before returning convergence of media, and to the original stream. And the intense competition for ultimately, why should this consumers, moves to the involve pressing a button? next level. In a car in particular, drivers will be able to speak the As the kids might say: OMG. command, “Tell me more” to call up the additional content; or even “Tell me more later,” in which case the content they cannot safely look at while driving will be waiting on the broadcaster’s mobile phone app or website the next time they go there.

The distribution of universally-compatible metadata is an essential element to ensuring that radio does not appear basic and old-fashioned compared to other sources in the digital age. If there’s any doubt about its importance, consider this: throughout this chapter the “box in the corner” smart speaker has

49 7. CHANGING NEWSROOM CULTURE

VRT has overturned decades of newsroom culture by focusing desks on subject areas rather than individual strands of output.

”The unions at our network a step-by-step approach IT’S REALLY are very analogue.” to serving new platforms, IMPORTANT and a willingness of both So said the executive charged management and workforce TO EXPLAIN with pulling that network into to compromise. WHY IT’S the digital age. At RAI, for example, during NECESSARY. She was not disheartened, a Facebook Live it is a THEN YOU FEEL nor even dismissive; it was a technician who holds the fact of life which had to be phone and presses the ”play” A LOT OF FEAR. dealt with in developing her button; but no matter how ‘WILL I BE ABLE company’s multi-platform willing he is, he is not allowed strategy. to select the questions from TO DO THAT?’ the viewers’ comments; that The extent of union resistance is a journalist’s job. At France THAT’S THE to change varies from Télévisions, the new rolling REAL FEAR. country to country, with news channel Franceinfo was Italy and France historically almost pulled off the air after Inge Vrancken, most protective of existing just two weeks in a dispute VRT practices. This necessitates over journalists doing edits

50 and editors writing words. that a lot of older people are Channel 4 News has put in Eventually management and scared of younger people place a training programme unions agreed to a series coming in and taking over with which means that at any of experiments in multi- their enthusiasm and their time two legacy newsroom skilling without committing knowledge of all these new producers will be attached to permanently adopting the digital forms.” to the digital team learning practice. how to make successful Vrancken spends a lot of social media output. Crucially, One day such restrictions time seeking to reassure however, the training also goes might be past history; but experienced employees the other way: two members there are stages to be gone that they remain a valuable of the 18-strong digital team through to get there. resource: their many years will at any time be attached of knowledge of the Middle to the main evening news East, or Russia, or China are programme to train as TV essential assets for a serious producers. Channel 4 News public broadcaster whose is about half-way through rôle is to provide depth and creating a production team context. She also flatters which is truly multi-skilled in all her on-screen talent to coax areas of its output. them on to new platforms: ”Sometimes I try to make it At YLE, this cross-fertilisation personal; to say, ‘You know, old of staff is taken to a whole people know you from being new level. The youth channel on television, but I want young Kioski is not just a means of people to know you as well.’” broadening YLE’s appeal to a young audience; it is also Having a hands-on an internal training platform management which displays for the channel’s journalists. empathy and communicates a The Kioski production team clear vision is common among is intentionally housed in a broadcasters who have made different building from the the greatest success of their main YLE newsroom. Staff online output. from the legacy team together with all new employees are Before joining ITN’s Channel sent to Kioski to work for a 4 News, Digital Editor Jon period of three years, after Laurence spent three years which they are redeployed as a TV output editor at to the main newsroom. The Sky News. He then cut his idea is that they will bring a digital teeth at the Daily completely fresh approach Telegraph newspaper. This to producing content for the hybrid background of more mainstream evening GETTING STAFF ON BOARD experience at the sharp end news and the online output WITH CHANGE of traditional TV journalism of YLE. combined with work on a Wariness about the new era quality newspaper’s online Whether such a radical is by no means confined to platform put him in a unique approach brings lasting results union activists. For many position to develop Channel has yet to be proven. YLE committed employees who 4 News’ digital offering while management says that the have been in TV all their lives, garnering the respect of its number of hits on its mobile it is a worrying time. For this long-standing correspondents platforms is up across the reason, constant dialogue and producers. ”The transition age spectrum, not just among between management and we’ve had has been very younger people, suggesting workforce about change is harmonious in relative terms,” that the lively style developed essential. says Laurence. ”I think that at Kioski is being noticed and having someone who can appreciated. However, given ”First of all, it’s really important keep the rest of the newsroom the relative newness of the to explain why it’s necessary,” on side and understand their project, they admit it will take says Inge Vrancken, Editor-in- values and what drives them, 2-3 years to determine if the Chief at VRT. ”Then you feel then adapt that for another strategy has resulted in a long- a lot of fear. ‘Will I be able to medium, is important.” term upward trend in users do that?’, that’s the real fear. and length of engagement. Of course it’s very human

