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< Back Interface real estate: Amazon Prime and visibility politics van Es, K., & Iordache, C. (2025). Interface real estate: Amazon Prime and visibility politics. Critical Studies in Television , 0 (0). https://doi.org/10.1177/17496020251375211 This paper investigates how Amazon Prime Video’s interface design affects content visibility, specifically analysing the prioritisation of Prime-included versus third-party content. Using the Vignette tool on French accounts, we conducted a mixed-methods analysis of homepage structures, including row hierarchies and title heatmaps across multiple user profiles. We find that while Prime Video shares common strategies with other services (e.g. own content prioritisation and burying the continue watching button), it distinguishes itself with a uniquely dense landing page layout featuring a large number of thumbnails and content rows. This design reveals deeper commercial logics shaped by Amazon’s integrated retail model. Previous Read the article Next

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< Back Catching the waves: The case of VRT's digital-first audio strategy Van der Elst, P., Iordache, C., & Raats, T. (2025). Catching the waves: The case of VRT’s digital-first audio strategy. European Journal of Communication . https://doi.org/10.1177/02673231251370877 European public service media (PSM) are increasingly embracing strategies that balance digital platform tactics and meeting the public remit. This article addresses how a small market PSM is repositioning itself in a media landscape dominated by global platforms, streaming services and legacy media adopting platformisation strategies. We examine platformisation at the Flemish broadcaster VRT through the lens of its digital audio strategy. The study combines document analysis and expert interviews. Results show a strategic shift towards more focus on user needs and habits; a branding strategy revolving around the VRT parent brand; a necessary yet precarious presence on third-party platforms; a legacy-driven content offering complemented by online-only commissioning; and a firm editorial grip on content curation. VRT's take on these strategic innovations highlights a series of key dilemmas for PSM to reconcile public remit delivery and competitiveness in a platformised media landscape. Public Service Media Previous Read the article Next

< Back Challenges and requirements for implementing due prominence: aligning stakeholder interests in Flanders Van der Elst, P., Afilipoaie, A., & Raats, T. (2025). Challenges and requirements for implementing due prominence: aligning stakeholder interests in Flanders. Frontiers in Communication, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1569132 Since the introduction of Article 7a in the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), which enables Member States to impose measures that ensure prominence of general interest services on user interfaces, discussions within media policy on the need of these measures have increased markedly. In Member States such as Germany, France, Italy and Ireland, commitments were already imposed on players offering user interfaces to audiovisual—and in some cases also audio—media services and content of general interest. This article presents the findings of a study examining the desirability and feasibility of implementing due prominence measures in Flanders (Belgium). The research adopts a media policy analytical approach and examines the (i) positions of the different stakeholders on the desirability and feasibility of a revised prominence regime, (ii) the extent to which interests across different stakeholders can be aligned and (iii) the considerations governments need to take into account when developing due prominence measures in Member States. The research is based on a stakeholder consultation conducted with broadcasters, television distributors, streaming services and hardware manufacturers operating in the Flemish market. The research is complemented with interviews with representatives of different market actors. The study identifies considerable oppositional logics between broadcasters and hardware manufacturers and raises challenges in defining the scope of ‘general interest’, the addressees of prominence measures, contextual factors such as markets size and path-dependency in media policy, and the commensurability between different existing legal frameworks at the national and EU level. The authors argue for clearer, more explicit guidelines at the EU level regarding the interpretation of Article 7a. Stakeholders Previous Read the article Next

< Back Intended, afforded, and experienced serendipity: overcoming the paradox of artificial serendipity Smets, A. Intended, afforded, and experienced serendipity: overcoming the paradox of artificial serendipity. Ethics Inf Technol 27 , 33 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10676-025-09841-6 Designing for serendipity in information technologies presents significant challenges for both scholars and practitioners. This paper presents a theoretical model of serendipity that aims to address this challenge by providing a structured framework for understanding and designing for serendipity. The model delineates between intended, afforded, and experienced serendipity, recognizing the role of design intents and the subjective nature of experiencing serendipity. Central to the model is the recognition that there is no single definition nor a unique operationalization of serendipity, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach to its conceptualization and design. By delineating between the intentions of designers, the characteristics of the system, and the experiences of end-users, the model offers a pathway to resolve the paradox of artificial serendipity and provides actionable guidelines to design for serendipity in information technologies. However, it also emphasizes the importance of establishing ‘guardrails’ to guide the design process and mitigate potential negative unintended consequences. The model aims to lay ground to advance both research and the practice of designing for serendipity, leading to more ethical and effective design practices. Previous Read the article Next

