< Back 15 Aug 2023 Get inspired at the first Dutch-Belgian Workshop on Recommender Systems Get ready for the first Dutch-Belgian Workshop on Recommender Systems (DBWRS)! On 14 and 15 December 2023, researchers and practitioners gather in the beautiful city of Antwerp for a two-day workshop to to explore and discuss the latest advancements, challenges, and opportunities in the field of recommender systems. DBWRS is a collaborative event bridging diverse field such as computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, psychology, communication, and more! Together we spark innovative and interdisciplanary approaches that enhance user experiences, empower perzonalization and contribute to the growing field of recomemnder systems. We invite you to join us at DBWRS 2023! Share your insights, connect with other researchers and practitioners and get inspired by experts. See you in Antwerp on 14 & 15 December 2023. www.dbwrs23.be Previous Next Join us at DBWRS 2023

< Back 3 Feb 2025 Special Issue on Public Service Media in the Age of Platforms A new special issue of Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies , edited by Hanne Bruun, Catherine Johnson, Tim Raats , and Vilde Schanke Sundet, seeks to explore the challenges traditional PSM organisations are facing in audience retention, content production, and platform dependency. While much research has focused on the political and economic dimensions of platformisation, there remains a significant gap in comparative studies of the organisational practices and cultural outputs of PSM organisations worldwide. This special issue aims to address this gap by adopting a comparative lens. The editors invite contributions that examine PSM through comparative methodologies, including cross-national studies, comparisons across policy, organisational practices, and cultural production, and mixed-method approaches. Submissions that go beyond Western-centric perspectives are especially encouraged. Suggested Topics Include: Comparative analysis of changing organisational cultures in PSM PSM commissioning, publishing, and distribution practices in different contexts Cross-platform and cross-national comparisons of PSM programming and content Mixed-method approaches to understanding PSM policy, production, and texts Theoretical and methodological innovations in comparative PSM research Key Dates: Abstract submission deadline: 4 April 2025 (500-750 words) Notification of acceptance: 5 May 2025 Full article submission deadline: 22 September 2025 Researchers interested in contributing should submit their abstracts to PSMspecialissue@leeds.ac.uk . This is a unique opportunity to contribute to an urgent and timely discussion on the evolving role of PSM in the platform era. Don't miss this opportunity to share your research! ⏩️ https://psm-ap.com/comparative-approaches-to-public-service-media-in-the-age-of-platforms/ Previous Next Call for Papers Special Issue

