Media Futures

This project seeks to create a European data-driven innovation centre that brings together entrepreneurs, artists and other stakeholders in the media value chain to develop a programme that expands on the usual models, and thus find new ways for people to engage in quality journalism, scientific education and democratic processes.

CHALLENGE

Populism is growing, filter bubbles encourage extreme positions, and we face a public that is losing confidence in facts. Public opinion is increasingly shaped online, based on content and narratives designed for clicks. We also live in a political culture in which debate appeals to the emotions of the population. Public engagement is fragmented and polarised, and attention spans have shrunk. These trends have become a challenge to creating new approaches, experiences and information technologies that entertain and educate at the same time.

SOLUTION

Media-Futures will create a European digital innovation hub for the media value chain that will bring together micro-businesses, SMEs, creatives, data and technology providers, as well as experts in human and IT interaction, ethics, media studies, social innovation, entrepreneurship, and privacy and data protection. It will provide an acceleration programme and residencies for start-ups and artists with the goal is to help them carry out pilot projects that result in new products, services, processes and artistic experiences based on the use of data, to encourage meaningful participation in quality journalism, scientific education and digital citizenship.

RESULTS

Through its acceleration and artist-in-residence programme, MediaFutures will support the creation of novel products, services, processes and artistic experiences based on the use of data, which will reshape the media value chain with respect to the current challenges they face. The programme consists of training in communication, use, analysis and protection of data, social innovation, entrepreneurship, ethical and legal aspects, public funding opportunities, as well as technical support and infrastructure, contact with investors and non-refundable funding of up to 80,000 euros.