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< Back #Etmaal2025 4 Feb 2025 Hanne looking back on her presentation on Stakeholder Alignment for News Recommender System (NRS) Implementation After a great first day of interesting sessions, good talks and a fun party, it was my turn to present some findings at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap . This annual conference unites communication scholars from Belgium and the Netherlands and the 2025 edition took place in the beautiful city of Bruges. I could write pages about the picturesque setting and the striking juxtaposition of the historic nature of this city and the innovative, future-oriented discussions we had there. However, let’s get to the point: My presentation on the adoption of news recommender systems (NRS) by legacy, commercial news publishers in Belgium and the Netherlands, and the multi-stakeholder complexities that influence this process. Why Is the Adoption of News Recommender Systems Lagging Behind? While academic research has advanced significantly in the domain of news recommenders and personalization, the practical implementation of NRS in legacy news organizations remains limited. There exists a significant gap between the assumed widespread integration of recommendation algorithms and the reality of their adoption in established news platforms. My research suggests that a key reason for this disconnect lies in the intricate, multi-stakeholder environment in which NRS are designes and implemented . The Multi-Stakeholder Challenge Within news organizations, multiple actors with distinct institutional logics shape the adoption process. Three dominant logics are at play: The journalistic logic , which prioritizes editorial independence, public service, and the integrity and diversity of news content. The commercial logic , focused on revenue generation and return on investment. The tech logic , driven by algorithmic efficiency, and optimization of the NRS functionalities. These different stakeholder interestes and values create tensions and trade-offs : How do news organizations balance algorithmic curation with journalistic gut-feeling for selection and prioritization of news content? How can they ensure that business interests do not overshadow editorial considerations? And how can resources be allocated effectively to maximize the potential of NRS without undermining traditional newsroom workflows? My research highlights the crucial role of the Product Owner (PO) in navigating these tensions. Rather than a single PO mediating in between, all actors, we observe a network of multiple POs , each acting as an “interpreter” or “translator” for the institutional logic they represent. These POs play a vital role in facilitating communication, aligning perspectives, and crafting a strategic roadmap for NRS adoption. Presentation Slide: The complex multi-stakeholder environment with multiple PO's at the center. Two Key Stakeholder Alignment Strategies To ensure smoother adoption of NRS, POs employ two crucial stakeholder alignment strategies: Knowledge Management Strategy The POs facilitate communication between the newsroom, business unit, and tech teams, ensuring knowledge sharing and developing a common understanding. They use educational tools such as “dummy-proof” presentations and explainer videos to foster a shared understanding, mitigating misunderstandings and increase stakeholder buy-in. Showcase Success Strategy To demonstrate the value of NRS, POs present performance metrics through dashboards. However, simply displaying data is not enough. We underscore the importance of literacy within newsrooms as without a good understanding of data insights and the foundational skills to interpret dashboards, stakeholders cannot meaningfully engage with performance metrics or make informed strategic decisions. Presentation Slide: Two Stakeholder Alignment Strategies Moving Forward: A Call for Media Management Studies While advancements from computational sciences and normative narratives in journalism studies are exploring the possibilities of news personalization, media management perspectives remain underexplored. My presentation at Etmaal highlights the need for further studies that bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical implementations. The discussions and feedback I received at Etmaal reaffirmed the relevance of this research, and I look forward to continuing this conversation in future collaborations. For those interested in the role of recommender systems in news media, let’s get in touch! Previous Next

< Back Serendipity Engine SBO We increasingly rely on algorithmically generated recommendations to navigate in both online and offline contexts: listening to music on streaming platforms, reading news online, or following recommendations about activities and events in your favorite city. These recommender systems help us dealing with the abundance of available information, but at the same time raise questions about their impact on individual citizens and society. Many advocate for designs for serendipity in recommenders, but what does this mean in practice? While serendipity is generally understood as a beneficial design principle ought to deliver societal value, putting it into practice still presents major challenges. The Serendipity Engine project sets out to address these challenges and support societal stakeholders in designing recommender systems to foster serendipity in public contexts. Researchers on this project Lien Michiels Postdoctoral Researcher Brett Binst PhD Researcher Annelien Smets Research Professor Consortium partners SBO_ IDLAB.png SBO_ ADREM.png SBO_ IMEC.png SBO_ IDLAB.png 1/3 Tags Recommenders, Artificial Intelligence, Smart City, Diversity and Serendipity Previous Next

