Eurovision News Podcast

Forecasting the Future of Media with Laura Ellis

In this episode, Laurent Frat sits down with Laura Ellis, Head of Technology and Forecasting at the BBC. They cover a wide variety of topics including the impact of machine learning on journalism, content recommendations, the ethics involved, and projects like C2PA that aim to verify media provenance. Laura shares insights on how the BBC adapts to changing audience habits, tackles misinformation, and the importance of information literacy. The conversation also touches on the evolving role of AI in content creation and how public service media can navigate the rapidly changing landscape.

A European Perspective: Innovative News Sharing with Klaus Schneider & Alexiane Lerouge

Join host Laurent Frat as he speaks with Klaus Schneider and Alexiane Lerouge about A European Perspective, a collaborative project that uses AI to translate and share news with millions of people across Europe. They discuss the growing demand for local stories that resonate with pan-European audiences and discuss the editorial processes behind the platform. Highlights include surprising stories like Lithuania's new role as a watermelon producer due to climate change, Germany's cash-based culture, and the increase in euthanasia requests in Belgium. The conversation also explores their vision for enhancing cross-cultural news exchange, tackling fake news, and supporting greater community awareness across Europe.

Impression Zombies with Kaori Iida

Kaori Iida and her team at NHK have been at the forefront of tackling the growing spread of digital misinformation in Japan. 

In this episode, Emilio San Pedro speaks with Kaori, about the unique concept of 'Impression Zombies,' a new phenomenon emerging in Japan's media landscape.

Their discussion covers how these zombies amplify disinformation and their wide-ranging impacts which have even included delaying disaster response efforts. 
Emilio and Kaori also discuss NHK's pre-bunking strategies, their social listening team, and the vital role of human oversight in combating digital misinformation.

The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) with Judy Parnall

Join host Laurent Frat as he sits down with Judy Parnall from the BBC to chat C2PA, an open standard designed to verify the origins and history of digital media in the fight against misinformation. In this episode, Judy unpacks the complexities of C2PA, exploring how it’s shaping the future of media authenticity and content certification in journalism. They discuss its role in building trust and transparency, the ethical challenges it addresses, and the collaborative efforts needed for successful implementation. The episode also closes with a look at how broadcasters and tech companies must continue innovating and working together to safeguard content integrity.

Harnessing AI’s Creative Potential and the Human Element with Kalle Kovacs

Kalle Kovacs, Digital Editor at Swedish Radio, joins Laurent Frat to explore the integration of AI in journalism. As an advocate for AI’s creative potential and an expert in effective prompting, Kalle discusses the impact of AI when used creatively and effectively by journalists. This episode delves into the rapid evolution of AI, ethical considerations, and the importance of skepticism to ensure responsible use. Kalle emphasizes the significance of clear communication with LLMs, addresses data privacy concerns, and shares his approach to maintaining a human touch in AI-assisted journalism. The conversation concludes with a look at the promising future of collaboration among EBU members to enhance accessibility and efficiency.

Combating Misinformation Through Cognitive Resilience with Valeria Kovtun

Valeria Kovtun is an expert in countering disinformation and building cognitive resilience.  She is the founder of Filter, Ukraine’s first governmental media literacy institution. With host Laurent Frat, Valeria delves into the concept of cognitive resilience within the realm of media literacy, focusing on the misinformation and propaganda tactics employed by Russia.

Valeria shares insights on the importance of psychological resilience and personal agency in combating disinformation. The discussion highlights how long-term propaganda strategies, such as rewriting history and fostering distrust, have affected Ukrainian society. They also explore contemporary methods of spreading propaganda, including AI-generated content, and the challenges faced by the Ukrainian government and media in addressing these issues.
Valeria Kovtun on LinkedIn

Engineering Wellbeing: Redefining Workplace Performance with Steven MacGregor

In this episode, Laurent Frat sits down with Dr. Steven MacGregor, a leading expert in workplace health and wellbeing. They delve into the critical importance of integrating wellbeing into the workplace, especially for journalists and news professionals who face unique challenges. 

Dr. MacGregor clarifies the essential distinctions between wellbeing and wellness, advocating for daily consistency instead of sporadic efforts. He shares practical strategies for managing stress and enhancing rest in high-pressure environments. 

Tune in for valuable insights and actionable advice to improve your workplace wellbeing.

You can connect with Steven on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spmacg/ , visit his website stevenmacgregor.com , and his book The Daily Reset: 365 Days of Wellbeing is available worldwide on Amazon.

Trusted Journalism in the Age of Generative AI with Alexandra Borchardt and Ezra Eeman

The European Broadcasting Union has recently published its 2024 News Report entitled “Trusted Journalism in the Age of Generative AI.” In this episode, Laurent Frat speaks with Prof. Alexandra Borchardt, PhD, the report’s lead author, and Ezra Eeman, Director of Strategy & Innovation at NPO. 

They discuss how generative AI is widely believed to be a game-changer for media accessibility and inclusiveness; however, it may also present a significant challenge to the media sector by diminishing the visibility of journalism. 

The conversation also touches on the growing reliance on the services of large tech conglomerates and the broader societal and environmental repercussions. 

Acknowledging the challenges that AI can also bring, their exchange concludes with some advice on the role that journalists and media organizations have to play.

- Read the report here: https://www.ebu.ch/guides/open/report/news-report-2024-trusted-journalism-in-the-age-of-generative-aiNews Report 2024: Trusted Journalism in the Age of AI
- Watch Alexandra and Nic Newman, Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, provide insights and share findings from the Reuters and EBU news reports in this webinar. https://www.ebu.ch/events/2024/06/webinar--trusted-journalism-in-the-age-of-genailink

Conflict Reporting: Journalism in a Polarized World with Amanda Ripley

In this episode, Laurent Frat speaks with Amanda Ripley, journalist, best-selling author, and co-founder of Good Conflict, a media training company that helps people reimagine conflict.
The conversation delves into how journalists can de-escalate conflict, what they can learn from conflict mediators and the dangers of binary thinking. Amanda covers how to work with what she calls conflict entrepreneurs, the power of looping, and the role journalists can play in combating societal polarization.

Chapters

01:00 Investigating Conflict: A Journalist's Journey

06:44 Navigating High Conflict and Healthy Conflict

12:09 Introducing Nuance in Reporting

17:05 Engaging with Conflict Entrepreneurs

28:21 Understanding Conflict and the Role of Journalists

40:19 Building Trust and Understanding Through Looping and Humility

43:39 Convening and Building Relationships: The Journalist's Role in Community

49:24 Experimenting with New Ways of Covering Conflict

Tools mentioned: thegoodconflict.com/tools
Her book: High Conflict -- Why We Get Trapped and How We Get Out

AmandaRipley.com

 

News Avoiders: Why Some People Eschew News with Benjamin Toff

News avoidance is a significant concern for the news industry and society as a whole. It can lead to declining interest and engagement with news programs and hinder the public from making informed political decisions. Joining us this week is Benjamin Toff, an assistant professor at the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota and the co-author of the book, Avoiding the News: Reluctant Audiences for Journalism.  In this episode, Benjamin discusses the implications of news avoidance and the underlying causes of this trend, and proposes various strategies that organizations can implement to reach news avoiders.