Innovation analysis of national scale public media in the Iberian Peninsula: strategic, technological and youth audience engagement vision in RTVE and RTP

Abstract

Introduction: The multiplication on the offer of current news and audiovisual entertainment content in the renewed digital context, motivates public and broadcasting corporations to implement and internalise innovative processes that allow them to be relevant in people's lives. These processes are not only limited to the development and integration of sophisticated technological prototypes, but are closely linked to a philosophy of constant change and renewal of ideas and ways of thinking. This research project offers a complete deep insights of the innovative proposals of the state-owned public service media from the Iberian Peninsula, Radiotelevisión Española and Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, with a particular focus on the strategic, technological and young audience engagement prism. Methodology: In-depth interviews were conducted with the directors of the innovation and technology departments of the corporations, as well as with the heads of their main youth content projects, PlayZ and RTP Arena, respectively, complemented by a review of the online products and social networks of both groups. Results: It was identified that RTVE's proposal has a greater disruptive component, with initiatives aimed at optimising the user’s experience, mobile first or technologies such as AI, 5G or 4K; while RTP's approach has a greater cultural cut, trying to renew the language and routines of creation of its traditional and native contents. Conclusions: The innovation strategies of both corporations start from a central objective of updating, with cautious approaches to new technologies. The recent creation of a bubble department in RTP contrasts with the reality of RTVE, with the intention of blurring the limits of this section in its structure in order to achieve a fully transversal innovation.