Do you work in the technical field or are you interested in technology? This year, the EBU was proud to host its first ever panel discussion on the topic of Women + Technology during the 22nd EBU Technical Assembly!
The aim of the panel discussion was to highlight the topic of bringing more diversity into the workplace, especially in the area of broadcasting technology. “Looking into our own statistics over the last five years, we realized that there were very low levels of participation from women in technical groups and in attendance at technical seminars. We wanted to see how we could improve this and what might be holding women back from exploring more technical (or management) roles” said Elena Puigrefagut, EBU.
The panel was made up of leading experts who shared their experience as well as how they see the workplace transforming to meet new consumer demands and take advantage of new technologies. Panelists included:
- Galina Fedorova, (RTR, Russia)
- Dagmar Driesnack (IRT, Germany)
- Barbara Lange (SMPTE, United States)
- Brigitta Nickelsen (Radio Bremen, Germany)
- Frode Hvaring (EBU, Switzerland)
The EBU strongly values the topic of diversification. As Shannon Frame, EBU, stated: “For innovation to thrive in the workplace, we need to have diversity. At the end of the day, this does not come down only to increasing the participation of women in technology, but more importantly, to creating an atmosphere that encourages diverse teams in general. Where do I see the most innovation? I see it in teams that have a mixture different backgrounds, ages and gender.”
In the lead up to the event, the group asked other EBU Members and women interested in technology to send short video clips answering a few key questions – what inspires them about technology, what possible barriers exist and what advice they would give to others – before the event. To watch the video, click here.
The positive reaction of the audience during the event was a key indication of the importance of such a topic and the discussion will not stop here. An area on the EBU Technology & Innovation website has now been launched to share best practice and experience and the group plans to report back at the next Technical Assembly.
If you are interested in following the discussion, please contact [email protected].