Research Team Tim Raats Associate Professor Annelien Smets Research Professor Adelaida Afilipoaie Postdoctoral Researcher Hanne Vandenbroucke PhD Researcher Dongxiao Li PhD Researcher Runa Ziegler PhD Researcher Pieter Ballon Full Professor Heritiana Ranaivoson Research Professor Lien Michiels Postdoctoral Researcher Ulysse Maes PhD Researcher Nanoek Bos PhD Researcher Chloé Grangiens PhD Researcher Wendy Van den Broeck Associate professor Catalina Iordache Guest Professor Pieter Van der Elst PhD Researcher Brett Binst PhD Researcher Aina Errando PhD Researcher

Publications Filter by Tags Select Tags Let Me Introduce You: Stimulating Taste-Broadening Serendipity through Song Introductions Brett Binst, Ulysse Maes, Martijn Willemsen, and Annelien Smets. 2026. Let Me Introduce You: Stimulating Taste-Broadening Serendipity through Song Introductions. In 34th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (UMAP ’26), June 08–11, 2026, Gothenburg, Sweden. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 10 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3774935.3806164 Read More FIRE: A Modular Framework for Prototyping and Evaluating Interactive Recommender Explanations Ulysse Maes, Cedric Waterschoot, Francesco Barile, and Nava Tintarev. 2026. FIRE: A Modular Framework for Prototyping and Evaluating Interactive Recommender Explanations. In Proceedings of the 34th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (UMAP '26). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 484–486. Read More You Might Also (Not) Like … : Newsroom Wariness to News Personalisation? Errando, A., Afilipoaie, A., & Ranaivoson, H. (2026). You Might Also (Not) Like … : Newsroom Wariness to News Personalisation? Journalism Practice , 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2026.2682271 Read More Frustrations with Access to Preferred Content: User Experiences with Bilibili’s Recommender Systems Reflected on Weibo Li, D., Ranaivoson, H., & Ballon, P. (2026). Frustrations with Access to Preferred Content: User Experiences with Bilibili’s Recommender Systems Reflected on Weibo. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction , 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2026.2669039 Read More Multistakeholder challenges and opportunities of news recommender systems in newsrooms: a comparative systematic literature review Errando, A., Vandenbroucke, H., & Kulig, M. (2026). Multistakeholder challenges and opportunities of news recommender systems in newsrooms: a comparative systematic literature review. Annals of the International Communication Association Read More Beyond rational choice: A typology of urban discovery Binst, B., Michiels, L., & Smets, A. (2026). Beyond rational choice: A typology of urban discovery. Tourism Management , 113 , 105327. Read More Towards Adaptive Mixed-Initiative Media Recommender Systems with LLMs Ulysse Maes. 2026. Towards Adaptive Mixed-Initiative Media Recommender Systems with LLMs. In Companion Proceedings of the 31st International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI '26 Companion). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 231–233. Read More Not that personal: A qualitative study of personalization practices on six European public streaming service Münter Lassen, J., Iordache, C., Martin, D., Bruun, H., Świtkowski, F., Nucci, A., & Johnson, C. (2026). Not that personal: A qualitative study of personalization practices on six European public streaming service. Television & New Media , 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1177/15274764251415356 Read More Understanding user preferences in recommender systems: A systematic review with a user-centric perspective in the audiovisual domain Li, D., Smets, A., & Ranaivoson, H. (2026). Understanding user preferences in recommender systems: A systematic review with a user-centric perspective in the audiovisual domain. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies , 103741. Read More Dubbing wars: localisation strategies of transnational streaming services for Spanish ‘original’ works Gallo, P., & Iordache, C. (2026). Dubbing wars: localisation strategies of transnational streaming services for Spanish ‘original’ works. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies , 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354856526141627 Read More Welcome to the Metrics Jungle: Organizational Stakeholder Perspectives on Evaluation of News Recommender Systems in Industry Vandenbroucke, H., Michiels, L., & Smets, A. (2025). Welcome to the Metrics Jungle: Organizational Stakeholder Perspectives on evaluation of news recommender systems in industry. ACM Transactions on Recommender Systems, Highlights of RecSys ’24. https://doi.org/10.1145/3778173 Read More From Experimentation to Strategy: The Ambidextrous Balancing Act of Developing News Recommender Systems Vandenbroucke, H., & Smets, A. (2025). From experimentation to strategy: the ambidextrous balancing act of developing news recommender systems. Journal of Media Business Studies , 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/16522354.2025.2590880 Read More

Main Research Tracks News Recommenders in Small Media Markets Recommenders Read More LLMs and Recommenders Recommenders Read More Public Service Media and Platformization Platforms Read More Affiliated projects Advancing Media Recommendations through a User-Centric Understanding of Preferences, Experiences, and Agency Recommenders, User studies Read More Revisioning Public Interest Media Platforms, Public Service Broadcasting Read More Serendipity Engine Recommenders, Artificial Intelligence, Smart City, Diversity and Serendipity Read More Streaming Affordances for small media markets Platforms, Public Service Broadcasting, Streaming, Recommenders Read More Understanding Algorithmic gatekeepers to promote Epistemic welfare Artificial Intelligence, Platforms, Regulation, Media Policy Read More All our affiliated projects are part of the Media Economics & Policy unit at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel . Researchers in this unit work on fundamental and applied research tracks seeking to advance knowledge on how digitalization, internationalization, and platformisation are impacting the business models of traditional media players, how these media players innovate and interact with new players, and how governments contribute to sustaining or strengthening local media ecosystems. The Media Economics & Policy unit is headed by prof. dr. Tim Raats . Click here to learn more about other projects in the Media Economics & Policy unit