51 REGROUPING THE For some, this might not seem NEWSROOM TO SERVE particularly revolutionary; MULTIPLE OUTLETS specialist units with correspondents and producers Just as staff have to get used are nothing new. However, to the reality of working for their work historically has been HAVING multiple outlets, managers directed at the peaktime TV have to create the conditions bulletins, which were regarded SOMEONE WHO that allow them to share as the most prestigious outlet. CAN KEEP THE journalism across numerous ”We were used to having platforms in an efficient way. all the scoops,” says Naja REST OF THE Nielsen, who used to run DR’s NEWSROOM The most common newsroom evening news programme. reform that is taking ”We thought we were the ON SIDE AND place across Europe is the best, we thought we were the restructuring of journalist most important. Now we’ve UNDERSTAND teams away from being had to move power, people THEIR VALUES dedicated to a particular and resources away from that outlet, to being dedicated to and concentrate them on AND WHAT a particular specialist subject. journalism, then learn to work DRIVES THEM, That means creating units together as one big group.” for different topics such as THEN ADAPT legal affairs, the arts, business, VRT is another channel THAT FOR science, the environment which has just implemented and so on. Sometimes a reshuffle of their newsroom ANOTHER these specialist groups are into topic-based desks. They MEDIUM, IS empowered to choose the see the approach as not just IMPORTANT. stories they feel are worthy essential from an editorial point of coverage and sometimes a of view, but also as a means of subject is assigned to them; using technical resources in the Jon Laurence, but the crucial thing is that most efficient way. Avoiding Channel 4 News whatever they’re researching duplication of effort, whether or investigating, from the start among journalists or camera they think about how it will crews, is essential when a work on all platforms: the web, public service broadcaster is social media, television and being constantly asked to do radio. more with less.

Channel 4 News aims to have all journalistic staff trained in both traditional and online production.

52 The DR newsroom is staffed to have breaking news on the air within a minute of hearing about it.

That’s echoed by TV2 BUILDING A NEWSROOM FOR The BBC and DR are among the Denmark, where Editor Mikkel THE MULTI-PLATFORM ERA lucky European broadcasters Hertz talks of journalists whose newsrooms were tearing down the silos and Reshaping teams into designed and built in recent working together efficiently: different groupings is one years, with the multi-platform ”Not calling the same sources, thing, but what about era in mind. not requesting the same reshaping the physical space pictures from the archives, in which they work? On this At New Broadcasting House not bothering the people question there is a cardinal in London, the newsroom is in graphics more than rule: a big open space is the centrepiece of the entire necessary.” your friend, and a pretty construction; a vast open-plan courtyard or atrium in the hive of activity on the lower At ARD, they have found middle of the building, is ground floor, visible to everyone that journalists are actually your enemy. who enters the building. happier with the topic-based approach. The company carried out experiments to determine how many subjects a person could reasonably handle in a day. They found that journalists disliked having to work on different topics at the same time, but were perfectly happy to take one WE PUT MOBILE IN THE MIDDLE subject and develop it for OF THE NEWSROOM. WE BUILD different platforms. ARD regards this as a sign that ON A CULTURE OF 70 YEARS OF newsroom staff are gradually RADIO AND TV SO IT’S IMPORTANT building an understanding of the work of what once FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND would have been regarded THAT DIGITAL IS EXTREMELY as a different department. As with most broadcasters, it is IMPORTANT FOR EVERYBODY IN a continuing process but one DR NEWS. in which more employees, both on camera and behind Christian Lindhardt, the scenes, are becoming DR comfortable every day.

