EBU journalism fellowship awarded on the affect of social media on radio journalism

Geneva, 15 June 2012 – The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has today announced the inaugural winner of the EBU Radio News London School of Economics (LSE) POLIS journalism fellowship. It goes to Nadja Hahn* from Austrian public service broadcaster ORF for her research work, which will focus on how social media affects the quality of radio journalism.

POLIS Director, Charlie Beckett, announced the winner at the EBU Radio News Conference, in Prague.  The month long research fellowship was offered on a competitive basis to public service journalists working for EBU Member organizations.  

Charlie Beckett, Director of POLIS, LSE said: "It was a genuinely tough task to choose a winner. All of them would have made good fellows and produced an interesting report. I was very impressed by the range and quality of the candidates."

Annika Nyberg Frankenhaeuser, EBU Media Director commented: "I congratulate Nadja Hahn and am looking forward to the outcome her research, which will be of interest to all Members who want to deepen their understanding of the evolving media landscape."

She continued: “Before the Internet gave us Facebook and Twitter, radio was the closest thing we had to a social medium, and the phone-in was the most interactive format out there. It is therefore fascinating to see how the medium is adapting and how radio journalism in particular is rising to the challenge."

Nadja Hahn will be invited to give a research seminar during her stay in London. She will prepare a paper of at least 2,500 words that will be published by EBU and POLIS. The deadline for completion of the report is 1 January, 2013.

(Source : European Broadcasting Union)