A spotlight talk into the local grassroots scenes of Budapest and Vilnius. From festivals, music releases and community radio, this panel brings together active players to both draw parallels between these cities and what the role cross-border collaboration can offer for the distribution of music on the margins. With: Nerijus Damasevicius aka SHN (Minimal.lt I LT) Gabor Kovacs aka Uj Bala* (Artist I HU / BE) Tamas Luspay (Blindblindblind I HU) Moderation: Samantha Lippett (Palanga Street Radio I LT) Powered by Palanga Street Radio & Lahmacun Radio.

The panel discussion will explore how the media influence the image of Eastern Europe, focusing on the challenges of Russian-centric narratives and bias. It will delve into how Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine is potentially leading to a redefinition of narratives about Russia's imperial policy as well as Eastern European countries. In this context, it's essential to consider the impact of Russia's efforts to unify Eastern Europe under its leadership. The aim of this talk is to explore ways to counter bias in media representation, promote inclusivity, and challenge stereotypes about Eastern Europe. With: Petrica Mogos (Kajet Journal I RO) Lucia Udvardyova (Easterndaze I CZ) Moderation: Maya Baklanova (Tight Magazine I UA / DE)

In a context of mass media and concentration landscape, media and culture structures tend to be owned by a few big companies, leading to a homonagised representation of culture. This concentration restricts global culture and stifles emerging voices and perspectives. By decentralizing cultural media, it can ensure pluralism in cultural content and actors, as well as a fair representation of diverse voices. What are the decentralizing tools for media, especially in cultural fields? What Web3 can bring and how to implement it? What about networks? For instance, Lumbung Radio network uses community-driven curation on its decentralized media platforms which empowers communities to curate and highlight the content they value. This approach encourages collaboration, discovery, and a sense of ownership within the community. Through peer-to-peer networks and blockchain technology, the speakers will detail their own perspective on decentralization. With: Bas Grasmayer (Music X I DE) Grégoire Rousseau (Station of Commons / Lumbung Radio I FI / FR) Moderation: Whitney Wei (Resident Advisor I US)

As independent festivals thrive worldwide, some add another string to their bow by creating a media focused on topics they care about. These festival extensions or communication platforms provide additional content, maintaining year-round engagement, delving deeper into subjects and artists showcased at the festival. Festivals with a strong identity, be it in ecology, music genres, or geography, utilize media platforms to enhance their storytelling, curation, and community connections. These platforms go beyond the physical event, incorporating multimedia elements like artist and speaker interviews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exploratory discussions. By merging music, visual arts, and narratives, festivals-turned-media offer participants a multi-dimensional journey, elevating the discourse and understanding of the creative process. The speakers will discuss the challenges and the reasons of this ongoing music festivals and media relation. With: Salomé Besse (Europavox I FR) Luis Fernandes (COSMOS, Le Guess Who? I PT) Moderation: Manon Moulin (Arty Farty I FR)

Deputy Editor of Crack Magazine and a resident DJ on NTS Radio, Rachel Grace Almeida, is having a conversation with German DJ and producer, Skee Mask.

Radio Lab | Interdependence: Independent Media, Radio Broadcasting and Collectives by European Lab

The media often adopt a local or national approach to news. Yet many subjects need to be studied at a transnational level, particularly at European level. How can we document economic and financial, political, migration or environmental issues by stopping at borders? To carry out these investigations on a European scale, new transnational structures have emerged. They are organising collaboration between journalists and media based in different countries and developing new digital tools to aid investigation. The aim of these structures is to shape the journalism of tomorrow. With: Mathieu Molard (StreetPress I FR) Tomas Statius (Lighthouse Reports I FR)

Over the last five years, the issue of journalism has become increasingly important within the European institutions. From the democratic backsliding, online harassment, market concentration, self-censorship, the algorithms of social media, it seems that now the media ecosystem is being seen more and more as a European matter. But so far, it seems, mainly large actors are able to cross borders and to be represented. Therefore, how independent media should watch the European elections. How can EU institutions strengthen media pluralism and media independence? With: Francesca Festa (Sphera Network & Ereb I IT) Julie Majerczak (Reporters Without Borders I BE) Moderation: Quentin Ariès (Sphera Network & Ereb I FR)

Between growing capitalistic tendencies in the sector and the increasingly obvious political interference of certain States, the European media landscape is going through a series of crises. Many independent media are evolving in this context, continuing to operate despite these threats. The Sphera network, which brings together a number of them, is giving them the opportunity to speak at this Sphera Media Lab, particularly during this discussion which aims to take stock of the independent press in certain countries where media freedom is in decline. It is a way of shedding light on these situations and looking at possible avenues of resistance. With: Agnieszka Wiśniewska (Krytyka Polityczna I PL) Pal Daniel Rényi (444 I HU) Karl Van den Broeck (Apache I BE) Moderation: Tine Hens (Historian & journalist I BE)

What role does environmental and ecological journalism play in the current context of global media coverage of climate and environmental issues? Closely linked to activism, independent green media advocate a politicizing approach to ecological discourse. With: Afsaneh Angelina Rafii (Icarus Complex Magazine I UK) Sarah Freres (Imagine Magazine I BE) Sarah Leveaux (Engrainage I FR) Giacomo Corongiu (VD News I IT)

How do podcasts incorporate alternative and independent points of view? Do they help to improve the quality of information in the European media landscape? The round table will look at a number of specific case studies, presented by a diverse panel of professionals from media organisations. With: Alexander Damiano Ricci (Bulle Media I IT) Evi Kiorri (Euractiv I NL) Ana Ribera Garcia-Rubio (Prisa Audio I ES) Jenny Tsiropoulou (Podcaster I GR)