53 The newsroom produces the many strands of BBC strands of output grew. Right fresh content day and output. One of these is for at its heart is the digital desk. night for domestic and BBC1 bulletins; on another international television, radio, journalists are working for ”We put mobile in the middle online and social media. online; there is a row for of the newsroom. It was a the BBC News Channel and strong signal to the rest of In the middle of the floor is a another for World News, the house,” says Christian large, diamond shaped multi- radio bulletins, and so on. Lindhardt, Head of Digital. platform intake desk. When Every team, no matter the ”We build on a culture of a story breaks, journalists platform, is within easy 70 years of radio and TV so sitting here will consider walking and talking distance it’s important for everyone from the start how to deploy of the central intake desk, to understand that digital teams and resource it for all and of each other. is extremely important for platforms. How many camera everybody in DR News.” crews and correspondents Completing the picture around will be needed to provide the sides of the newsroom are Just how important is constant coverage the control rooms and edit shown by the creation of without anyone becoming suites as well as the main TV a fast reaction desk in the overloaded? How can the news studio, whose glass wall newsroom, which was set news channels have live behind the presenters features up using the money saved reports and correspondents views back into the production from closing the DR breakfast still have time to edit for the area. The entire process of programme. The desk was evening news? What about covering a story, from initial created in the summer of 2016 rolling radio coverage and intake to final output on after two major stories broke their evening news bulletins? multiple platforms, takes place in quick succession – the Will the website want a in single, integrated location. truck attack in Nice, followed live stream? Will there be by the attempted coup in Facebook Lives? DR’s newsroom in Turkey. In the middle of the Copenhagen is on a smaller Danish holiday period, DR Radiating outwards from scale and was completed threw all the resources it had this central area like the a few years earlier than the into covering the deaths in spokes of a giant wheel BBC’s; but it had the requisite Nice, then found it had almost are rows of desks housing open plan shape which made nothing left when the Turkish the production teams of it adaptable as the number of coup happened the next day.

The BBC’s open plan newsroom in London is a model of how to integrate teams serving TV, radio, website and social media.

54 The post mortems resolved that such a situation could never happen again. It was decided that the network should be able to go live on multiple platforms within a minute of any major OUTPUT DESKS NEED TO TREAT story breaking. To do that, a minimum of five people EACH OTHER WITH MUTUAL needed to be on duty at all RESPECT, NOT BELIEVE THAT times: a director, an editor, a presenter and two reporters. ONE PIECE OF OUTPUT IS MORE Understanding that it would IMPORTANT THAN ANOTHER. EVEN be incredibly expensive to maintain a team like this IF IT IS TODAY, THERE IS EVERY only for occasional breaking stories, their central position CHANCE THAT IT WILL NOT BE in the newsroom also allows TOMORROW. them to produce day-to- day output for TV, radio and online; but the rule is that they must never be assigned the newsroom, ARD is anything which they cannot now taking over a car park drop at a moment’s notice to next to the online area and deal with breaking news. starting again with brand new construction. It will not In stark contrast to be ready for two years. DR, across the water in Hamburg, ARD’s attempt ARD are by no means the to bring its teams together only broadcaster stuck with has been hindered by a this situation. Even in VRT’s building design which has reshuffle, there is a lot of quickly become outdated. To walking round corners to demonstrate the problem, find people you need, when Michael Wegener stands in line of sight would be better. an open air courtyard among However not everyone has semi-mature trees, locked in the luxury of a custom-built on all sides by glass-walled newsroom, nor the budget offices. ”Isn’t it beautiful, our to create one. The essential park?” he asks. ”This is in the thing is that collaboration middle of our operation! And among teams is encouraged, actually this was built just 20 whether they are sitting next years ago when we thought to each other or not. Intake this was the way to organise must be done in the most a newsroom.” efficient way possible, and shared. Output desks need The intake area is in a to treat each other with building off to his right. mutual respect, not believe The production area for that one piece of output traditional TV is across is more important than the courtyard from that, another. Even if it is today, behind him. And the website there is every chance that it and social media area – will not be tomorrow. that’s in the part of the building to his left. To get from one enclosed area to another does wonders for a journalist’s step count, but little for his ability to collaborate. Having failed to get the architect’s permission to enclose the courtyard and integrate

