How does a public broadcaster integrate AI into a decentralized network of 13 organizations?
What are the challenges and opportunities that arise when a media giant like NPO, the Dutch public media broadcaster, integrates AI across their newsrooms?
Ezra Eeman, Director of Strategy & Innovation at NPO, joined me to help understand and answer these core questions. With almost 20 years of experience in media, innovation, and journalism, Ezra writes the weekly LinkedIn newsletter Wayfinder and has been at the forefront of digital transformation. Previously, Ezra was Change Director at the international media company Mediahuis, coordinating newsroom transformation and digital acceleration. He also served as the Head of Digital, Transformation, and Platforms at the European Broadcasting Union, and before that, he was head of an innovation lab and journalist at VRT, the Flemish public broadcaster.
In our conversation, Ezra broke down NPO's AI strategy, revealing the complexities of navigating this frontier within a decentralized network of 13 broadcasters. From leveraging AI for accessibility and efficiency to cautious experiments with synthetic voices, NPO's approach offers a fascinating case study in balancing innovation with public trust.
Here are some of the key takeaways from our discussion:
1️⃣ Ezra shared how they are balancing public trust while experimenting with AI tools. He shared a powerful example of using a synthetic voice to bring a deceased journalist's diaries to life in a podcast, highlighting the need for context, consent, and careful consideration of ethical implications.
2️⃣ The need for proactive collaboration between US tech giants and European media entities in AI development. Ezra's insights underscore the role public media must play in shaping these tools and the potential consequences of an uneven AI landscape.
3️⃣ The imperative of agility and iteration in the face of rapid technological change. Ezra's call for skill and adaptability is a rallying cry for all of us in the media, urging us to embrace the discomfort of constant learning and growth.
Amidst the high-level strategies and industry-wide implications, Ezra also offered a deeply personal glimpse into the day-to-day reality of working with AI tools. He shared how he is using tools like ChatGPT as a brainstorming partner and copy editor, while recognizing the vital role of human judgment.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation available now on Apple, Spotify, Google, and other major podcast platforms.
Navigating the AI Frontier at the Dutch Public Broadcaster NPO: In Conversation with Ezra Eeman