Sofia, Bulgaria
October 20-22, 2025
Sofia, Bulgaria
October 20-22, 2025

Programme overview

PBI 2025

“Making the Case for Public Service Broadcasters”

20-22 October 2025    Sofia, Bulgaria

Conference venue: Hyatt Regency Sofia, Vasil Levski Square

PROGRAM

20 October, Monday

16:00 PBI Steering Committee meeting

Venue: “Hristo Botev” Hall of Hyatt Regency Sofia

19:00-22:00 Welcome Reception

Venue: The Military Club
Address: 7, Tzar Osvoboditel Blvd.

21 October, Tuesday

08:30 Registration

Front desk at the event space entrance of Hyatt Regency

09:30-17:00 Conference Day 1
Venue: “Vasil Levski” hall of Hyatt Regency

Conference Day 1

09:30-10:00
SESSION: Opening Ceremony (OPEN TO THE PRESS)
MODERATOR(S):

  • Diana Kostova, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Programs Dept., BNR; Member of EBU Digital Committee

SPEAKER(S):
WELCOME WORDS

  • David Jordan, Secretary General, PBI; Director, Editorial Policy and Standards, BBC
  • Milen Mitev, Director General, BNR
  • Rumen Radev, President of the Republic of Bulgaria
10:00-10:50
SESSION: The State of PSM (OPEN TO THE PRESS)
MODERATOR(S): Boyko Vassilev, Leading TV Presenter, Host and Producer, Bulgarian National Television (BNT)
SPEAKER(S):

  • Milen Mitev, Director General, BNR (Bulgaria)
  • Hugh Marks, Managing Director, ABC (Australia)
  • Natalija Gorscak, President of the Management Board, RTV SLO (Slovenia)
10:50-11:10
COFFEE BREAK
11:10-11:30
SESSION: Fireside Chat with the Unions
MODERATOR(S): Boyko Vassilev, Leading TV Presenter, Host and Producer, Bulgarian National Television (BNT)
SPEAKER(S): Jean-Philip De Tender, Deputy Director General & Director of Media, (EBU)
11:30-11:35
BREAK
11:35-12:30
SESSION: Making the Case for PSM: Funding
MODERATOR(S): Avril Mahon Roberts, Head of Member Relations, DACH, UK and Ireland, EBU
SPEAKER(S):

  • Robert Šveb, Director-General, HRT (Croatia)
  • Jon Medline, Head of International, CBC/Radio-Canada
  • Nomsa Chabeli, Chief Executive Officer SABC Group (South Africa) ONLINE
12:30-13:30
LUNCH
13:30-13:50
SESSION: Speech: Jang-beom Park, CEO & President, KBS (South Korea)
13:50-14:40
SESSION: Making the Case for PSM: Culture & Universal Service
MODERATOR(S): Lillia Goleminova, Senior Music Editor & Radio Host at Radio Sofia, BNR
SPEAKER(S):

  • Tim Davie, Director General, BBC (UK) ONLINE
  • Karen Donders, General Director, Public Mission and HR, VRT (Belgium)
  • Dan Santa, Head of International Relations, Radio Romania
14:40-15:00
COFFEE BREAK
15:00-15:45
SESSION: Making the Case for PSM: Young Audiences
MODERATOR(S): Ana Blazevic, Head of International Relations, HRT (Croatia)
SPEAKER(S):

  • Judith de Argila Blanco, Director of Digital Audience Development, 3Cat (Spain)
  • Angeline Poh, Chief Customer & Corporate Development Officer, Mediacorp (Singapore)
  • Wesa Aapro, Metaverse Lead & Creative Technologist, Yle (Finland)
15:45-16:00
BREAK
16:00-16:50
SESSION: Making the case for PSM in Trump’s America (HYBRID ONLINE & IN-PERSON SESSION)
MODERATOR(S): Kristian Porter, CEO, Public Media Alliance (UK)
SPEAKER(S):

  • Marta McLellan Ross, Chief of Staff, NPR (USA) ONLINE
  • Bay Fang, President and CEO of Radio Free Asia ONLINE
  • Stephen Segaller, Vice-President, WNET (USA)
  • Katherine Jacobsen, Committee to Protect Journalists (CBJ), USA
16:50-17:00
CLOSING REMARKS
19:30
Departure from Hyatt Regency to restaurant “Vodenitzata” (BY BUS/BUSES)
20:00-22:30
Official Dinner at restaurant “Vodenitzata”
22:30
Return to the Hyatt Regency

 

22 October, Wednesday

08:30-09:45 CEO breakfast*

* With invitation only

Venue: “The Conservatory” room of Hyatt Regency (7th fl.)

10:00-12:30 Conference Day 2

Venue: “Vasil Levski” hall of Hyatt Regency

Conference Day 2

10:00-10:50
SESSION: Making the Case for PSM: Independence & Freedom of Expression
MODERATOR(S): David Jordan, Secretary General, PBI; Director, Editorial Policy and Standards, BBC
SPEAKER(S):

  • Jean-Paul Philippot, CEO, RTBF (Belgium)
  • Indrė Makaraitytė, Head of Research Department, LRT (Lithuania)
10:50-11:10
COFFEE BREAK
11:10-11:20
SESSION: Video on Blackouts in Spain
11:20-12:10
SESSION: Making the Case for PSM in Times of Crisis
MODERATOR(S): Irina Nedeva, Senior Editor, “Horizont” BNR; Vice-president of the Association of European Journalists Bulgaria
SPEAKER(S):

  • Reiko Saisho, NHK (Japan)
  • Teresa Guerra, Director of IR, RTVE (Spain)
  • Mattieu Rawolle, Senior Media Analyst, EBU
12:10-12:30
CLOSING REMARKS
12:30-14:00
BUSINESS LUNCH
2nd PBI Steering Committee meeting
Venue: “Hristo Botev” Hall of Hyatt Regency
14:00-16:00
Cultural program in Sofia
Sightseeing tour of the central part of Sofia with a guide