< Back New report of the Fair MusE project 1 Nov 2024 New report "From Value Networks for Recorded Music to Music Ecosystem" The latest report from the Fair MusE Project - "From Value Networks for Recorded Music to Music Ecosystem" - dives deep into how Music Streaming Services (MSS) and User-Generated Content (UGC) platforms are reshaping the music industry’s value landscape. This shift in the industry is about more than just a digital transformation; it's fundamentally changing how power, access, and revenue flow through the music ecosystem. A New Layer of Gatekeeping With the rise of MSS platforms like Spotify and UGC platforms like YouTube, traditional routes for accessing and promoting music have been redefined. These platforms now serve as powerful gatekeepers, determining which artists and tracks gain visibility. This influence reshapes who has control over exposure and, ultimately, success. Rather than simply distributing music, these platforms filter content through algorithms, strategically showcasing certain songs while others remain hidden, based on complex calculations that prioritize user engagement and platform profits. Navigating and negotiating the new landscape Despite the power of these platforms, traditional stakeholders, particularly major record labels, are finding ways to adapt. Labels are leveraging their vast artist rosters and music catalogues to secure valuable partnerships with MSS and UGC platforms. By doing so, they maintain a degree of influence over what listeners see and hear, reinforcing the competitive dynamics in the industry. The relationships between labels and streaming platforms can be seen as a balancing act, as both sides negotiate control, exposure, and revenue shares. A shift from value networks to a music ecosystem Approaching the music industry as an interconnected ecosystem reveals the complex interdependence between streaming and UGC platforms, labels, artists, and audiences. This ecosystem perspective helps contextualize the ongoing evolution, but it also exposes fairness concerns. For example, algorithmic curation tends to spotlight content from major labels, reinforcing their dominance. The current payout models on platforms like Spotify and YouTube often favor big players, leaving smaller artists and independent labels in a more precarious position. ➜ Full Report If these insights spark your interest, the Fair MusE report also has a systematic review of academic literature on music streaming including case studies on both Spotify and YouTube. For the full tracklist of findings and analysis, check out the complete Fair MusE report: https://fairmuse.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/D3.1_Value-Networks.pdf Previous Next

< Back LLMs and Recommenders Ulysse Maes PhD Researcher My four-year PhD program embarks on an insightful journey to explore the influence of foundational models, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), on recommender interfaces. This research aims to bridge the gap between cutting-edge technology and user-centric design, focusing on how AI can enhance the user experience in recommender systems, thereby contributing to the rapidly evolving field of intelligent user interfaces, The first phase of my research delves into the transformative role of LLMs in shaping more interactive and engaging recommender user experiences. Here, I map out how these advanced models can redefine user interaction, making it more intuitive and appealing. Central to this phase is not only the exploration of the potential of LLMs but also a critical examination of the risks involved. Ensuring the ethical application of these technologies in real-world scenarios is a cornerstone of my study, as it balances innovation with responsibility. Shifting gears in the second phase, the research will pivot towards the creation and evaluation of user interfaces. This phase is dedicated to experimenting with novel layout and presentation patterns, rigorously assessing them both quantitatively and qualitatively. The goal is to uncover design strategies that align with the diverse objectives of various stakeholders in the recommender system domain. By intertwining state-of-the-art AI research with the underexplored realm of user interaction in recommender systems, my project aims to make significant contributions to the discourse on ethical AI applications. The insights gained are expected to fuel discussions around AI ethics in recommender systems and inspire professionals to adopt more user-friendly and effective design patterns. Ultimately, this research seeks to set a new benchmark in how we integrate generative AI technologies into user interfaces, ensuring they are not only advanced but also ethical and user-centric. Publications Not One News Recommender To Fit Them All: How Different Recommender Strategies Serve Various User Segments 22/09/2025 GenUI(ne) CRS: UI Elements and Retrieval-Augmented Generation in Conversational Recommender Systems with LLMs 08/10/2024 Supervisors Annelien Smets Research Professor Tim Raats Associate Professor Related news 2 Impressions of IBC 2025 Ulysse’s Impressions of the International Broadcasting Convention 2025: Shaping The Future. 2 Looking back at IUI 2025 Ulysse attended the conference and presented at the AXAI workshop 2 Looking back at RecSys 2024 Sharing our reflections on the ACM RecSys Conference 2024 Previous Next