< Back The RecSys Conference 2024 8 Oct 2024 Our contributions to the 18th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems From 14 until 18 October 2024, the 18th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems takes place in Bari, Italy. Our SRP Media researchers have various contributions to this conference, as well as the preceding ACM Europe School on Recommender Systems . ACM Europe School on Recommender Systems 2024 During the ACM Europe School on Recommender Systems, leaders in the field give lectures on the practice, research, and state of the art in Recommender Systems. This year, there will be 120 attendees among which 90 students. Click here for the full program . On Tuesday 8 Octobe r, Lien Michiels will teach a lecture on Best Practices for Offline Evaluation . On Friday 11 October, Annelien Smets lectures a course on Digital Economics and Recommender Systems . The ACM Europe School on Recommender Syste ms is organized by Ludovico Boratto (University of Cagliari, Italy) , Cataldo Musto (University of Bari, Italy) , and Fedelucio Narducci (Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy) . How to Evaluate Serendipity in Recommender Systems: the Need for a Serendiptionnaire During the Doctoral Symposium , Brett Binst will present his work from the Serendipity Engine project. Recommender systems can assist in various user tasks and serve diverse values, including exploring the item space. Serendipity has recently received considerable attention, often seen as a way to broaden users’ tastes and counteract filter bubbles. However, the field of research on serendipity is fragmented regarding its evaluation methods, which impedes the progress of knowledge accumulation. This research plan proposes two studies to address these issues. First, a systematic literature review will be conducted to provide insights into how serendipity is currently studied in the field. This review will serve as a reference for novice researchers and help mitigate fragmentation by presenting a thorough overview of the field. This systematic literature review has already revealed a significant gap: the lack of a validated, widely accepted method for evaluating serendipity. Therefore, the second part of this research plan is to develop a validated questionnaire, the serendiptionnaire, to measure serendipity. This tool will provide a ground truth for evaluating serendipity, aiding in answering fundamental questions within the field and validating offline metrics. GenUI(ne) CRS: UI Elements and Retrieval-Augmented Generation in Conversational Recommender Systems with LLMs [demo] During the poster session on Tuesday, Ulysse Maes will present joint work with Lien Michiels and Annelien Smets . Previous research has used Large Language Models (LLMs) to develop personalized Conversational Recommender Systems (CRS) with text-based user interfaces (UIs). However, the potential of LLMs to generate interactive graphical elements that enhance user experience remains largely unexplored. To address this gap, we introduce “GenUI(ne) CRS,” a novel framework designed to leverage LLMs for adaptive and interactive UIs. Our framework supports domain-specific graphical elements such as buttons and cards, in addition to text-based inputs. It also addresses the common LLM issue of outdated knowledge, known as the “knowledge cut-off,” by implementing Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG). To illustrate its potential, we developed a prototype movie CRS. This work demonstrates the feasibility of LLM-powered interactive UIs and paves the way for future CRS research, including user experience validation, transparent explanations, and addressing LLM biases. It’s (not) all about that CTR: A Multi-Stakeholder Perspective on News Recommender Metrics During the poster session on Thursday, Hanne Vandenbroucke will present joint work with Annelien Smets . Recommender systems are increasingly used by news media organizations. Existing literature examines various aspects of news recommender systems (NRS) from a computational, user-centric, or normative perspective. Yet research advocates studying the complexities of real-world applications around NRS. Recently, a multi-stakeholder approach to NRS has been adopted, allowing to understand different stakeholder perspectives on NRS development and evaluation within the news organization. However, little research has been done on the different key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics considered valuable by different stakeholders. Based on 11 interviews with professionals from two commercial news publishers, this paper demonstrates that stakeholders prioritize distinct KPIs and metrics related to the reach-engagement-conversion-retention funnel. The evaluation of NRS performance is often limited to short-term metrics like CTR, overlooking the multiplicity of stakeholders involved. Our findings reveal how different purposes, KPIs, and metrics are valued from the journalistic, commercial, and tech logic. In doing so, this paper contributes to the multi-stakeholder approach to NRS, advancing our understanding of the real-world complexity of NRS development and evaluation. Navigating Discoverability in the Digital Era: a Theoretical Framework During the MuRS: Music Recommender Systems Workshop 2024 , Rebecca Salganik will present joint work with Valdy Wiratama , Heritiana Ranaivoson and Adelaida Afilipoaie (FairMuse). The proliferation of digital technologies in the distribution of digital content has prompted concerns about the effects on cultural diversity in the digital era. The concept of discoverability has been presented as a theoretical tool through which to consider the likelihood that content will be interacted with. The multifaceted nature of this broad theme has been explored through a variety of domains that explore the ripple effects of platformization, each with its own unique lexicography. However, there is yet to be a unified framework through which to consider the complex pathways of discovery. In this work we present the discovery ecosystem, consisting of six individual, interconnected components, that encompass the pathway of discovery from start to finish. Workshop on Normative Design and Evaluation of Recommender Systems (NORMalize) On October 18, Lien Michiels is co-organizing t he Second Workshop on Normative Design and Evaluation of Recommender Systems. Previous 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 Hanne Vandenbroucke PhD Researcher hanne.vandenbroucke@vub.be Hanne Vandenbroucke joined imec-SMIT-VUB in May 2023 as a PhD- researcher on the topic of recommender algorithms and news personalization in the Flemish news media industry. She followed a unique Bachelor’s trajectory combining Languages and Linguistics with Communication Sciences at KU Leuven. I have completed the Master’s degree in Communication Sciences cum laude at KU Leuven and extended this master with an extra semester abroad at Universidad Camilo José Cela in Madrid. After graduating Hanne gained experience working as a marketing manager in the field of digital education. Visit my research profile