< Back 16 Jun 2023 Our key takeaways from the Recommender Systems Summer School in Copenhagen From 12 to 16 June, several researchers from the Media Economics & Policy Unit took part in the Recommender Systems Summer School in Copenhagen. During this Summer School, academics and industry leaders lectured on the practice, research, and state of the art in recommender systems. The lectures covered a broad range of topics from an algorithmic as well as a methodological perspective, including hands-on sessions. This week brought many interesting insights for our strategic research program on recommender systems and this short report highlights some of the key takeaways. Not an algorithm, but a system Recommender systems encompass more than just the algorithm itself. They require the thoughtful implementation of (a combination of several) algorithms that align with specific domain objectives, account for optimal user experience in different contexts, and seek to create mutual value for various stakeholders It is crucial to recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to recommender systems. The strategy employed must be tailored to the specific domain in which the system operates, considering the unique objectives, economic factors, values and challenges inherent to that domain. For instance, in the realm of news, evaluating the system's quality necessitates considerations such as diversity and serendipity, speed and coverage. The recommender system design must consider the overall user experience. This involves understanding the various features and styles influencing users’ interaction with the platform, as well as analyzing the user journey and recognizing the impact of contextual dependencies on their preferences and needs. In both academic literature and practical applications, the primary goal of recommendation systems is to create value. This entails a reciprocal relationship between user values and business values. By addressing user needs and providing quality personalized recommendations that go beyond mere accuracy the system increases short-term engagement. Furthermore, these systems aim to cultivate long-term loyalty and build strong relationships with the target audience. In summary, well-designed recommendation systems enhance user engagement by offering personalized recommendations, optimizing the user experience, reducing information overload, fostering serendipitous discovery, continuously learning and improving, integrating social features, and thereby generate added value for business through increased user satisfaction, retention, and potential revenue growth. End of the artificial clean cut between content? Media mergers are changing the industry. One of the many examples is how RTL XL will become a part of Videoland. The question rises how the video-on demand platforms can blend different content types such as movies, series, TV programs, short clips and livestreams in an appealing way. An answer to that question could be answered by formulating the optimal user experience through recommender systems. Currently, the company is analyzing user behaviour in order to develop models that can be used in online user experiments. A next step will be to start A-B testing to create the optimal recommendation model. The goal of VOD platforms is to have loyal visitors, but it is a metric that moves very slowly. Currently, the recommendation system of the RTL is built up on three different types of recommendations: content-based, popular within the genre and collaborative filtering. Interesting fact: Personalized swimming lanes compared to editorials swimming lanes generate 30 min more viewing time per active user per month. The main goal of “this recommender optimizing project” is to work towards continuous loops. Sequential recommender systems are different in that sense that they convert user’s behavior trajectory into recommended items or services. It takes into account the current and recent preferences of a user for a more accurate recommendations. Implementing this new form of recommender system will be one of the key factors to generate a user interface with “blended content” that answers the customer’s needs. A critical stance in the evaluation of recommenders Being grounded in dominantly quantitative forms of assessment, recommender system evaluation needs to pay sufficient attention to real-world significance of numerical results and to whether outcomes actually make sense in applied cases. For instance, is an overall increase in prediction accuracy of a recommendation an accomplishment when large parts of the user base still receive bad recommendations and their preferences remain ill-defined? A call for qualitative sense-making of quantitative evaluation outcomes was certainly made at the Summer School. Also, research papers that seek to evaluate recommender systems often focus more on (incremental) increases in performance percentages than on a solid basis for their actual evaluation. In terms of relevance for the academic field, consequently, little contributions are made. Papers that are characterised by vagueness and technical complexity thus prevent real progress and cannot form the basis for further research. The lack of valuable longitudinal research in the domain of recommender systems can also be related to this. Lastly, by acknowledging that recommender systems impact not only the intended end-user and that their complex nature implies influences also on those not directly involved, we argue that multiple-stakeholder considerations should be the norm. We realize that the inherent complexity of recommender systems makes this a difficult endeavour. But in our attempts to evade the McNamara fallacy and to research in the most holistic way possible, the aim should always be to keep a multi-stakeholder involvement top-of-mind. Not solely in phases of design or evaluation, but as a constant reflective thought from the outset and throughout. Previous Next Wrap-up of the RecSys Summer School

< Back 21 Mar 2024 What are the conditions under which the use of algorithms can contribute to, or threaten, epistemic welfare? “Epistemic Welfare“ stands as a cornerstone concept for understanding how individuals and groups interact with knowledge in today’s digital society. How do we define it? What is the conceptual and methodological framework for the concept? ALGEPI is organising its first annual workshop on the 12th of April 2024 from 10:00h to 13:00h CET to discuss what are the conditions under which the use of algorithms can contribute to, or threaten, epistemic welfare and how can we translate this into actionable parameters or metrics. Join us in the discussion! 🕙 Time: 10:00h to 13:00h CET. 🗓️ Date: 12th of April 2024 📍 Venue: Collegium Veteranorum (109-20) – Sint-Michielsstraat 2-4 , 3000 Leuven ( 02.10 – MGR. O. ROMEROZAAL ). Are you planning to attend? Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis so please let us know by sending us an email ! Registrations will close on the 5th April 2024. In the meantime, if you would like to learn more, have a look at our concept note dissecting the concept of epistemic welfare ! ➡︎ Read the full programme here . Previous Next Join ALGEPI's workshop on Epistemic Welfare!