55 8. RETHINK EVERYTHING - EXCEPT YOUR VALUES

Whether it’s for TV, the web or social media, content must always maintain the standards expected of a public WE’VE SEEN broadcaster. VERY LITTLE A century ago, movies were Who would have imagined PRODUCT short and their aspect ratio the radical change which has was narrow. They had no descended on our industry so DEVELOPMENT sound: to follow the story, rapidly? IN THE NEWS there were captions on the screen. All the viewer was ”In every single business BUSINESS IN listening to was music. there’s an understanding DECADES, SO that products tend to evolve, Judging by the way things there’s product development,” IT WAS BOUND are in 2017, we obviously says Mika Rahkonen Head TO HAPPEN. liked it that way. Today we’re of YLE’s media lab. ”We’ve watching things on a device seen very little product Mika Rahkonen, in our hands rather than in development in the news YLE a cinema; and the music is business in decades, so it was coming from our iTunes library bound to happen.” rather than a piano on a stage. But that transient period when Over the years there has pictures were wide and words certainly been a need for Is rolling news something we came out of people’s mouths reflection. Should the evening want to get into? Is this story as sound, is just so passé. news be at 8pm, 9pm or 10pm? worthy of our running order or does it amount to dumbing

56 down? Did we miss that story, every viewer individually with stories that other people or under-resource it? their content. Not only that, weren’t reporting. The thing dialogue is a two-way process, that we changed was our If only these were the only and listening and responding production and our workflow, things we had to worry about to the audience is essential. ”If essentially with the viewer on today. you decide to live stream an the mobile phone in mind.” event on Facebook you could Public service news providers generate hundreds, thousands, At VRT, the size of the in the modern era have to pay of comments,” says Mark audience is important, but it’s attention to their audience to Frankel, Head of Social Media not everything. ”In my eyes, a degree that they’ve never at the BBC. ”If you decide to digital editing is a constant experienced before. ignore those comments, you combination of metrics and can very quickly start to look gut feeling,” says Brecht at Facebook as just another Decaestecker. ”And by gut arm of broadcasting and start feeling I mean, know what you to disengage your audience stand for and what you have quite effectively.” to do because of that.”

But what does this mean He cites the example of VRT’s for public service news? If website giving top billing to everything is about audience the signing of Article 50 by metrics and keeping the British government on consumers happy, how are the same day that Belgians public broadcasters to remain were lapping up news about distinctive from commercial a murder case on the coast. channels? ”A lot of times your most read story shouldn’t be your number The secret lies in adapting to one article,” says Decaestecker. a changing environment while ”The big article at the top of resolutely keeping some key your home page is the one principles intact. where we say, ‘As a newsroom we find this important’.” PRODUCE CONTENT YOU CAN BE PROUD OF Even those broadcasters who have launched brands for First and foremost, digital young people specify that content must be worthy of the they should not be dominated broadcaster. In the words of by celebrity and trivia. Kioski ARD’s Patrick Weinhold, ”We in Finland may be targeted want to transform the idea of at millennials, but it retains its what Tagesschau is to online public service remit to cover and social media without serious topics. An example ”There is a demand for giving up what we are.” The they cite comes from the dialogue with the audience, team has found it tough to time when Syrian immigration and we are not very good at implement that: their content was dominating the news. that,” says YLE’s World News was competing with holiday The team stood a young man head Elina Ravantti. ”Because photos, sports clips and cute with a beard, who looked as public service broadcasters animals; but they maintained stereotypically Muslim, in we have gained our audience, faith that an agenda of serious central Helsinki. He was holding so to say, without doing news and politics would a sign which said, ”Please hug anything really special. If a gradually build up a thinking me”. Then Kioski filmed the journalist did a story for our audience. reaction. ”With the help of that 8.30pm news bulletin, he or video, when people came and she could be pretty sure there That is echoed at ITN’s hugged him, or ran away, or would be 800,000 or a million Channel 4 News. ”We focused whatever they did, we told a people watching it, no matter on keeping one thing the story about the immigration what he or she did.” same and making one thing crisis,” says YLE Editor Jukka different,” says Digital Editor Niva. ”So you have a hard topic No longer. The next generation Jon Laurence. ”The thing but you find an angle that of news consumers will not we kept the same were our is as sexy to young people automatically come: people traditional values: really as something about the expect news providers to serious journalism, emotionally Kardashians.” go to them, and to win over intelligent storytelling, original

