In September, the #InnoPSM affiliate, the research consortium CORDI, co-hosted a three-part webinar series on the case for the need to revitalize the universalism mission in the media by reimagining its conceptual and practical dimensions:
• How do we understand the heritage concept of universalism as a mission for the public service orientation in media provision, and what remains relevant in that heritage concept for Public Service Media today?
• What has become dysfunctional and is no longer appropriate either as a concept or pursuit in universalism as a mission, and why?
• What emerging trends, developments, and dynamics offer promise for a renewed set of practices that pursue universalism in ways that are highly appropriate for the public service mission today?
The webinar series brought together authors of the new, open access RIPE@2019 reader of the same theme, titled Universalism in Public Service Media (Nordicom, 2020).
SESSION 1: FUNDAMENTALS | WEDNESDAY 9 SEPT 2020, 14-15:30 UTC
What are the foundations of universalism and how do they translate to today’s contexts?
• Barbara Thomaß, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany: Universalism in History, Modern Statehood and Public Service Media
• Peter Goodwin, University of Westminster, UK: Universal – But Not Necessarily Useful
• Dialogue Moderator: Philip Savage, McMaster University, Canada
• Discussant: Gregory F. Lowe, Northwestern University in Qatar
SESSION 2: PRACTICES | WEDNESDAY 16 SEPT 2020, 14-15:30 UTC
How have Public Service Media organizations resolved the challenge of universalism?
• Karen Donders, Vrije University, Belgium and/or Hilde Van den Bulck, Drexel University, USA: Universality of Public Service Media and Preschool Audiences: The Choice Against a Dedicated Television Channel in Flanders
• Julie Munter Lassen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark: Multi-Channel Strategy, Universalism and the Challenge of Audience Fragmentation
• Dialogue Moderator: Gregory F. Lowe
• Discussant: Philip Savage
SESSION 3: (NEAR) FUTURES | WEDNESDAY 23 SEPT 2020, 13-14:30 UTC
How are developments such as datafication shaping universalism? Is “personalized enlightenment” possible?
• Jannick Kirk Sørensen, Aalborg University, Denmark: Personalized Universalism in the Age of Algorithms
• Michał Głowacki, University of Warsaw, Poland: Datafication, Fluidity, and Organisational Change: Towards Public Service Media 3.0
• Dialogue Moderator: Gregory F. Lowe
• Discussant and Closing Remarks: Philip Savage
RIPE@Dialogues is hosted by the International Association of Public Media Researchers (IAPMR) and co-curated by Nordicom at the University of Gothenburg. The seminars are arranged with the support of the CORDI Research Consortium, University of Helsinki and Tampere University.