< Back 1 Oct 2024 Ontdek alle trends en inzichten in ons webinar! Benieuwd naar hoe Vlamingen hun favoriete content streamen? Sluit op 31 oktober aan bij het 1e proeftuin webinar! We introduceren de eerste inzichten uit ons project 'Streaming Affordances voor kleine mediamarkten', ondersteund door VLAIO en de Vlaamse Minister van Media. Tijdens het webinar krijg je een diepgaand overzicht van: De voorkeuren en motivaties van Vlaamse streamers Hoe technologie, context en content hun kijkgedrag beïnvloeden De resultaten van interviews, dagboekonderzoeken en een grootschalige survey Mis deze kans niet om waardevolle inzichten op te doen over de snel veranderende wereld van streaming. Schrijf je vandaag nog in en ontdek hoe de Vlaming met media omgaat! Details: 📆 Datum: 31 oktober 2024 🕚 Tijd: 11u-12u 💻 Online Meld je aan voor deze webinar via onderstaande link: Registreren Previous Next Webinar: Streaming in Vlaanderen

< Back Annelien Smets Research Professor Annelien.Smets@vub.be Annelien is a senior researcher at SMIT in the Media Economics and Policy unit. Her research centers around personalization and recommender systems, and their value in media markets. Annelien holds a PhD in Media and Communication Studies (VUB) on the topic of serendipity in recommender systems and smart cities. She holds a master’s degree in Information Management (2016) and Artificial Intelligence (2017) from KU Leuven. Currently, Annelien is Research Professor at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where she teaches courses on media economics, digital economics, digital business models, and digital innovation management. She is also co-chair of the Serendipity Academic Researchers Network, part of the Serendipity Society. Visit my research profile

About SRP Media SRP Media represents the third Strategic Research Programme on media economics at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel . Its focus lies on understanding algorithm-driven media industries and how they reshape value in small markets. SRP Media c lusters four PhD trajectories and affiliated research projects that deal with Streaming, Recommenders and Platformization in European Media Industries. By doing so, SRP Media aims to foster collaborations and knowledge exchanges across several national and international research projects, and to function as one centralised hub towards external stakeholders. Research projects Streaming, Recommenders and Platformization in European Media Industries The research is conducted within the broader field of media and communication studies, more particularly in the research fields of media economics, political economy, innovation studies, and media policy. The importance of the research is confirmed by existing academic research, current media company practices, and ongoing policy developments in the field. Recent academic research has already been exploring the topic of algorithms in media industries. However, this body of work remains limited, mainly due to the ongoing changes in algorithm use, as well as the limited data publicly available on how algorithms and content recommendations are made in practice. In order to contribute to scientific evidence on the topic, as well as to industry- and policy-related debates and developments, the SRP follows three main research industries, namely news media, public service media, and global and domestic streaming platforms. Each industry will be analysed from four perspectives: media companies, media content, media audiences, and media policy. It also aims to analyse the interplay between the three, to identify their effects on audience consumption, and the ways in which algorithms are used and regulated. The research combines qualitative and quantitative methodology and specifically focuses on small media markets. It also applies case studies, both individually and in comparative analyses, either between different media service providers, or between different EU Member States. The programme will provide media stakeholders with the necessary knowledge on the usage and effects of algorithms on media production, distribution, and consumption. The findings will also help policymakers to formulate legislation that will accurately measure and efficiently regulate the implementation and use of algorithms and recommender systems. Principal Investigators Pieter Ballon Supervisor Tim Raats Supervisor / Track Lead Annelien Smets Track Lead Wendy Van den Broeck Track Lead Meet our team You might also be interested in ... ... fellow knowledge hubs at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel related to media and technology. Nieuwsgebruik.be Mediapunt Mediawijs Knowledge Center Data & Society