57 we thought.” The repeat showing of the programme scheduled an hour later on the Channel 4+1 network had to be pulled. Channel 4 put out a statement of A LOT OF TIMES YOUR MOST correction the same evening and the Editor followed up READ STORY SHOULDN’T BE YOUR with a public apology to the NUMBER ONE ARTICLE. THE BIG programme’s viewers. None of it was enough to stem the ARTICLE AT THE TOP OF YOUR reaction: tweets and retweets, HOME PAGE IS THE ONE WHERE WE newspaper headlines naming Channel 4, global coverage on SAY, ‘AS A NEWSROOM WE FIND dozens of websites and social THIS IMPORTANT’. media feeds, and ultimately, a damning verdict against the Brecht Decaestecker, channel by the UK broadcast VRT regulator, Ofcom. For Channel 4 News, a programme more used to collecting Royal Television Society, BAFTA and Emmy awards, and which had across the internet, with the ACCURACY IS MORE just been universally praised handle of the originating IMPORTANT THAN SPEED for exposing a major election broadcaster firmly attached expenses scandal, the effect The second principle is that to it. This might be because of the mistake was chilling. being first with a story is no people believe the story to be longer the priority it used to true and want to share it, or it No broadcaster ever wants to be: it is much more important might be because it’s known go there. In the multi-platform to be accurate. to be a mistake and people age, accuracy before speed want to have a laugh at the matters like never before. It is very much a journalistic source. Neither of these is a instinct to be a few minutes good scenario. KEEP MOVING FORWARD, ahead of the opposition in EVEN THROUGH THE breaking a story, but in an Britain’s Channel 4 News SETBACKS era of consumption on social found this out the hard way media, it is less of a measure on March 22nd, 2017, when The final principle for of success than before. Only they went to air with what achieving success in the on Twitter, with its following they believed was a scoop: digital era is that a public of politicians, news junkies the name of the man who service news provider must and other journalists, will it had carried out the attack constantly innovate. Along even be noticed who was first on Westminster Bridge in with that comes something to break a story. Consumers London earlier that day. The which can be hard to accept: on Facebook, other social programme had obtained sometimes innovation leads media platforms and websites the name from what it to failure. will digest the story when thought was a solid source, they see it and will not be and it wasn’t alone: several The phrase ”try and fail” aware of whether another other outlets had named was used by several senior outlet was a few minutes the same person on Twitter. newsroom managers during ahead of, or behind, the site Unfortunately it transpired research for this report. The they’re currently reading. within minutes of Channel need to move quickly into 4’s item going on air that the new areas has never been But the real reason that it’s person in question was in more pressing, but the need essential to give precedence prison and could not possibly to rethink and move on if to accuracy is that in the have been the attacker. something is not working, is social media age, the just as urgent. consequences of publishing The same correspondent a story which turns out to be who had broken the story ”People’s media habits are not wrong, are devastating. had to go back to the studio as predictable as they used a few minutes later and to be,” says Elina Ravantti at Before you know it, the say, ”It may be that we are YLE. ”We have to be able to inaccurate story will be not as certain about the change quickly, we have to be spreading uncontrollably identity of the attacker as

58 ARD’s development lab in Hamburg is constantly experimenting with new designs and formats for its digital output. agile and we have to be alert. ”There are no doubt plenty of And we have to fail a lot: start social media platforms, some a lot of new projects, fail a of which I’ve never heard of, lot in order to learn. And this which the BBC hasn’t properly is something that is difficult penetrated yet,” says Jonathan for our journalists because Munro. ”I don’t think we can they like to plan very carefully, WE HAVE draw a line and say, ‘This execute the plan and see the clutch of brands are definitely fruit of it.” TO BE ABLE within the BBC envelope TO CHANGE and this clutch of brands are AT VRT, Inge Vrancken definitely outside of the BBC agrees. ”I think we as the QUICKLY, WE envelope.’ I think it is a moving management have to have HAVE TO BE target.” the flexibility to say to everyone, ‘We’re going to AGILE AND WE As broadcasters try to hit keep on changing, let’s see HAVE TO BE that moving target they what’s coming towards us. It’s are not entirely without all new to all of us. But we’re ALERT. AND WE guidance. There is no going to keep on moving HAVE TO FAIL shortage of metrics showing forwards until it works and the popularity of different there are results.’” A LOT: START platforms in different A LOT OF NEW countries, together with ”That’s the most beautiful the age profile and habits thing about the digital age,” PROJECTS; of users. In each country says her colleague Brecht FAIL A LOT public broadcasters must Decaestecker. ”There are no examine the research and answers. Everyone is operating IN ORDER TO decide which are likely to be by trial and error. Can we try LEARN. the most appropriate and this? Does it work? That’s not useful platforms for them. right, maybe we can go this Elina Ravantti, The problem is that, whatever way. And we can look around: YLE the statistics say, the result is what are they doing in France? unpredictable: and that is why, What is the BBC doing? ” from the biggest networks in Europe to the smallest, there The British approach is not is no substitute for giving quite as exuberant, but the something a go and seeing general principle is the same. what happens.

