Media Uncovered
Media Uncovered is a monthly podcast from the Public Media Alliance that explores the world of public interest media. It addresses major challenges facing the industry, including threats to trusted independent media, staying relevant in the digital age, and keeping journalists safe. Each episode features conversations with prominent commentators and practitioners about potential answers and solutions.
Episodes
36. How has gaming become public media's new frontier?
Roblox is a gaming platform that has over 150 million daily users, according to its own data. With over 50 percent of those users under the age of 17, it's perhaps not a surprise that public media are looking to such a platform as an opportunity to reach an audience group they are otherwise struggling to engage with. But what does such an offering look like?
In this episode, we speak to those who
35. How do public media host major events?
Every year, there’s the major political events that draw the attention… the ones where world leaders from politics, finance, technology – and all the other consequential industries – converge in a single location, to discuss the great geopolitical issues of the day.
Such events are essential news stories for media institutions, ensuring the decisions being made – or sometimes, are not being made –
34. How can newsrooms support journalists' mental health?
Journalists are confronted with many threats, from being exposed to hostile environments – on the field or online – or through the continuous pressures that their job can entail. And these threats have a cost. And while the physical safety of journalists has been a major focus in the profession in the last 30 years, the impact the job can have on journalists' mental wellbeing has been overlooked.
33. How do public media cover elections in 2025?
In early 2025, two major elections took place which bore a striking resemblance in their outcomes... the Canadian and Australian elections both saw wins for the left-leaning incumbents while both leaders of the opposition lost their seats. But what did these elections have in store for the two national public media organisations, tasked with covering these elections, and a responsibility to foster
32. What are the global media strategies of authoritarian states?
In the last episode, we looked at the continuing need for public service media that is international and independent, providing fact-based news and information to audiences around the globe. And one major challenge came through: the competition from the international media organisations of authoritarian states, namely Russia and China.
In this episode, we hone in on China's media strategy oversea
31. Is there still a need for international public service media?
We speak to the two leaders of two major international public broadcasters, the BBC World Service and SwissInfo, about why they believe international public media is needed now more than ever.
Undoubtedly, it's a difficult time to be an independent international public service media entity. Funding is precarious, the rise of big tech and how it fuels mis- and disinformation means it's a harder jo
30. How are public broadcasters working with content creators?
Content creators are only becoming increasingly influential, and are able to access young audiences – an audience which public media traditionally finds very difficult to reach. So is there an opportunity for public media to work with content creators in mutually beneficial exchanges?
In this episode, we look at two programmes being run by broadcasters where they are collaborating with content cr
29. What does it take to lead a public broadcaster?
For our final episode of 2024, and the final in our short bonus series of conversations recorder at the PBI conference in Ottawa, we sit down with two public media CEOs, to discuss what it's like, running a public media organisation.
Both Catherine Tait, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, and Hanna Stjärne, CEO of Swedish Television, will be leaving their positions at the end of this year. In
28. What is the Public Spaces Incubator?
In this second bonus episode, featuring a conversation recorded in Ottawa in October at the Public Broadcasters International conference, we explore the Public Spaces Incubator.
The Incubator was originally founded as a partnership between four public broadcasters – CBC/Radio-Canada, RTBF, SRG SSR and ZDF – and one tech company, called New_Public. It released its first prototypes earlier this yea
27. How can Indigenous stories be amplified in public media?
In the first of a series of interviews recorded on the sidelines of the Public Broadcasting International Conference 2024, this episode of Media Uncovered focusses on Indigenous Peoples and public broadcasting.
For the first at the annual conference, October’s PBI, held in the Canadian capital Ottawa, saw a full day devoted to Indigenous voices in the media. Attendees from around the world discuss
26. How is RTÉ restoring trust?
RTÉ, Ireland's national public broadcaster, has been at the centre of a national drama for the past eighteen months. It all started after an undisclosed payments scandal broke out involving one of its star presenters. Further revelations regarding lavish spending and a doomed and costly musical, only ramped up the pressure on the organisation.
The crisis saw trust in the broadcaster plummet and a
25. How are public media using Artificial Intelligence?
In this special episode of Media Uncovered, we're in Taiwan, looking at how public media are adopting and embracing Artificial Intelligence.
