EPRA convenes in Oslo for 57th meeting

posted on 30 May, 2023 (public)

Securing public interest content in the digital age will be a key discussion focus

The 57th EPRA meeting is taking place on 31 May-2 June 2023 in Oslo. This closed event, hosted by the Norwegian Media Authority, will gather about 160 delegates representing 52 member authorities, permanent observers and invited media experts who will discuss current issues pertaining to audiovisual media regulation in Europe. Guest delegations from the Ibero-American Platform for Regulators of the Audiovisual Sector (PRAI) are also attending the meeting.

Securing public interest content in the digital age will be a key discussion focus this time with two thematic sessions on, respectively, "The future of content delivery” and "Public service media for the public good". The event has also been designed to encourage interactive discussions among regulators and allow EPRA members to share newest developments (session: "EPRA Agora – Learning by sharing among regulators”).

During this 57th meeting, EPRA members will also be invited to elect a new Executive Board.

Under the guidance of EPRA Chair ad interim Maria Donde, the plenary session on the morning of 1 June will be dedicated to exchanging on recent and upcoming developments among EPRA members and reports from the permanent observer organisations, ERGA and the guest delegation, the PRAI.

Two thematic sessions will enable EPRA members to share knowledge and expertise with external experts, and to learn from each other.

Thematic session 1 "the future of content delivery", chaired by EPRA Chair ad interim Maria Donde, will address the challenges raised by the new modes of content delivery and their impact on policy, regulation and regulators. After a "setting the scene presentation" by Christian Knaebel from Global Media Consult on key distribution trends, Frédéric Bokobza from Arcom (FR), Rowena Burke from Ofcom (UK) and Ali Law from Sky will report on current challenges and future perspectives.

Thematic session 2 on “Public Service Media for the public good”, chaired by EPRA Vice-Chair Mari Velsand will facilitate a lively and interactive discussion on how media regulators can support public service media in the challenges they face to preserve their sustainability and independence. To inspire the exchanges, Deniz Wagner from the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media will hold a keynote, followed by two case studies from the public service media in Norway - by Vibeke Fürst Haugen from NRK - and in Georgia - by Tinatin Berdzenishvili from GPB.