Eurovision News Podcast

Combating Disinformation and Digital Verification with Derek Bowler

With hundreds of hours of video uploaded to social platforms every minute, eyewitness media is playing an ever-increasing role within newsrooms. Eyewitness Videos from bystanders and activists are emerging from all over the world, in real time, as events unfold.  With this influx of real-time content, newsrooms are presented with both opportunities and challenges.

In this episode, Laurent Frat speaks with Derek Bowler, Head of Social Newsgathering at the European Broadcasting Union, and Andrew Smith, a producer and digital verification expert at the EBU. Together, we delve into the strategies and methodologies employed by the Eurovision Social Newswire to navigate this information landscape. We'll explore how they effectively discern fact from fiction and ensure responsible and ethical use of eyewitness media.

100 Years of Radio: Stories of Trust and Resilience with with Cilla Benko

Today, on UNESCO World Radio Day, we celebrate 100 years of radio and its indispensable role as the most trusted and dependable form of media in the world. In times of emergencies and conflicts, radio becomes a lifeline for millions, providing verified and factual information. Join host Laurent Frat as he speaks with Cilla Benko, the Director General of Swedish Radio and Vice President of the EBU Executive Board, and Ibrahim Abdelbaki, the Gaza Lifeline Service Editor, a BBC Action Radio Program. They discuss the challenges radio faces in the next century, its impact in conflict zones like Ukraine and Gaza, and why radio remains the most trusted medium.

Discover how radio continues to be a vital platform for democracy, impartiality, and the importance of radio in cars. Learn why radio is more relevant than ever in our digital age. 

An interdisciplinary approach to AI, media and human-computer interactions with Justine Cassell

In this episode, Laurent Frat interviews Professor Justine Cassell.  Justine is world-renowned in the field of artificial intelligence and human-computer interactions. She is the SCS Dean’s Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, where she leads several initiatives on technology-enhanced learning, personal assistants, and human-computer interaction.

She is currently on leave from CMU to hold the founding international chair at the Paris Institute on Interdisciplinary Research in AI, holds the position of director of research at Inria Paris, and serves as a member of the governmental committee on the future of digital in France.

She holds dual PhDs in psychology and linguistics and has received numerous awards and honors for her groundbreaking work on embodied conversational agents, virtual humans, and social robotics.
http://www.justinecassell.com/

Broadcasters Overcoming Language Barriers with AI

In this episode, Benjamin Poor shares an in-depth conversation with Laurent Frat about the innovative translation technology - Eurovox. Ben, who leads the EBU's Eurovox project, shares valuable insights on how this technology is revolutionizing broadcasting by overcoming language barriers, its role in public service journalism, and the future of translation technology in the realm of media.
https://tech.ebu.ch/eurovox

Zahra Joya and Rukshana Media’s Fight for Afghan Women’s Rights

In this episode, Kate de Pury speaks with Zahra Joya, the founder and editor-in-chief of Rukhshana Media, an independent Afghan news website that focuses on women and girls' rights in Afghanistan. Zahra tells her story and challenges of establishing an independent media outlet in the current context, the impact of the Taliban takeover, and how her team continues to report despite the restrictive regime. 

Zahra Joya is an Afghan journalist who left her country after receiving death threats for her work. She is now based in London, where she continues to advocate for press freedom and women’s rights in her homeland.

Zahra was named as one of Time’s women of the year 2022 for her reporting on women’s lives in Afghanistan through her news agency and received the 2022 Change maker Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She was recognized as one of the BBC 100 Women in December 202 and received the Courage in Journalism Award and the International Press Freedom Award for her excellent reporting.

Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:

1. An introduction and welcome to Zahra Joya and a summary of her background as an Afghan journalist [0:02:00]
2. Zahra Joya’s stories from Afghanistan on the treatment of women and her efforts to report their stories [0:07:00]
3. How Rukhshana Media, an independent media outlet, operates under the Taliban regime [0:11:00]
4. A view of the risks and challenges faced by journalists in Afghanistan [0:16:45]
5. The diverse stories and achievements of Afghan women [0:28:00]
6. Zahra discusses the future – her hopes and vision for the next generation of women in Afghanistan [0:42:00]
   7. Zahra’s thanks and shared hopes for the future [0:46:30]
   
   Please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with your friends. And as always, thank you for listening to our podcast. 
   
   Producer: Laurent Frat Music: Mickey Curling Sound: Martin Lonicer

Constructive Climate Journalism with Katherine Dunn

In this episode, our focus is on climate journalism. Reporting on climate change in an impactful and constructive manner is equally essential and urgent. Focusing on solutions, limiting negativity, and training our journalists to understand the broader picture is clearly one of the big challenges facing our industry.

We're in the studio with Justyna Kurczabinska, head of EBU News Strategy, and remotely with Katherine Dunn, co-author of the 2023 EBU News Report, titled: Climate Journalism that Works. Katherine is currently the content editor at the Oxford Climate Journalism Network. 

 

Media Literacy: A Fundamental Educational Right with Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck

We live in a world where we are constantly exposed to different types of media - news, social media, advertising etc. They can influence our thoughts, feelings and actions, and sometimes without us even being aware of it. Media literacy is not only a skill but a responsibility. By being media literate, we can become more informed, engaged and empowered citizens in the digital age. In the latest episode, we are joined by Juliane von Reppert-Bismarck, who is the founder and director of Lie Detectors, an award-winning news literacy project in Europe.

Bytes to Bylines: Generative AI in the Newsroom with David Caswell

Generative AI in the Newsroom with David Caswell

David Caswell is an expert in artificial intelligence who helps news and media organizations use advanced AI technologies to improve their products and workflow.

David was previously an Executive Product Manager at BBC News and BBC News Labs and is now the founder of Story Flow.

You can follow David on Twitter @StructStories or email him at david@structuredstories.com

Check out David’s latest article: AI and News: What’s next?

If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. You can also share this podcast with your friends and colleagues who are interested in AI and news.

Investigating Russian casualties in Ukraine

Russia has a history of extraordinary secrecy over its wartime losses. When it invaded Ukraine, senior correspondent Olga Ivshina of the BBC, with the help of partners and volunteers, began meticulously verifying and counting Russian losses. Olga and her team's work has so far identified more than 25,000 named individuals – setting a bare minimum of Russian casualties. Their work provides hard evidence of the war’s impact on Russian forces and has brought answers to many grieving families. Olga’s reporting sheds light on the changing face of the Russian army and the human cost of this conflict.  
In this episode, Head of EBU Moscow Kate de Pury speaks with BBC Senior Correspondent Olga Ivshina about her remarkable investigation.

Mental Health and Journalism with Bruce Shapiro

In this episode, we discuss mental health and journalism with Bruce Shapiro, the executive director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University in New York. Shapiro is an expert on how journalists can deal with the emotional and psychological effects of covering violence, conflict, and tragedy. He also offers guidance to newsrooms on how to cover mental health issues in a respectful and ethical manner. Shapiro shares his perspectives on the difficulties and opportunities that journalists encounter in times of crisis. We hope this conversation will inspire and empower journalists, editors and news leaders who want to enhance their mental health and develop strategies for reporting on violence and tragedy.