The future of media & regulation in the spotlight

The Executive Board approved EPRA's Work Programme for 2023 on 25 January. The endorsement took place after a round of consultation with EPRA members and integrates the input collected from the membership but also from external partners and media experts.

Once again, the Work Programme follows a flexible approach with broad themes and flexible discussion formats. 

Two themes will frame the bi-annual in person meetings and the regular working groups this year: "Media and information for the public good" and "The future of content delivery". Treated through a variety of angles, formats and outputs, EPRA members, experts and stakeholders will be invited to discuss topical issues such as sustainability of media, public service media, prominence of high-quality content, limits of licensing schemes, new broadcasting formats and how to ensure a regulation fit for purpose. 

Throughout the year, regular online working groups will help support informal discussions and the exchange of best practices and experience from the standpoint of specific media regulators concerns: media and information literacy (“EMIL”), artificial intelligence (“AI Roundtables”) and the regulation of video-sharing platforms (“VSP regulation”).

EPRA's themes for 2023:

• Media and Information for the Public Good: How can regulation help safeguard the key role played by media in the public interest and for the public good? While the spring plenary session will adopt a broad focus on public service media and public interest content, the autumn session will encourage inspiring discussions around media ownership, concentration and plurality.

• The Future of Content Delivery and Implications for NRAs: the spring plenary session will provide the opportunity to review the new modes of content delivery and their impact on policy, regulation and regulators while the autumn pleanry session will explore the typology of audiovisual services, their legal qualification and regulation through practical roundtable discussions.

EPRA's cooperation partnerships: 

The fruitful cooperation scheme between EPRA and the University of Vienna Comms Policy Collaborative (CPC) will be further explored in 2023. This cooperation has already proved to be greatly beneficial to both parties, with EPRA members benefitting from the CPC research, and encouraging an evidence-based approach to regulation.

Cooperation in the field of media literacy will also be strengthened through the taskforce EMIL and collaboration with other academic partners on specific projects will be developed. EPRA will continue fostering its long-standing relationship with the European Audiovisual Observatory.

The Board is open to relevant opportunities for cooperation with new partners, be it from the industry, academia or civil society.

Thank you very much for your inputs and inspiring feedback.

We look forward to exploring these challenging issues with you in 2023!

The EPRA Board and Secretariat