Digitalization and innovation: the pillars on which regional public radio and television stations plan to grow

The Federation of Autonomous Radio and Television Organizations or Entities (FORCE), in collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), has presented the Study of the situation and trends of European public audiovisual media in the face of the digital society, an academic analysis carried out by the USC together with 13 other Spanish universities that analyzes the challenges and trends that European public audiovisual services must face in the face of the digital society.

The digitization and the innovation They are the great pillars on which public radio and television plans to grow and continue working to get closer to society. The digital transformation in which the industry is immersed improves the transparency of the sector and, therefore, the credibility and trust of an industry that, as the study points out, is made up of more than a million companies and employs almost 5.8 million people in Europe.

The study highlights that the artificial intelligence and the algorithms They are one of the main issues that public audiovisual media are currently discussing. The emergence of this technology for the production, archiving and distribution of content has caused one of the most important revolutions in recent times, to such an extent that in the most advanced European PSMs its application in corporations is no longer discussed, but rather it is assumed that in the near future it will be the culture on which the organization is based.

As for the 5G, is generating a major conversation in the media over the last year and a half. Although its deployment is still in a preliminary phase in Europe, PSMs have already begun to elucidate and imagine its possible applications. It is a qualitative improvement in the speed of data transmission, but this has implications in the field of production, dissemination and consumption.

The PSM, in figures

In this study, FORTA analyzes the main aspects of regional public radio and television in European countries and points out that in 2019 the industry brought in 7,093 million euros, 332.3% more compared to 2015, which obtained revenues of 1,641 million euros, which indicates the important development that the sector has had in less than 5 years.

According to the report, PSMs (public service media) have positively reinforced the image they project in which public value is being adopted by everyone to jointly appeal to the quality, added value, distinction and corporate social responsibility of the public audiovisual system, thus condensing its values, new and traditional, under a single concept.

Among many other aspects, the study talks about the corporate models of corporations, convergence and corporate governance or quantitative and qualitative audiences. Added to this are live and streaming programming, the European impact of OTT, the protection of the integrity of its own users or social and corporate alliances.

During the presentation of the study, Mar Iglesias, president of FORTA, has stated that "this report reflects the authentic value of regional public media. We are a service tool for citizens thanks to our constructive and quality journalism and therefore we must vindicate our social role as necessary agents in the Internet era to address local values, diversity, citizenship and social character that are not covered by the platforms."

For its part, Enrique Laucirica, general secretary of FORTA, has pointed out that "the report reflects the moment of transformation that public radio and television is in. Digitalization and innovation are the great pillars on which we must continue to grow to offer a public service that addresses the interests of society."

The USC professor, Francisco Manuel Campos, has emphasized the depth of the study's analysis and the trends that will mark the future of public media: "This study has been carried out by communication experts from 13 Spanish universities, in which we have dissected the entire ecosystem of the audiovisual sector. Public media face several challenges such as digitalization, its financing and the restructuring of its governance and transparency system. Regional media provide a fundamental service for society, and it is essential that this transition towards new models where digitalization, transparency and close contact with the public is carried out through collaboration and innovation.”

Access to the full executive summary.

Main conclusions

• Digitalization, media convergence and multilevel governance push public broadcasters to improve their transparency and reinforce their credibility and trust.
• Changes in technologies and new forms of audience consumption have revolutionized the organization and production systems of corporations.
• Organizations need to introduce new strategic and executive professional profiles to adjust to new formats, languages, channels, scenarios, consumer habits and ways of relating to audiences.
• European public broadcasters promote journalism at the service of citizens.
• Public value journalism has legitimacy because it focuses its priorities on the needs of citizens, solutions, proximity and diversity.
• The cost per inhabitant of public radio and television in Spain (42 euros) is 36% lower than the European average (65.1 euros).