The episode spotlights seven different projects either being worked on; trialled and tested; or in use already. The projects cover four themes related to AI: news & journalism; children's content; language services; and organisation.
We also consider th
24. Why are so many American public media jobs being cut?
Why are so many American public media networks downsizing, and laying off staff?
For this episode, we head to the US. In February 2023, NPR announced it was laying off 10-percent of its workforce – at least 100 people – facing a shortfall of $30 million. And in June 2024, it was announced that PBS would be making 24 people redundant. In the intervening months between those two announcements, there
23. How are public media covering elections?
More than three billion people will go to the polls in more than 80 countries this year, and public service media will be on the frontline for many of them.
But at a time when democracy finds itself on increasingly threatened ground, with rising authoritarianism, apathy, and mis- and dis-information, how does PSM plan to cover them?
In this latest episode of our podcast, Media Uncovered, we spea
22 - What's happening to Argentina's public media?
On 1 March, Argentina's new president, Javier Milei, stood up in Congress and announced the closure of Télam, the country's national news agency. Come Monday morning, Télam's headquarters were bordered up and guarded by police. No workers were allowed in.
So why is Argentina's public media sector being targeted? What has led to the closure of the news agency putting 700 jobs at risk, as well as f
21 - World Radio Day: How does radio inform, educate, and entertain?
To celebrate World Radio Day 2024, our podcast examines this year's theme: "Radio: A century informing, educating and entertaining".
While radio has changed perhaps beyond all recognition since its inception, the three fundamental pillars of radio – and particularly public radio – remain as relevant and necessary today as ever. To explore this, we take a look at each pillar one by one, and speak
20. What obligation does public media have to Indigenous Peoples?
With CBC/Radio-Canada publishing their first ever National Indigenous Strategy, we take a look at public media's role in serving, reflecting and representing Indigenous Peoples – both on and off screen.
We examine how public media historically have treated, reported on, and engaged with Indigenous communities. We look at current efforts by broadcasters including NITV, RNZ and NRK Sápmi to reach a
19. How are PSM adapting to the digital age?
What has the impact of the digital age been on public service media? What challenges has it thrown up? How have public media adapted? What opportunities does increasing digital connectivity throw up for public media entities?
In this one-on-one conversation with the Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Nic Newman, we explore how the digital age gives pub
18. What is the value of public media’s language services?
Speaking to three public broadcasters from three continents, we explore how public service media provide language services, why they're so vital, and what difference they make, from the provision of critical lifesaving information, to the upholding of Indigenous cultures and languages. But language services face challenges – particularly when it comes to reaching the audiences, and getting the fun
17. How can we regulate social media?
Over the past couple of episodes, we’ve been examining the relationship between public media and social media. In this episode – the final episode of this mini series – we’re asking how can we regulate social media? How can we ensure a more balanced media ecosystem, where media organisations are financially viable, publicly visible and accessible, and where mis- and disinformation is controlled?
P
16. Should public media leave social media?
In the last episode, we ended with a vision from the Director General of RTBF, Jean-Paul Philippot, where RTBF no longer needs to be on social media. In this episode, we dig deeper. Jean-Paul says to leave platforms, they first need to bring audiences to their own apps. So how can public broadcasters do that? We look to NRK and what we can learn from their experience moving away from third-party a
15. What’s the relationship between public media and social media?
Throughout the past two decades, social media networks have provided opportunities for public media to reach younger audiences and provide fresh content. It's been a necessary move, as younger audiences increasingly use these sites as a source of news. But recent headlines about two networks in particular – Twitter and TikTok – have shone a spotlight on public media’s relationship with social medi
14. How can public media manage cyber security threats?
How can public service media manage and mitigate the cyber security threats which they now face? These threats – such as phishing, ransomware, or online abuse & harassment – are becoming ever more present and real. And they’re having an ever-greater impact on public service media – both at an organisational and an individual level. The seriousness of the threat has seen the cyber security team at
13. How has streaming changed public media?
Video on demand has been around for barely longer than a decade, and yet it’s now impossible to imagine public broadcasting without it… let alone the wider media landscape. Its impact has been huge.