< Back New research network for VOD research methods 16 Oct 2024 A new website with all there is to know about Video-on-Demand (VoD) research methods Exciting news for all media researchers working on VOD: a new website has been launched for Video-on-Demand (VoD) research methods. This network is created by Ramon Lobato, Karin van Es, and Jannick Sørensen. The site aims to support researchers investigating VoD platforms and methodologies. 🌐 Although still under development, it’s already up and running at vodmethods.net . The network was born from the Innovative Methods for Video-on-Demand Research event on 12 September 2024. The event, organized by Karin van Es from Utrecht University and Ramon Lobato from RMIT University, gathered VOD researchers to discuss the latest methodological innovations in VoD studies. Tim Raats and Catalina Iordache were invited to present their research on a methodological toolkit. 💡 Discover more about the SRP Media researchers here . One of the outstanding features of the new website is the Reading list . This resource is a living document, updated with essential readings on a variety of themes related to VoD research. It’s designed to serve both experienced researchers and students, providing a comprehensive starting point for anyone diving into the complexities of VoD platforms and their societal impact. As the network grows, so will the reading list, which we hope will become a go-to resource for the entire community. 📚 Next to the reading list, make sure to have a look at the Toolkit , and keep an eye on the site as it continues to develop. This is just the beginning for what promises to be an invaluable resource for VoD research. 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