< Back 15 Sept 2025 Ulysse’s Impressions of the International Broadcasting Convention 2025: Shaping The Future. Last Friday September 12, I visited IBC in Amsterdam, the world’s largest annual media and broadcasting conference, to present my new subtitling and translation software subtitle.ai at the EBU booth. Although being invited by Future Media Hubs as founder of Scribewave, I also wanted to share some reflections with the SRP Media audience. The first impression was sheer scale. With more than 116 000 m² (over sixteen football fields!), the RAI venue is almost unfathomable in size. Yet, despite the crowds, check-in was smooth, and within minutes I was wandering through one of the colossal halls. Exhibitors showcased everything from switch boxes and coax cables to cameras, rigs, and Media Asset Management (MAM) systems. Tech giants like Google, Nvidia, Amazon, and Microsoft dominated the floor, while I was glad to see a strong Belgian presence as well, with companies such as Mediagenix , Limecraft , and Cuez underlining the solid position of Belgium’s media technology ecosystem. As expected, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the dominant theme, though a touch of “AI fatigue” was noticeable. Some exhibitors even highlighted their non-AI solutions as a differentiator. Still, AI was everywhere: from powering camera selection during sports broadcasts, to enabling multimodal media search, and supporting localization workflows. This naturally connects to my own pitch on AI-assisted subtitling. With subtitle.ai, I argued for a balance: maximizing automation while keeping editors firmly in control. Mine is not the only approach in this space: I noticed many competitors in the Future Tech Hall, each with their own take on the challenge of delivering professional, multi-language subtitles. The importance of subtitles is well documented, for example: Facebook found they increase viewing time by 25%, Verizon reported 80% higher completion rates, and Discovery discovered (sorry, bad pun) that subtitles increased overall views by 13%. Add to that the fact that 85% of social media videos are watched without sound, urging younger generations to default to using subtitles (or is it because of today’s often-mumbled dialogue in films and series?) and the case is clear. Subtitles don’t just boost engagement, they’re now a legal requirement too: since June 2025, the European Accessibility Act mandates closed captions for all content published in Europe. So how does subtitle.ai stand out? The software learns from your formatting guidelines (i.e. 42 CPL, two lines, natural breaks, speaker change indicators) to automate as much as possible, while still allowing editors to review and adjust quickly. Once finished, subtitles can be bulk-translated and auto-formatted into more than 90 languages. Because captions are generated at the word level, they can also be repurposed to create engaging social media highlights, with animated, colorful subtitles designed to capture attention. That was the core message of my pitch, delivered alongside a set of inspiring entrepreneurs and innovators in the media space: • Overtone: contextual intelligence for smarter brand placement in articles • Hypecast: a podcasting platform for internal business communication • SentiGeek: extracting usable insights from messy datasets • And last but not least: a live demo of an interactive audience feedback system from the founder of Pimp My Comedy I’m very grateful to VRT and Future Media Hubs for the opportunity to showcase my work, and thankful for the new connections with media professionals. While my first IBC experience was overwhelming in scale, it left me inspired and more enthusiastic than ever about the creative, inventive ways this industry is tackling its biggest challenges. Previous Next Impressions of IBC 2025

< Back 27 Jan 2025 Evaluating Public Service Media (PSM) in-house video-on-demand (VoD) services Public service media (PSM) all over the world have consistently been subject to social and technological changes . These include radical changes in media use, the advent of streaming services , and the dominance of big tech. The new competitors for the attention of citizens have challenged PSM both as an institution and as organisations. The profound changes in the media landscape have affected the broadcasters themselves, requiring them to transform into fully digital, online-first organisations . In this context, we present results from research conducted during the second year of PSM-AP , a large-scale comparative research project analysing ‘Public Service Media in the Age of Platforms’. In this policy brief , we put forward a series of findings and recommendations on PSM publishing and personalisation practices based on analysis of the PSM in-house video-on-demand (VoD) services and main linear channels in the Belgian market , alongside insights from our wider analysis that includes Canada, Denmark, Italy, Poland, and the UK. Visit the webpage: https://smit.research.vub.be/en/policy-brief-82-streaming-public-service-television-in-the-age-of-platforms Streaming_public_service_television_in_the_age_of_platforms .pdf Download PDF • 725KB https://doi.org/10.48785/100/301 Previous Next New Policy Brief: Streaming Public Service Television in the Age of Platforms

