Who needs public service media at a time when anyone who wants to can be a journalist? File sharing - good, bad or even worse? Who will pay for content in the future? At a media conference of the Nordic countries and Baltic States held at the Kumu art museum in Tallinn on 11 and 12 June 2009 we examined the crossovers between traditional media and new media and the developments these have led to and debated a number of issues.

Expressing their views on these topics were media experts and news and programme directors from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Estonia. Adding further interest to the event was Professor Emeritus Roger Wallis from the Royal Swedish Institute of Technology, the headline-making witness in the infamous Pirate Bay court case.

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Here you will find a summary of what was discussed during the first day of the conference.

Margus AllikmaaAlthough the Internet is the most influential medium in an ever more global world, the influence that public service media has is not waning, but in fact growing. This was the view expressed by Margus Allikmaa, Chairman of the Board of ERR, the Estonian national broadcaster, in his opening address. In the light of globalisation there must be greater protection not only of national languages and values, but also the distribution of national information.

Gothenburg University professor of journalism and former director of Swedish Radio Kerstin Brunnberg showcased the success of the digital world in the example of the United States. She highlighted the fact that Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has decided to confine paper-based school textbooks to history and replace them with online textbooks. The governor believes that as a means of teaching and learning it will cost the taxpayer less and be better suited to today's students.

Schwarzenegger's decision is a sign of the start of a new age, and Brunnberg, as one of the organisers of the conference, expressed her hope that after the event - organised jointly by ERR, the Nordic Public Service and the Nordic Council of Ministers' (NCM) Office in Estonia - people will be able to say: "It all started in Tallinn."

Each of the Nordic countries boasts strong public service media, noted Carita Pettersson, director of the NCM office in Estonia. She reminded listeners of the connections between media space, the creative economy and the European Laine JänesUnion's Baltic Sea strategy and how important regional cooperation is in order for all of the countries to remain competitive. The Baltic Sea region must become more open and more attractive on a global basis - something the conference was designed to contribute to.

"Everywhere in Europe, we're looking for answers to the same questions," remarked Estonian Minister of Culture Laine Jänes in her welcome address. She underscored that public service media is and will remain important, but that it must also offer something to the younger generation.

Adversity between private and public service media was thankfully beginning to diminish, the minister said. The two branches share values, but public service media is still there to provide some balance in relation to private media's online publications, offering quality. In conclusion, the minister emphasised the importance of partnerships, culture and innovation and the need to support cultural exports - all of which public service media can get behind.
Leif Loensman

Digitalisation is changing the face of electronic media and we are only at the very start of a new age, said Leif Lønsman, the musical director of DR, the Danish public broadcasting. Lønsman gave a presentation titled "The makeover of public service media - transforming old media into 360-degree digital media".
Lønsman is nevertheless convinced that no new media will swallow old media whole, and that public service media is here to stay. Traditional solutions will coexist with new solutions. Why is this? Lønsman presented an example from life itself: driving to work in the morning and stuck in a traffic jam, a driver will turn the radio on, because you need your eyes and your hands to access the Internet, and you're busy using them to drive.

However, ‘old media' will need to look for new channels and ways of getting its message across. Here, ‘new' does not necessarily have to mean ‘expensive'. Lønsman explained how they have succeeded in launching a 24-hour radio station in Denmark without spending a cent.

During the second half of the first day of the conference the participants attended a range of workshops to examine and debate specific issues in more detail.

Workshop 1

First workshopThe provocative title of the first workshop was "Public service is out! Who needs it when anyone can publish?". During the ensuing debate the participants agreed that there is concern in certain parts that there is some truth to the claim. They noted that they had never thought that they would be facing such problems, not to mention issues related to freedom of speech and copyright. Costs also need to be cut and decisions need to be taken where those cuts will be made. Professor Brunnberg said that the first thing that needs to be reviewed is an organisation's efficiency, and cuts need to be made on that basis; the last thing the scissors should be taken to is programmes. Cooperation in terms of supporting one another was also found wanting. For example, a programme is broadcast on Swedish radio in which the music is absolutely free. The programme is in English and can be used for free, including by colleagues in the Baltic States.

In conclusion, those attending the first workshop agreed that these problems also need to be addressed to politicians - thrashing them out among journalists and media directors alone is not enough. The next step that must be taken is to resolve burning issues.

Workshop 2

Second workshop"Public service - a brand for small nations" was the topic of discussion at the second workshop. First, the participants attempted to define the term ‘public sphere'. They agreed that this involves key terms such as loyalty, solidarity, a common understanding of cultural space and understanding one another.

An issue requiring further discussion is whether public service media should be entirely independent or represent the people. Such media could and should be critical of its own country: that way it remains trustworthy. Research has shown that although the viewing or listening figures for public service media may be small, more than 80% of people trust what they see or hear.

Workshop 3

Third workshopThe third workshop was about building bridges and breaking down walls. Ehsan Noroozi and Susanne Fatah from a Swedish radio station in Malmö both inspired and provoked the participants with their views on how to create an innovative and very public-centred new radio station. Parallels can be drawn here with ETV2, specifically the talk show Vandekohus, which actively involves representatives of Estonia's Russian-speaking community.

Mihkel Kärmas from ERR - who has hosted the highly popular investigative journalism programme Pealtnägija for many years - discussed the difficulties the show has had and the experiences it has lived through. He said that it is generally quite easy to work in Estonia as an investigative journalist, although getting documents approved for official use is becoming more and more of a problem.

Working as an investigative journalist, there is some pressure to film and record things in secret. The question is how far you can take this and whether it is ethical to do so in the first place. Public service media should draw a line somewhere and treat high-ranking politicians - who have to be ready to explain their every word and action at any time - and ordinary citizens - who do not always understand the way the media behaves - differently.