A brand-new report from the EBU presents a crucial framework for the organizational transformation of Public Service Media (PSM) in the digital world. 

The Digital Transformation Initiative (DTI) Casebook – An Illustrated Framework is the first half of a two-part report, showing what digital transformation looks and feels like at the operational level inside PSM organizations. The aim is to inform and inspire other PSM in their own transformation journeys.   

The Casebook features 18 studies which illustrate the enablers of digital transformation, carefully selected from PSM that have excelled in particular critical areas. The Casebook draws out the principles and practices behind these successes through themes including organization and cultural change, leveraging data, and strategic partnerships. 

The second part of the report – the DTI Playbook, available later this year – focuses on the design and execution of company-wide transformation initiatives. The two reports combine as a powerful tool to aid PSM create their own digital transformation strategies. 

The report is authored by Dr Sasha Scott, Senior Analyst and DTI Project Lead at the EBU: “The Coronavirus pandemic has created a new reality - as millions of people retreat to the online world, so the imperative of digital transformation has gone from important to absolutely critical. 

“This report can help accelerate the process. It gives a clear picture on what transformative projects look like for PSM, so that other outlets can learn first-hand what worked, how, and why it is important for the rest of the company. The framework itself is not a roadmap but a lens for understanding where an organization is today, and what is needed to excel tomorrow. The report can aid PSM in making the change from digital projects done well, to initiatives with wider organizational impact. It’s about understanding how digital transformation affects business at every level.”

While the report makes clear that digital transformation is not optional, this is not a prescriptive rule book but guidance based on learned experience from peers. Digital transformation is unique to each organization, based on size, budget, audience, markets and other factors. The Casebook and Framework arm these organizations with the tools, knowledge and, crucially, the right questions to ask, from those that have first-hand lived experience. 

Key themes from the Casebook

•    Digital transformation is much more than just a technology issue. PSM need to focus on building organizations that are more agile, experimental, and adaptable to change. 
•    Successful transformation needs a holistic approach across all the dynamics and domains of a PSM company. Without the big picture, efforts will be partial and impact limited. 
•    Audiences and data should drive decisions and be at the heart of both structures and processes. This means an open and continuous dialogue with the public and rethinking how we work to ensure insights translate into actions. 
•    Real change needs a mix of top-down and bottom-up initiatives. A digital culture can be built only with a combination of strong leadership and an empowered and engaged workforce.
•    PSM need to work together. One of the strengths of the EBU network is our tradition of working collaboratively and sharing good practice, so that organizations and individuals can learn from one another.

Jean Philip De Tender, Director of Media, EBU says, “This publication brings together 18 distinct examples of an EBU Member taking a bold step forward on the digital transformation journey. It's a journey that all Public Service Media organizations are undertaking, each at its own pace and in its own specific context. But while the routes may differ, and even the destinations, the journey itself – especially in the context of the Coronavirus - is now unavoidable.”

Gytis Oganauskas, Deputy Director General, LRT (Lithuania): “The DTI Casebook is published right on time, when digital solutions play a crucial role on the media agenda and in our professional life. During these extraordinary times, it’s very important to share the best experiences from our Members - how to find new ways and platforms to distribute our content and build digital oriented public broadcasters, who react and adapt quickly.”

Thomas Saner, Senior Advisor Strategy & Innovation, SRG SSR (Switzerland) says, “The EBU Digital Transformation Framework has proven to be very effective in aligning senior stakeholders to the meaning, impact and consequences of Digital Transformation. The framework has also been used with great success in the development of our technology and distribution strategies. Thanks to Sasha Scott and the Digital Transformation Initiative, the framework is much more than a document. It is rather a method on how to think about Digital Transformation in strategic terms. It is in our opinion a very valuable and helpful tool to plan, think and act on transformation even more so in very complex decentralized environments like SRG SSR.“

Olga Bordeianu, Executive Director, Teleradio Moldova: “The EBU has always known how to support its Members, either by providing expertise or personalized assistance, or by exchanging knowledge and information. The work visit made by the EBU experts from the Digital Transformation Initiative for reviewing the digital readiness of TRM was more than welcome…and the effort of the expert team was considerable…Accordingly we declare ourselves responsible for following the conclusions and fulfilling the recommendations, because the ultimate goal is to digitize and continue delivering qualitative media content, respecting generally recognized journalistic principles.”

“The DTI Casebook – An Illustrated Framework” is available online.

Notes in brief:

1.    The EBU has produced the DTI Casebook and Playbook to aid PSM in using the new opportunities afforded by digital transformation to stay ahead of the field in delivering content and services for their audiences worldwide. 
2.    There are 18 comprehensive case studies detailing different aspects of corporate transformation from the perspectives of PSM, under the headings Content & Audiences; Technology & Data; and Organization & Culture and were identified from those PSM that best addressed the variety of challenges and solutions across these three different areas. 
3.    Some of examples from the report can be found below. See the full report for all the case studies. 
-RTBF (Belgium) – It All Starts with the Audience
-RUV (Iceland) – Digital Vision and Strategy
-Rai (Italy) – A Future-Proof Remit
-BR (Germany) – Driving Digital Innovations Through Cultural Partnerships
-France TV – A Critical Workforce Agreement for a Challenging Legal Framework
-RTS (Switzerland) – A Radically Different Way of Thinking