59 WHAT MAKES IT ALL More than anything, though, there are undoubtedly many WORTHWHILE public service news is under good ideas out there which threat from competition. have not been included As public broadcasters take People who once could have and in a constantly shifting these risks - as staff are been relied upon to tune into environment there will be obliged to learn new skills, as their public broadcaster now many new challenges ahead. managers ward off pressure have thousands of sources of from politicians, as finance news from hundreds of sites When it comes to sharing directors squeeze budgets, on dozens of platforms, right knowledge to face up to and as everyone learns to there on handheld devices these challenges which adapt to a world of constant that are with them every threaten our very existence, change - it is worth recapping minute of the day. we are not at the end of the why all of this is worth the process, we are only at the effort. Public service media can still beginning. May the dialogue be their most valued source continue from here. Public service news is a of news, but now we have precious resource. It is central to go and find them, and to intelligent discussion in a present them with content in peaceful democracy. It opens a form that appeals to them. people’s eyes to different The distinguishing features perspectives. It gives people of the output must be that a world view. In other words, it is reliable, of high quality, it is something well worth and reflective of multiple preserving and nurturing. points of view. That way it will stand out over time However, public service news from outlets which come is under threat like never from a particular political before. To some extent it is standpoint, or deal in trivia being attacked intentionally and gossip, or are just plain for its values or its malicious. perspectives. To some extent it has lost the confidence of This report has sought to people who believe it does lay out the challenges facing not address their problems public service news in the and concerns. To those modern era, and to share issues broadcasters must some of the innovative pay due attention, broaden approaches which are being their outlook and implement taken to tackle them. The change where necessary. report is not exhaustive:

PUBLIC SERVICE NEWS IS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE. IT IS CENTRAL TO INTELLIGENT DISCUSSION IN A PEACEFUL DEMOCRACY. IT OPENS PEOPLE’S EYES TO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. IT GIVES PEOPLE A WORLD VIEW. IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS SOMETHING WELL WORTH PRESERVING AND NURTURING.

60 Eurovision Newsroom © Toni Cenko

61 EBU CONTRIBUTING TO QUALITY JOURNALISM

Supporting Members in delivering quality This report, issued at the start of the initiative, journalism and remaining relevant to all gives an overview of where PSM journalism audiences is one of the key priorities for stands today. We are now working within the EBU. The importance of this topic was the EBU and with Members to identify likely highlighted by our Executive Board and resulted scenarios for the future of PSM journalism and in a new Quality Journalism Initiative, led by the asses how we, as an organization, can best Media Department with support from across the help Members get there. Here are some of the organization. It is also endorsed and supported avenues currently being explored and assessed by the EBU Network of Editors-in-Chief. for feasibility and relevance:

The initiative’s aim is two-fold: on the one hand, to support EBU Members in repositioning PSM news as the most trusted source of information available and, on the other, to help Members disseminate news in different formats to all types of audiences – with a special focus on the younger generation.

Strategy

Campaigning Contributing to & Advocacy great content

CONTENT

Training & Networking & Consultancy best practices

62 STRATEGY REFLECT ON CHANGES OCCURRING IN THE FIELD OF JOURNALISM

- Explore the idea of forming an EBU Institute of Quality Journalism - Deliver at least one strategic news report per year - Map those audiences which have not been traditionally reached by PSM news. Consider different platforms (with a specific focus on young audiences) and design a roadmap to engage with these audiences - Explore topics such as personalized news and discoverability

CONTRIBUTING TO GREAT CONTENT EXPAND NEWS EXCHANGE TO NEW FORMS OF CONTENT

- Investigative journalism pilot project researching and reporting on key issues in society already in progress - Currently exploring Members’ interest in exchanging long-form content - Currently studying how to build on the existing Youth News Exchange to diversify the reach of news and promote media and news literacy - Further develop the Eurovision Social Newswire, a collaborative workspace for EBU Members & News Exchange Sublicense partners to discover, verify, prepare and exchange content from social media - Assess the feasibility of an EBU Quality Journalism showcase: an online platform editorially selected by EBU News Editors and Members to showcase best practices in PSMQuality Journalism