< Back Public Service Media and Platformization Pieter Van der Elst PhD Researcher This part of the SRP research project aims to develop in-depth knowledge on how an increasingly algorithmized media industry compels European Public Service Media (PSM) to alter their operational and value-related strategies. During a time period of 4 years, we will scrutinize how PSM’s part in the media value chain is affected and what that means for the company, the content and the end-user. A first phase of the research focuses on the organizational side of PSM. More specifically, we concentrate on the case of Flemish public broadcaster VRT and how they are operationalizing a digital and user-first approach in their digital audio strategy. Complementary analysis of the decision-making behind this organizational shift will be key to developing a thorough understanding of what it means for a public legacy media player to adapt to the ever-changing industry it operates in. In later stages of the project, our focus will shift towards what said transition implies for PSM on the levels of content production, distribution and the societal core values imbued. This part of the research will also broaden our scope geographically by including scrutiny of other European PSM organizations and how their methods compare to one another. Examinations of audience perspectives will conclude our research journey and provide us with indispensable insights on the topic. Through this research programme we aim to consolidate our understandings on algorithm-driven media operations and media-economics and media policy oriented PSM-research, not only serve the academic community, but also to provide small market PSM-organizations with tools to better understand and integrate algorithms, and assist policymakers in developing ways of regulating and measuring the impact of algorithms on media output and audience reach. Publications Catching the waves: The case of VRT's digital-first audio strategy 02/09/2025 Challenges and requirements for implementing due prominence: aligning stakeholder interests in Flanders 18/07/2025 Towards a Pragmatic Approach for studying Normative Recommender Systems 18/09/2023 Supervisors Catalina Iordache Guest Professor Tim Raats Associate Professor Related news 2 Report Published: How to Ensure Visibility and Prominence for Media Services of General Interest in Flanders Commissioned by the Flemish Minister of Media, this research report investigates findability, discoverability, and due prominence for audiovisual and auditive media services. 2 Ciao from EMMA in Rome! Our presentations at the emma Conference 2025 2 Media Industries Conference, London An overview of our presentations at Media Industries in London Previous Next

< Back Wrap-up of the RecSys Summer School 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

< Back Rethinking Transparency in Public Service Media: a multidimensional framework for better governance Van den Bulck, H., Horowitz, M., & Raats, T. (2025). Rethinking Transparency in Public Service Media: a multidimensional framework for better governance. Frontiers in Communication , 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2025.1569363 Transparency has become a cornerstone of public service media (PSM) governance yet it remains inconsistently understood and applied. Increased scrutiny from various stakeholders has resulted in a need for actionable and meaningful transparency. Scholarly evidence highlights transparency’s benefits and risks, including potential misuse, as illustrated with current examples from Finnish PSM organization Yle and tVRT in Flanders (Belgium). This brief provides a multidimensional framework for actionable transparency efforts that allow PSM to move beyond ad hoc, reactive and partial approaches by elaborating key dimensions of transparency about what, when, how, by whom and to whom, transparency is required. Recommendations include fostering transparency practices that are meaningful and resistant to weaponization and politicization, developing participatory governance models, and leveraging transparency as a tool for organizational resilience. Public Service Media Previous Read the article Next

< Back New publication: NORMalize Workshop (@ RecSys23) 15 Sept 2023 Exploring Power Dynamics in Digital Platform Markets: A Pragmatic Approach to Normative Recommender Systems We are excited to share that our research team has contributed a paper to the first workshop on Normative Design and Evaluation of Recommender Systems (NORMalize), co-located with the 17th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems in Singapore. Our paper, titled "Towards a Pragmatic Approach for studying Normative Recommender Systems: exploring Power Dynamics in Digital Platform Markets" examines two key economic dynamics prevalent in digital media markets that challenge the development of normative RSs. The first hurdle focuses on the susceptibility of digital platforms to lock-in and monopolization due to network effects, skewing the power balance towards system providers. The second hurdle delves into the "attention economy" and the engagement-centric logic in RS design. This logic, while successful in boosting engagement, might compete with explicit or long-term user objectives We illustrate the real-world significance of these dynamic with insights from the domains of video-on-demand and news media. Furthermore, by offering policy recommendations we wish to address the normative challenges that arise in RS design. PhD researcher Hanne Vandenbroucke will be presenting this paper during the NORMalize workshop on Tuesday, September 19. Previous Next

< 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