A record 240 delegates from EBU Members will gather in Lisbon next week for the first EBU Digital Media Day (23 -25 January).

For the first time the EBU is bringing together not only digital experts, but also experts in fiction, news, sports, big data, young audiences, music and many more to discuss how digital has impacted their corresponding fields.

The first day will focus on strategy – how Members can redefine their role and services to stay relevant to audiences. Guest speakers from Member broadcasters will demonstrate how they managed to transform their culture and embraced creativity and innovation.

Day 2 focuses on redefining stories for the digital era; looking at audience participation, formats that work on social and digital platforms and digital trends in fiction and entertainment.

Alongside the main conference on both days will be workshops allowing Members to find out about the latest social newsgathering tools, how to attract and connect with young audiences and explore how big data can help public broadcasters provide diverse and high-quality content.

More hands-on workshops will be held on day three.

The EBU’s Media Director Jean Philip De Tender will open Digital Media Days telling delegates that “our legacy of 90 years of radio and 60 years of television gives us great insights, knowledge and access to a broad audience. But we need to shift today. Move to digital and fully embrace it.”

Madiana Asseraf, the EBU’s Senior Media Development Manager and project lead, is looking forward to bringing all the digital communities of our Members together:

“It’s exciting because for the first time we are also bringing together colleagues who wouldn’t say they worked in a “digital” environment. We have fiction experts, music experts etc who can talk to digital experts from our membership so they can move forward,” she said.

“We need to redefine and repurpose our message to stay relevant to audiences”.

Speakers from big companies such as Facebook, Microsoft and Uber will also be at Digital Media Days to share their knowledge and experience in addressing audiences’ ever changing needs.

The full agenda for the event, co-hosted by the EBU’s Portuguese Member RTP, can be found here and highlights will be shared on the EBU’s social media channels during the Digital Media Days.