NETWORKING & BEST PRACTICE STRENGTHEN EXISTING NETWORKS AND BUILD NEW ONES

- Tap unexploited Member expertise, e.g. networks of correspondents in Brussels, Rome or Washington or the now informal network of Editors-in-Chief, which we could also use to leverage the power of the group - Build new networks with specific expertise,such as a European network for fact-checking or the recently launched digital news and UGC verification groups - Map and structure all existing and new EBU news-related networks in order to leverage and enhance the power of groups, as well as for exchanging strategies and best practices

TRAINING & CONSULTANCY HELP MEMBERS BECOME THE NEWS PROVIDERS OF THE FUTURE BY GIVING THEM THE RIGHT SKILLSETS AND TOOLS

- Advise and share best practices to implement transformation and open innovation in newsrooms - Explore the design of new master classes and other training formats responding to latest needs

ADVOCACY & PARTNERSHIPS BE THE VOICE OF PSM NEWS SO THAT WE CAN POSITION OURSELVES AS THE MOST TRUSTED NEWS SOURCE AVAILABLE

- Support Members in living up to PSM values and editorial standards by providing them with the tools to evaluate performance - Create a network of Member ambassadors, taken from the EBU as well as from external organizations, to defend and promote the importance of PSM news - Build strong partnerships with institutions advocating the importance of PSM journalism, including even closer ties with the Constructive Institute at Aarhus University, and reposition the News Xchange as an EBU Quality Journalism initiative - Negotiate with third-party platforms on behalf of PSM news & current affairs - Explore the idea of an EBU award for best practice in PSM Quality Journalism 63 AFTERWORD

Much of the research for this report was done during a rapid tour of Europe in the spring of 2017. I could not visit all 70+ active Bill Dunlop is President Members of the EBU, so after consultation with my colleagues, and CEO of Eurovision I chose a small group of broadcasters to represent Europe from Americas, Inc., the north to south, in countries large and small, some funded by US subsidiary of the licence fees and some by advertising. The issues were common European Broadcasting to everyone, but the ways of dealing with them were varied and Union. He is a former always fascinating. Senior Programme Editor of ITN’s Channel While the printed report is a finite document, the online version 4 News and Editorial is not. I would be delighted to hear from Members who were Director of Euronews not mentioned in the report, but who have developed their own in Lyon. He has served original approach to the digital age which they would like to share as a judge at the Royal with the rest of Europe’s public service media. I will make a point Television Society of keeping the web version up to date with fresh ideas and points Journalism Awards of view. in London and on several occasions at Meanwhile, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to everyone up and the International Emmy down Europe who spent so much time with me and spoke frankly Journalism Awards in and in depth about their challenges, successes and failures. New York. He recently A special thank-you goes to Atte Jääskeläinen, the former Editor- authored an essay in-Chief of YLE, whose vision and support of innovation made his for Cardiff University company an inspiration to many other public broadcasters across School of Journalism, Europe. The level of belief in the value of our product at all the “How the Mainstream networks I visited was striking, and the commitment to rethinking Media created President it to keep it relevant for the next generation was extremely Trump - and President heartening. Trump saved the Mainstream Media.” Please accept my sincere thanks, and keep in touch at: [email protected].

Bill Dunlop President and CEO of Eurovision Americas, Inc.

64 The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s foremost alliance of public service media (PSM). Our mission is to make PSM indispensable. We have 73 Members in 56 countries in the European broadcasting area and an additional 33 Associates in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas.

Our Members operate almost 2,000 television and radio channels together with numerous online platforms. Together, they reach audiences of more than one billion people around the world, broadcasting in more than 120 languages. We are one EBU with two distinct fields of activity: member services and business services.

Our member services strive to secure a sustainable future for public service media, provide our Members with a centre for learning, sharing and expertise and build on our founding ethos of solidarity and cooperation to provide world-class content through our exchanges, coproductions and collective rights negotiations.

Our business services, operating under the Eurovision brand, are the media industry’s premier producer and distributor of top-quality live news, sport and entertainment with over 60,000 transmissions and almost 100,000 hours of news and sport every year.

We have offices in Brussels, Rome, Dubai, Moscow, New York, Washington DC, Singapore and Beijing. Our headquarters are in Geneva.

Discover more about the EBU www.ebu.ch

65 :

EUROPEAN BROADCASTING UNION L’Ancienne-Route 17A 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex Geneva, Switzerland T +41 22 717 21 11 [email protected]

Learn more about the EBU at www.ebu.ch

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