More than 200 delegates from across Europe will travel to Galway this month for an annual conference on regional television.
TG4 will play host to to the 38th CIRCOM Regional Conference, an association of regional public service television broadcasters in Europe.
As the media world globalises, regional broadcasters and regional storytellers offer a unique position as guardians and exponents of the true values of public service broadcasting.
Demand for audiovisual content and the value of public service media is stronger than ever despite changing audience viewing habits.
The three-day conference will feature topics of related to the sustainability of journalism, and regional areas: Creative economies, digital transformation, reaching young audiences, climate coverage in news, and PSB prominence.
It will also look at the role regional public service broadcasters can play in influencing the cultural and economic vibrancy.
Director-General of TG4 Alan Esslemont said “I congratulate all those at CIRCOM who have been involved in shaping this year’s key conference topics”.”
“He added that the programme for the conference is “compelling and forward-looking”, and that he looks forward to the discussion generated by these topics.
“As our media world globalises and becomes more homogenous, I believe that regional broadcasters and regional storytellers will move to centre-stage as guardians and exponents of the true values of public service broadcasting.”
Conference speakers include: RTÉ’s Cormac Ó hEadhra, Irish Satirist and Podcaster Blindboyboatclub; Senior News Reporter at Vice World News Sophia Smith Galer; Nergiz Nora Westerbergh, Head of Digital at Sweden’s SVT News; MáirÃn Nà Ghadhra, RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta; Páidà Ó Lionáird, Nuacht TG4; EibhlÃn Nà Chonghaile formerly of Sky News and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta; and Tomás Ó SÃocháin, CEO of Western Development Commission.
The three day conference will take place in Galway City this month, from May 25-27.
The keynote on the Creative Economy will be from John Newbigin OBE, a special advisor to the UK Minister for Culture, Rt Hon Chris Smith MP.
He was closely involved in developing the UK government’s first policies for the creative industries in the 1990s.
The topic of how PSBs ensure Climate is kept top of the agenda will be discussed with Erika Bjerström who was appointed as the first ever Global Climate Correspondent at Swedish National Television.
She will be joined by Tara Peterman award-winning journalist and Executive Producer of RTÉ’s Climate Change coverage.
