Public broadcasters CBC/Radio-Canada, RTBF in Belgium, SRG SSR in Switzerland and ZDF in Germany, in collaboration with non-profit organization New_ Public, on Tuesday unveiled test concepts of possible solutions to transform how their websites, apps and other digital platforms are used for public conversation.
“By encouraging open and diverse conversations, public broadcasters aim to play a crucial role in stimulating informed public debate that is essential to democracy,” reads a CBC press release.
Tuesday’s announcement follows the launch last year of the broadcasters’ joint initiative, the Public Spaces Incubator, which was created to explore new ways for public service media to support civic engagement and democratic discourse.
During the past year, more than 100 test concepts were developed and feedback was sought from more than 200 stakeholders in Canada, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, according to the press release.
One of the prototypes revealed Tuesday is a “Comments Slider”, where users can submit a response to a question along a spectrum, which encourages users to see and share more nuanced opinions, beyond the typical binary response of Like/Dislike or Upvote/Downvote, and to find common ground across differences in opinion, the release says.
Another prototype called “Representing Perspectives” visualizes perspectives based on social roles claimed by users when writing a comment, the release explains, adding journalists could highlight perspectives not yet represented in a discussion to encourage broader participation.
A prototype called “Public Square View” explores new ways for users to interact with others during and after a livestream, encouraging people to participate “in lightweight, fun, and ephemeral ways”, the release says.
Work on these and other test concepts is ongoing, with a final selection to be made for further development and production, the release says.
“CBC/Radio-Canada, as the national public broadcaster, has a duty to ensure that our online conversations are respectful, constructive and well-informed so that all Canadians can participate,” Catherine Tait, president and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, said in a statement. “This is the unique and innovative role of public service media — to advance media experiences for our audiences in ways that support democratic discourse. So, we are delighted to share today some of the incredible ideas that the Public Spaces Incubator has developed over the past year in a truly groundbreaking collaboration between our teams at CBC/Radio-Canada, ZDF, RTBF and SRG SSR.”
“It’s both possible and necessary to create more constructive public conversations online — public service media are perfectly positioned to play a key role,” said Eli Pariser, co-director of New_ Public. “These prototypes are basic representations of our ideas, made to inspire new possibilities and to prompt feedback from audiences and stakeholders.”
On May 27, a panel discussion on the Public Spaces Incubator’s progress and potential impact will be held at the re:publica Berlin 2024 conference. Moderated by New_ Public’s Pariser, the panel will include CBC’s Tait, ZDF director general Norbert Himmler and RTBF administrator general Jean-Paul Philippot.
Image borrowed from CBC/Radio-Canada’s website