< Back Dongxiao Li PhD Researcher dongxiao.li@vub.be We are surrounded by a technologically evolving media world where journalism agencies and media firms are increasingly utilizing innovative technologies like artificial intelligence(AI) to improve the production efficiency and meet our personalized requirements. For a media organization, how to use the technologies to optimize the informative value and its commercial benefits? And for the media industry, how to reach a win-win situation among the main stakeholders including the media firms, the users, the technology developers, and the government, so as to boost the social welfare? Those questions intrigued me to carry out researches on illustrating the relations between the technology, the media industry and the human at different socioeconomic dimensions by both qualitative methods like interview and case study, and quantitative approaches including survey and online data analysis. After achieving the Bachelor’s degree of Economics (Shandong University, China), I worked as an overseas engineering project manager for years in other countries like India and Malaysia, which helped me gain the ability of project management as well as the vision of inter-culture communications. Then I found my enthusiasm in media study and pursued the Master’s Degree of Communication (Tsinghua University, China) with the thesis on AI adoption in the media and creative industry. Having an educational background where economics and communication converge, I am also interested in the economic communication, especially on how the business news could be better accepted via digital technologies like AI and VR. Visit my research profile

< Back Pieter Ballon Full Professor pieter.ballon@vub.be Professor Pieter Ballon is Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences, director of imec-SMIT and Vice-Rector of Research at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He is also co-founder of the European Network of Living Labs and of the Hannah Arendt Institute. Prof. Ballon holds a PhD in Communication Sciences and an MA in Modern History. He is the co-founder of the European Network of Living Labs, the Open Agile Smart Cities network and the Hannah Arendt Institute. From 2017 to 2021, he was the VUB Academic Chair on Smart Cities. His expertise lies in Digital Platforms, Business Model Innovation and Smart Cities, on the subject of which he has a.o. published the popular book “Smart Cities : hoe technologie onze steden leefbaar houdt en slimmer maakt” . Visit my research profile

< Back People, personalisation, prominence: A framework for analysing the PSM shift to digital portals and interrogating universality across contexts Iordache, C. et al. (2024). People, personalisation, prominence: A framework for analysing the PSM shift to digital portals and interrogating universality across contexts. International Journal of Cultural Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/13678779241296556 In the context of enhanced platformisation, Public Service Media (PSM) are once again forced to rethink the ways in which they achieve core public values. To this end, PSM have been prioritising the development of their own video-on-demand portals. To contribute to ongoing research, we propose a theoretical framework that can be applied by future PSM work, based on the operationalisation of platformisation in PSM policy documents and strategy. We identify the shared priorities across ten media organisations in seven media markets: Belgium—Flanders and Wallonia-Brussels, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Poland, and the UK. The study is based on the qualitative analysis of 61 documents, outlining the PSM remit and how they report and present themselves to governments, collaborators, and audiences, contextualised by ongoing national and regional debates. Findings confirm that the framework of people, personalisation, and prominence can serve as a useful theoretical basis for understanding and interrogating universality across contexts. Public Service Media Previous Read the article Next

< Back Policy Brief on Public Service Media in Belgium 27 Mar 2025 Findings and recommendations on the organisational and cultural challenges facing PSM in Belgium In this new policy brief Tim Raats and Cataline Iordache share results from the latest research conducted during the second year of the PSM-AP project . Their findings show that Public Service Media (PSM) organizations in Belgium, being RTBF (French-speaking) and VRT (Flemish) face growing competition from global tech giants such as Netflix, Apple, Google, and Amazon. This requires a transition into fully digital, online-first broadcasters. While both are integrating digital tools and skills, structural barriers rooted in traditional broadcasting, such as bureaucracy and departmental silos, slow down this transformation. They are adapting their commissioning and distribution strategies to better meet audience needs while maintaining their public service mission and managing brand perception. However, their digital transition differs: VRT is positioning VRT MAX as the central platform for content, whereas RTBF struggles to rebrand Auvio beyond a catch-up service, as linear TV is still dominant for reaching audiences. Their study identifies the following four key factors that shape the way in which both Belgian PSM organizations are managing the rise of internet delivery and increasing competition with international streamers: If you want to learn more about the outcomes of in-depth interviews with employees in both PSM organizations, have a look at the full policy brief here . Previous Next

< Back Aina Errando PhD Researcher aina.errando@vub.be With a background in journalism, she has studied a master’s degree in Political Science: International and European Governance (VUB), an Advanced Master’s in European Integration (BSOG), and a Master’s in Digital and Data Journalism (Nebrija Univeristy). As a PhD researcher in the ALGEPI project (understanding ALGorithmic gatekeepers to promote EPIstemic welfare), she works analysing some of the most pressing challenges facing the media industry today. Her research focuses on algorithmic gatekeepers and media strategies, exploring why and how algorithms are designed to fit and influence media consumption. In an algorithmic media environment, it is crucial to understand which mechanisms help retain or regain trust in media as well as to assess how algorithmic gatekeepers can contribute to or hinder media diversity. Visit my research profile