Eurovision ACADEMY has held its first Master Class focusing exclusively on cyber security, in response to interest in data protection training voiced by EBU Members working in news.

The first Cyber Data Security for Journalists Master Class took place at the EBU’s Geneva headquarters on 13 and 14 March. It is aimed at journalists working in the field, newsroom managers and office-based staff.

Participants covered issues that shape the daily lives of many news professionals, such as the pros and cons of social media, government-sponsored hacking and offensive/defensive technologies.

Computer technician Pernilla Palm, who provides technical solutions and emergency back-up to journalists working for Swedish Radio, was among the first group to take the course.

She once had a brush with hackers when a Swedish Radio journalist was duped into revealing his sign-on credentials.

“These emails are meant to mislead that maybe you have an account somewhere, or that your password has expired,” she said. “You never know, you could fake an email address, so it is easy for a user who is not that technically educated to just sign it.”

Discussing the Master Class she said: “The biggest thing was to meet others working in different places doing the same as I do, or even journalists, but seeing their perspective and what their issues are.”

She added that she would be keen to attend an EBU follow-up course of an advanced technical slant, adding: “In my work and working with journalists I’m always thinking about how they’re setting up their equipment. I ask the journalists out in the field and they don’t really have an answer for that, so it would be interesting to see and learn how other people are working.”

This Master Class came about following last November’s  EBU News Assembly, in Barcelona, where Members and experts discussed the importance of protecting sensitive data in the field. Head of Eurovision ACADEMY, Nathalie Labourdette, offered to build a course based on the needs expressed by Members at the Assembly.

Ms Labourdette said: “Eurovision ACADEMY is always looking for ways to develop knowledge together with EBU Members. When we learn of a need for new skills on previously unexplored ground we take steps to meet that need. In this way ACADEMY plays a central role in enacting the principle of solidarity that is the EBU’s collective strength.”

Leading the course were specialized trainers Grant Wootton, Charlie McGrath and Nick Nash from UK-based Objective Travel Safety.