In this episode, we look at public broadcasting in a streaming world. How has public service media changed in a changing market to remain competitive, relevant, and valued by their audience? How has t
12. How is radio a force for peace?
This is a special episode released to mark UNESCO World Radio Day. This year the theme is based around "Radio and Peace".
In this episode, we examine the various ways in which radio is being used as a force for peace? From its utility able to reach audiences, other forms of media cannot access, to the way it establishes a special connection with its audience, radio possesses a unique power in bein
11. The Global Task Force – What impact can public media organisations have on media freedom?
In the final episode in our miniseries on media freedom, we look at the Global Task Force for Public Media – a grouping of eight leaders of public service media organisations – and examine what role it can play in fighting for media freedom and journalist safety. It comes just after the head of SVT, Hanna Stjärne – a GTF member – was listed as an intended target by a convicted murderer and neo-Naz
10. What’s being done to improve media freedom around the world?
Media freedom is under threat, as we explored in our previous episode. In this episode, we look at what's being done about it... We look at the techniques used by civil society groups to bolster media freedom in different countries. We speak to the President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada about their campaign to improve journalist safety against online harm. And we consider the strength of the Media
9. What is the state of media freedom around the world?
What are the different threats to media freedom across the world? How are they manifesting and who's behind them? We speak to journalists & media professionals about the current global situation.
Presenter: Harry Lock. Guests: Silvia Chocarro (Article 19) Judy King (BBC Monitoring), Marcela Turati, Jessica White (Freedom House). Music: Tom Brazier, Rachel Still, Lucas Thompson.
8. 100 Years of Public Media: Where next?
As the BBC celebrates its 100th Anniversary in October, we look ahead to the future. Live from the Radiodays Asia conference, this episode examines how public media can and should work with tech to maintain accessibility.
Presenter: Harry Lock. Host: Radiodays Asia. Guests: David Hua (SBS), Richard Sutherland (RNZ), & Sopit Wangvivatana (Thai PBS). Music: Rachel Still & Lucas Thompson.
7. How can public media organisations be more sustainable?
How are public media organisations decarbonising, and becoming greener, more sustainable corporations? And how are they becoming resilient in the face of the climate crisis?
Presenter: Chloe Howcroft; Editor: Harry Lock; Guests: Léa Nogier, Tae Inui, Dr Jens Müller, and Mohamed Arif Islam; Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still & Tom Brazier.
6. How does public media connect with its audience?
How does public media ensure it's connected with its audience, being trusted, providing value, and remaining relevant? This episode looks at how Swedish Radio is using technology to advance these goals. Presented: Harry Lock. Interviewees: Cilla Benkö (Swedish Radio), Chloe Howcroft (PMA), and Jenny Johnsson Roos (Swedish Radio). Music: Tom Brazier, Lucas Thompson & Rachel Still.
5. How do elections impact public media?
An examination of three countries which show how changes in government can often mean drastic changes for public media organisations. Presented: Harry Lock. Guests: Carolina Barreto, Helena Milinkovic, and Terry Flew. Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still, Tom Brazier.
4. Front lines and online: Is journalism more dangerous now than it ever has been?
A panel examining the varied threats facing journalism. Presented by CBC/Radio-Canada. Moderator: Hannah Storm. Edited: Harry Lock. Guests: Joyce Adeluwoye-Adams MBE (Reuters), Margaret Evans (CBC), Isabella Higgins (ABC), Mike Wendling (BBC). Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still, Tom Brazier.
3. How can journalists stay safe online?
A panel session exploring the dangers journalists face online, and how they can stay safe.
Presented by Desilon Daniels. Edited by Harry Lock. Guests: Joe Hill, Lucy Westcott, and Nicolle White (ABC). Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still and Tom Brazier.
2. What is the future of public media?
Could embracing digital media be the key to preserving public media's relevance to society and to democracy?
Edited & Presented by Harry Lock. Guests: Marius Dragomir & Paul Thompson. Music: Lucas Thompson, Rachel Still and Tom Brazier.
1. What is public media?
How have the past 100 years of public media led to today? What are the struggles public media faces today?
Edited & presented by Harry Lock. Interviewees: PMA's CEO, Sally-Ann Wilson & PMA's deputy CEO, Kristian Porter. Music by Lucas Thompson & Rachel Still.