Latest updates 1 Jul 2026 Serendipity Cards Want to design for serendipity? Get this practical card set! Read More 16 May 2026 NEW BOOK: Streaming Europe This book presents a comprehensive empirical examination of how global services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video transform European media streaming Read More 20 Jan 2026 Out now: Handbook of Platform Urbanism Online Book Launch for the Handbook of Platform Urbanism Read More 9 Dec 2025 12 PhD positions available The RePim Doctoral Network is looking for 12 PhD positions Read More 15 Sept 2025 Impressions of IBC 2025 Ulysse’s Impressions of the International Broadcasting Convention 2025: Shaping The Future. Read More 21 Jul 2025 AI Summer School 2025 Aina's recap of the AI Summer School at KU Leuven Read More 15 Jul 2025 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. Read More 5 Jun 2025 Ciao from EMMA in Rome! Our presentations at the emma Conference 2025 Read More 22 May 2025 Talking about Stakeholder Perspectives at WMEMC Hanne presented her research on stakeholder alignment for news recommender system development Read More 19 May 2025 Second Annual ALGEPI Workshop Insights on AI, Innovation and Media Regulation Read More 31 Mar 2025 Looking back at IUI 2025 Ulysse attended the conference and presented at the AXAI workshop Read More 27 Mar 2025 Policy Brief on Public Service Media in Belgium Findings and recommendations on the organisational and cultural challenges facing PSM in Belgium Read More 4 Feb 2025 #Etmaal2025 Hanne looking back on her presentation on Stakeholder Alignment for News Recommender System (NRS) Implementation Read More 3 Feb 2025 Call for Papers Special Issue Special Issue on Public Service Media in the Age of Platforms Read More 27 Jan 2025 New Policy Brief: Streaming Public Service Television in the Age of Platforms Evaluating Public Service Media (PSM) in-house video-on-demand (VoD) services Read More 4 Nov 2024 New policy brief: International versus local VOD In a new policy brief and webinar, we present the findings of research on motivations of Flemish viewers Read More 1 Nov 2024 New report of the Fair MusE project New report "From Value Networks for Recorded Music to Music Ecosystem" Read More 28 Oct 2024 Diversity in VOD services: Seminar highlights from Madrid Throwback on the international seminar on diversity and VOD services Read More 23 Oct 2024 Looking back at RecSys 2024 Sharing our reflections on the ACM RecSys Conference 2024 Read More 16 Oct 2024 New research network for VOD research methods A new website with all there is to know about Video-on-Demand (VoD) research methods Read More

Unveiling groundbreaking research, innovative projects, and insights on Streaming, Recommender Systems, and Platformization (SRP) in European Media Markets. Streaming, Recommenders and Platformization in European Media Industries S trategic Research Programme at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel SRP Media In our digital age, understanding the interplay between technology, society, and economics is crucial. Our research aims to analyze and ensure the economic and cultural sustainability of content production, aggregation, and consumption in an era of streaming, recommenders and platformization in European Media Industries. SRP Media is part of the Media Economics & Policy unit at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel . Our research Latest news updates NEW BOOK: Streaming Europe Serendipity Cards Out now: Handbook of Platform Urbanism 12 PhD positions available Impressions of IBC 2025 AI Summer School 2025 Report Published: How to Ensure Visibility and Prominence for Media Services of General Interest in Flanders Ciao from EMMA in Rome! More updates Contact us Pleinlaan 9, 1050 Brussels, Belgium Submit Thanks for your message!

< Back Chloé Grangiens PhD Researcher Chloe.Grangiens@vub.be Chloé joined imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, as a PhD Researcher within the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks RePIM (Redefining Public Interest Media). Her research aims to identify which audiences are being left behind by Public Service Media and to understand how these organisations can better reach and engage these groups. Chloé’s research initially focused on media representation and content production, analysing media discourse and propaganda in crisis contexts. Her interest then expanded toward political communication, examining the relationship among political trust, digital communication and democracy. Today, she combines questions of media production with media reception and audience engagement, focusing on how public media can address challenges like platformisation and audience fragmentation to fulfil their universal service mission. Visit my research profile

< Back Runa Ziegler PhD Researcher runa.ziegler@vub.be At imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Runa works in the Doctoral Network “ Revisioning Public Interest Media ", funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks. Her focus in this context is how Public Interest Media collaborate with each other as well as with other actors, in particular considering the role of global platforms. Runa has a background in Political Science with a Bachelor in International Relations from Malmö University and a Master in Democracy, Citizenship and Change from Dalarna University. She later combined her interests for politics and communication in a research-focused Master in Media and Communication Sciences at Mid Sweden University, focusing on Political Communication on digital platforms. Visit my research profile

