EPRA meets in Antwerp for the first time in two years to address emerging regulatory challenges and cooperation

The final version of the detailed Agenda for the 55th EPRA meeting, which will take place on 11-13 May 2022 in Antwerp, is now available. This closed event, hosted by the VRM, the Flemish audiovisual regulatory authority of Belgium, will gather about 160 delegates representing 52 member authorities (including the National Council of TV and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine), permanent observers and invited media experts who will discuss current issues pertaining to audiovisual media regulation in Europe and exchange on topics of common interest. A guest delegation from the Canadian CRTC is also attending the meeting.

The meeting will address issues at the core of media regulation (session: "Minors and Advertising”), facilitate future-oriented discussions among regulators (session: "Media NRAs in a Digital Environment”) and generally allow EPRA members to reconnect and keep up with the newest developments including the issue of media freedom and disinformation in times of conflict (session: "EPRA Agora – Let’s reunite”). Thematic sessions will replace the traditional workgroups of the previous EPRA meetings, in accordance with the EPRA Work Programme and EPRA’s wish to experiment with a dual format combining the best of in-person meetings and online work groups.

• Under the guidance of EPRA Chair Ľuboš Kukliš, the plenary session on the morning of 12 May will be dedicated to exchanging on recent and upcoming developments among EPRA members and to hearing updates on the EPRA online taskforces and work groups and reports from the permanent observer organisations (the OSCE-RFoM, the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the European Audiovisual Observatory) and ERGA.

Two thematic sessions will enable participants to be inspired by renowned academics and external experts, and to learn from the experience of fellow media NRAs.

• Thematic session 1 "Minors & Advertising", chaired by EPRA Vice-Chair Mari Velsand, will focus on the marketing of unhealthy foods in the online media and influencer marketing on video and content-sharing platforms. The session will attempt to connect the dots between research, policy and implementation with the help of inputs from the World Health Organisation (Kremlin Wickramasinghe), leading academics (Pr. Jörg Matthes - University of Vienna, Pr. Eva Lievens - Ghent University and Nadia Feci - Ghent University and KU Leuven) and key experts Sophie Valais (European Audiovisual Observatory), Andy Demeulenaere (Mediawijs) and Melissa Kekenbosch (Belgian Federal Public Service of Economy).

• Thematic session 2 on “Media NRAs in a Digital Environment”, chaired by EPRA Vice-Chair Stephanie Comey, will facilitate a lively debate on how media regulators prepare for change by adapting their missions, structure, work processes and mindset to the digital environment and the regulation of video-sharing platforms. To set the scene, Krisztina Rozgonyi (University of Vienna) will map out the challenges and the (high) expectations towards media regulators. During an interview-style panel discussion, Frédéric Bokobza (Arcom-FR), Celene Craig (BAI-IE) and Kevin Bakhurst (Ofcom-UK) will elaborate about recent structural changes, enlarged powers and first experiences with video-sharing supervision. Issues concerning staff, resources and cooperation will also feature prominently. The discussion will be moderated by Michèle Ledger (research fellow at CERRE and lead researcher at Cullen International).

EPRA provides an independent, agile and participatory forum that allows audiovisual regulators in Europe (beyond the EU) to share information, best practices, experiences and expertise. EPRA does not take common positions but seeks to encourage independent, transparent and professional regulation and to raise awareness among its members of the consequences of the upheavals in the media ecosystem and to support them in the necessary evolution of audiovisual regulation practices. 

Source: EPRA Secretariat