News Contacts Meeting

18:30 Welcome Cocktail at the BBC House Quays, Mediacity Salford
20:30 NCM MIXERS (optional drink at participants’ expense) ¦ The alchemist

07:30 – 08:00   MORNING RUN led by Emilie De Schaetzen (OPTIONAL)
                          Meet in front of the BBC Quays House

08:30 – 09:00   REGISTRATION - BBC QUAYS HOUSE Reception

09:00 – 09:20   WELCOME TO THE NEWS CONTACTS MEETING 2024
Martin Reznicek, Chair of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee & Deputy Editor-in-chief, CT, Czechia

09:20 – 10:30   WHAT’S NEW WITH EUROVISION NEWS EXCHANGE
Presented by Emilio San Pedro, Head of Eurovision News Exchange 

• Showcase of the year in the News Exchange - Emilio San Pedro - Massimiliano Desumma, Senior Producer, News Data & Workflows

• A European Perspective update - Luis Jimenez, News Digital Transformation Manager

• Technical update - Piotr Kaszynski, Senior Engineer

10:30 – 11:00    COFFEE BREAK

11:00 – 12:00   VIRTUAL NEWSROOM
Presented by :
David Mogrovejo, Eurovision News Exchange Editor
Matti Heikkila, Journalist, YLE Finland & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee
Gunhild Tinmansvik, Foreign News Coordinator, TV2 Norway & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee

Bringing Geneva to Manchester. See how the EVN Newsroom operates in real-time from the perspective of the News Editors and Producers. Ask your questions about how the process works.

12:00 – 12:30   SPORTS NEWS

Presented by :
Ine Bjolseth, Head of Eurovision Sports News
Alvar Tiisler, Journalist/producer, ERR Estonia & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee

• Paris 2024 Olympic Games: Before, during and after with Julien Duperray, Deputy Head of National News, FT France (remote) and BBC Sports guest speaker (TBC)

• Update on Sports News

12:30 – 14:00   NETWORKING LUNCH 

14:00 – 15:30   WORKSHOP: How can we strengthen the EVNs and make them future-proof?
Presented by :
Anita Fichtinger, News contact ORF, Austria & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee
Geertje Bal, Journalist, VRT, Belgium & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee
Luis Jimenez, EBU News Digital Transformation Manager
Piotr Kaszynski, EBU Senior Engineer

15:30 – 16:00   COFFEE BREAK 

16:00 – 16:45   WORKSHOP RESULT / WRAP UP

16:45 – 17:00   ERNO PRESENTATION OF AWARDS
Presented by :
Katarina Gasperov, Head of National & International News Exchange, HRT Croatia & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee
Zeljka Lekic-Subasic, Head of the ERNO Office

ERNO was created in November 2000. It is an exchange platform targeting PSM in the Southeast European region. ERNO aims to facilitate regional broadcasters access material from neighbouring countries; to re-establish cooperation with other broadcasters after the period of conflicts; and to support media development.

CONTACTS MEETING SIDE SESSIONS

• 08:15 – 11:15  SPORTS NEWS with Ine Bjolseth, Head of Eurovision Sports News Alvar Tiisler, Journalist/Producer, EER Estonia, Jens-Thilo Rumphorst, Deputy Editor, Sports News, EBU and BBC Sports production guest (tbc)

• 09:00 – 10:00  EUROVISION NEWS EVENTS with Emilie De Schaetzen, Head of Eurovision News Events & Content and Martin Schmidt-Bleek, Senior Producer, Eurovision Americas

• 09:00 – 10:00  DATA AND FINANCE with Liz Corbin, EBU Director of News and Massimiliano Desumma, Eurovision News Exchange Senior Producer, Data & Workflows

10:00 – 10:10   Short break

10:10 – 11:10   COVERING OCTOBER 7TH AND BEYOND 
Moderator: Michael Herrod, Head of Foreign News, ITV News, UK & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee

October 7, EVN and lessons to learn: the speed which EVN picked up, verified, and published material, comparison with others, limitations on access and sources. Challenges for newsrooms, navigating the pressures of balance.  

Panel:
Michael Bewerunge, Correspondent, ZDF, Germany (remote from Jerusalem)
Narinder Kalsi, BBC Newsdesk UK

11:10 – 11:30  COFFEE  BREAK 

11:30 – 12:40  VERIFICATION AND MISINFORMATION
Moderator:
Jamie Whitbread, Senior Journalist Team Manager, BBC, UK & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee
Derek Bowler, Head of Social Newsgathering, EBU

Trust but verify or trust no one? Verification and dis/misinformation in the age of AI, measures taken among members and EBU, practical examples.

Panel:
Finlo Rohrer, Editor, Data & Analysis BBC Verify (remote)
Olga Robinson, Assistant Editor BBC Verify / BBC Monitoring
Borja Diaz-Merry,Editor Verifica team, RTVE Spain

12:40 – 13:00  Q&A SESSION

Opening remarks: Liz Corbin, EBU Director of News

Moderator: Caroline Hick, Head of the International & European News Desk, RTBF & Member of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee

A space to bring all your questions, comments, and ideas, and receive direct feedback from the EBU teams and the Editorial Subcommittee.

On stage:
Emilie De Schaetzen, Head of Eurovision News Events and Content
Emilio San Pedro, Head of Eurovision News Exchange
Martin Reznicek, Chair of the EBU Editorial Subcommittee

13:00                 END OF DAY TWO