22 JULY 2025

Hi ,

Hope your summer is going well!

In this edition of the EBU Academy newsletter, Ly Truong, who works on podcast strategy at the BBC shares her experience of working with us.

Commissions enable us to help you reach your strategic goals, by upskilling teams to take on new challenges. This was the case when Ly asked EBU Academy to support radio journalists in their move into podcasting.

You can request a bespoke version of any course you see on our website.

There are some popular examples in this newsletter, but we can take on brand new classes for commission too. Whatever you need, please reach out directly to me at kings@ebu.ch.

Thanks for reading!

Justin Kings

Head of EBU Academy

FEATURED ARTICLE

How EBU Academy Supported Digital Transformation at BBC World Service

Written by Ly Truong, Senior Journalist, BBC News

BBC Focus on Africa team, Ly on the left. Photo: BBC Press Office

BBC Arabic and BBC Focus on Africa have been pioneering the transition into digital audio for language teams at the BBC World Service over the last couple of years.

As part of the launch strategies, aligning the teams on key production skills was essential for success. To ensure they teams were fully prepared, I reached out to the EBU Academy.

BBC Focus on Africa moved away from traditional radio to a podcast-first model. The bespoke training has empowered the team to apply their existing audio expertise in creating content for digital audiences specifically.

The team has since delivered engaging, in-depth daily news podcasts that are relevant and impactful.

In line with the BBC’s digital strategy, a new podcast team was formed to cater for the Arabic speaking markets in early 2024. The editorial proposition was unique—a daily video news analysis podcast distributed on YouTube, and audio on podcast platforms.

The podcast features insights from BBC journalists on both global and regional issues, providing a level of analysis that goes beyond what traditional TV and radio formats can offer.

It was an exciting milestone, and once again, the EBU’s bespoke training played a key role in laying a foundation for the team to produce high-quality production.

The training covered everything from compelling storytelling and sound design to presenting skills – all the essentials to deliver a great listening experience.

Photo: Worth Paying Attention/BBC

BBC Arabic's Worth Paying Attention podcast has frequently topped the News Podcasts category in Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and is on par with BBC World Service’s well-established feeds in terms of weekly downloads. Completion rate is also high, often over 85%.

For both teams, EBU Academy’s podcast courses have helped enhance their skills, enabling them to create quality content that resonates with our target audiences.

Turn up Engagement for your Podcast

Inspired by Ly's success story? You can commission podcast classes from EBU Academy covering the topics mentioned in the article, and more including building podcast strategy, creating engaged communities of podcast fans and visualization.

After the summer, our Faculty Member and experienced podcast producer Micky Curling will lead a free introduction to video podcasts.

Also, in September and December, Micky will teach his in-demand class on Using AI in Audio Production

AI HIGHLIGHTS

Popular AI Courses for Commission

AI is reshaping every aspect of our work. Our popular AI courses aren't just about technology, they're about making everyone's work more meaningful, effective and future-ready.

Whether your team is new to AI or looking to deepen its skills, our courses offer practical insights and hands-on experience tailored specifically to public service media professionals. Highlights include:

• A beginners guide to AI and why it matters to Public Service Media

• A Journalist’s Guide to Using AI in the Newsroom

• Effective Prompting Fundamentals

• OSINT Detective Days: Uncovering the Truth Online

• AI for Personalization and Recommendation

These sessions offer a chance to explore how AI can enhance your daily tasks, foster creativity and keep your organization at the forefront of innovation.

PREPAREDNESS

HEST by Request

Participants have been trained to react and provide first-aid in stressful situation. Photo: Eric Feijten

Keeping your teams safe while reporting from challenging environments is more critical than ever. It has been a busy year for Hostile Environment Safety Training (HEST) as several EBU Members have commissioned us to travel to them to run this vital course at their own locations.

These sessions aren't just about safety drills. They're about instilling confidence, practical skills and the readiness needed to face real-world risks. Bringing the training directly to your doorstep not only makes sense financially, but also ensures your team receives context-specific guidance relevant to their assignments.

This is a cost-effective and impactful option to train and prepare teams of journalists.

To book any of these commissions or discuss your own requirements, please email Justin Kings on kings@ebu.ch.

COMING UP

Don't Miss Out on Our September Classes!

Our upcoming September courses are carefully curated to address the evolving needs of public service media professionals. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your AI skills, improve prompting capabilities or gain insights from innovative industry practices, there’s something valuable here for every team member:

• Effective Prompting Fundamentals

• Advanced Prompting

• "Smart (New) Work” Visit to Radio Bremen

• AI Crisis Management - A practical approach for Public Media leaders

• Using AI in Audio Production

Spaces fill quickly, so be sure to register soon!