< Back Nanoek Bos PhD Researcher nanoek.bos@vub.be Nanoek started as a PhD researcher at SMIT-VUB in 2026 within a broader research project on revisioning public interest media (RePIM). Her work focuses on the adaptation of organisational structures of public service media in an evolving media landscape Before starting at imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Nanoek Bos obtained a dual master's degree in Communication and Information at the University of Amsterdam. She also worked as a trainee for the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, as well as the European Science Foundation, where she worked on science communication for EU-funded projects. Her bachelor programme combined the disciplines of politics, psychology, law and economics. Her academic interests lie mainly at the intersection of communication, EU-policy and psychology. She intends to make societal impact by conducting innovative research. Visit my research profile

< Back Hanne Vandenbroucke PhD Researcher hanne.vandenbroucke@vub.be Hanne Vandenbroucke joined imec-SMIT, Vrije Universiteit Brussel 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. She completed her Master’s in Communication Sciences cum laude at KU Leuven and extended it with an extra semester abroad at Universidad Camilo José Cela in Madrid. After graduating, Hanne gained experience working as a marketing and CRM manager in the field of digital education. In May 2023, Hanne joined the Media Economics and Policy unit . Her research focuses on recommender systems in the news media industry. Throughout her four-year doctoral journey, her research delves into the opportunities and challenges related to recommender systems development within commercial news organisations through the lens of media strategies. The first phase centers on unraveling the strategic decision-making processes in the development and implementation of recommender systems from a multi-stakeholder perspective. In the second phase, the focus shifts towards a user-centric perspective, aiming to examine the added value brought about by recommender systems throughout users' journeys and experiences. Learn more about the PhD and publications Visit my research profile

< Back GenUI(ne) CRS: UI Elements and Retrieval-Augmented Generation in Conversational Recommender Systems with LLMs Maes, U. , Michiels, L. & Smets, A. , (8 Oct 2024). GenUI(ne) CRS: UI Elements and Retrieval-Augmented Generation in Conversational Recommender Systems with LLMs. Proceedings of the 18th ACM Conference on Recommender Systems. Bari: ACM , p. 1177-1179 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. Recommender Systems Previous Read the article Next

< Back Streaming Europe: How Transnational Streaming is Reshaping European Film and Television Markets Iordache, C., & Raats, T. (2026). Streaming Europe: How Transnational Streaming is Reshaping European Film and Television Markets. For media industry scholars, the European market is more than just another territory. It is a unique experiment in cultural governance across a density of languages, institutions, and market structures. ‘Europe’, in this sense, is a problem of knowledge for anyone interested in media, technology, and regulation— no matter where you live. By the same token, Streaming Europe is more than a geographic market study. It is a powerful work of cultural and economic analysis— a book that equips our field with the concepts needed to make sense of the streaming transition as it unfurls across a continent, and around the globe. The US-based global subscription video-on-demand services (Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video) play a starring role in Streaming Europe. Much of the book explores how these SVODs— especially Netflix, the service that ‘set the template, for researchers, but also for other streamers and legacy media’ (Raats and Iordache, Conclusion)— have reconfigured production and distribution across European markets. But this is not the end of the story. Streaming Europe also pays careful attention to the private broadcasters, pay- TV operators, and public service media providers that previously dominated those markets. How these incumbents react to over- the- top competition is a vital piece of the puzzle, too often overlooked in breathless commentary on digital disruption. Other stakeholders considered in this book are the regulators that shape media markets and the politicians— from progressive to populist— to whom they answer. Bringing all these perspectives together, Streaming Europe provides a genuinely holistic account of the streaming industries. Unlike other studies that focus on fragments of a larger whole, Streaming Europe is not content with a micro view. This book has larger ambitions: it wants to tell us how the micro and the macro work together, revealing glimpses of a whole cultural system— from financing and commissioning to translation and user interface design. Edited by Tim Raats and Catalina Iordache, Streaming Europe is the product of years of collaboration by researchers at SMIT (Studies in Media, Innovation and Technology) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. SMIT has long been the world’s leading media economics research centre and is particularly known for its studies of video markets, attracting a respected group of outstanding scholars whose work is influential in the field. Combining the work of the SMIT team with invited essays from distinguished experts, Streaming Europe weaves these years of knowledge and debate into a concise field guide to the economics of streaming. What I love most about SMIT’s approach to media economics is its holistic understanding of markets. This is not the neoclassical economics that strips its objects of culture and history. On the contrary, SMIT research uses institutional, policy, and production-focused perspectives to understand culture. It is historical and humane in its approach. It understands the importance of language and the power of genre. It respects the ways audiences behave, think, and feel. This is a contextual way of thinking about markets, in the best tradition of economic thought. Streaming Europe showcases how this approach can be put to work across the streaming ecology. In sharing this knowledge, the contributors and editors of Streaming Europe have done a great service to streaming scholars worldwide. I can think of no better guide to the turbulence of today’s video landscape than this excellent volume. (Foreword by Ramon Lobato) Platforms Previous Read the article 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