< Back 1 Jul 2026 Want to design for serendipity? Get this practical card set! The Serendipity Cards translate the idea of designing for serendipity into an accessible tool for workshops, reflection, and ideation. They help teams explore how people might unexpectedly discover ideas, information, people, or opportunities. The cards are rooted in research on affordances for serendipity : the idea that you cannot force serendipity, but you can design environments that make it more likely to happen. Learn more ⏩️ https://www.serendipityengine.be/resources/cards Previous Next Serendipity Cards

< Back Adelaida Afilipoaie Postdoctoral Researcher adelaida.afilipoaie@vub.be I am a senior researcher in the field of media policy, with an affinity for electronic communications networks and services, and online platforms. I am part of the Brussels-based imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel research group, more specifically part of the Media Economics and Policy Unit. In 2016 I graduated from my BA. in Media Studies and Television in the United Kingdom. After gaining theoretical knowledge and hands-on production experience in the media industry, I decided to pursue a MSc. in Communication Studies at the VUB in Brussels from which I graduated in 2018. Right after graduating I started working at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where, by combining economic platform theories and media policy research, I conducted my PhD on the regulatory frameworks at the EU and Member States level, and their ability to address the online platform power concerns, which I finalized in 2023. Currently, I am conducting postdoctoral research for several projects (Fair MusE, ALGEPI and GMICP). Considering the domination of online platforms and their algorithms, these projects tackle the various concerns of the European music ecosystem, the impact of algorithmic gatekeepers on individuals’ epistemic welfare and the media markets concentration trends. When I am not involved in research, I am a guest lecturer for the Digital Media in Europe Master’s programme at the VUB and I act as a master’s thesis supervisor. During my time as a PhD candidate, I acted as a Teaching Assistant for the MSc. course European Media Markets and facilitated several workshops part of the now discontinued Postgraduate in Media Economics programme at the VUB (2018-2020). I have experience with European projects as I was a contributor to the SMART 2018/0066 study on the implementation of the new provisions in the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) and CNECT/2020/OP/0099 study on the Media Plurality and Diversity Online, both funded by the European Commission’s DG CNECT. Visit my research profile

< Back Tim Raats Associate Professor tim.raats@vub.be Most of us have grown up with public service broadcasting and linear television as the focal point for news, entertainment and TV drama. While television and public broadcasting still exist today, and still take up crucial positions in the European media landscape, the entire audio-visual constellation has – and is – changing at a rapid pace. My research interests lie on the crossroads of these changes and continuities. In my work, I combine policy research, production studies and media economics to analyse shifts in small audio-visual ecosystems. My expertise areas are public broadcasting policies and strategies on the on the one hand, (with specific attention for public broadcasting partnerships) and the sustainability of television industries in small markets, where I specialized in financing and production of TV drama. I currently lecture various media policy courses (political economy of the creative industries, media policy, EU Media Policy) at the Communication Studies Department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. I obtained a PhD in 2014 on the role and position of public service media in a networked society. As a senior researcher at imec-SMIT, I have been involved in contract research for various stakeholders (including VRT, the Flemish Sector Council), either as researcher, lead researcher or supervisor. Recent projects I was involved in include MeCETES (2014-2016) which analysed patterns of film and TV distribution in Europe, a 2016 stakeholder evaluation of the Flemish Game Fund, and a study examining the effectiveness of support mechanisms for television in Flanders (2016-2017) (in collaboration with Econopolis). Visit my research profile