After four years of operation, the Nordic open expert database for media researchers has surpassed 1,000 registered members. Future goals, according to the editor-in-chief, include discovering new forms and formats for the scholarly service and deepening Nordic–Baltic connections.
Launched in 2019 at the NordMedia Conference in Malmö, Sweden, the digital platform NordMedia Network has grown steadily in its number of members. Nowadays it is the host for collaboration in the Nordic countries, accommodating the home of the major Nordic media and communication research conference, NordMedia.
– A digital platform adds to social coherence and the identity of persons and institutions, helping them discover what different things Nordicness can mean to researchers. We are pleased that NordMedia Network has been well received among the academic community, says Maarit Jaakkola, editor-in-chief of NordMedia Network and co-director of Nordicom.
A more versatile scholarly service
In next years, NordMedia Network intends to develop the services offered for the scholarly community.
– We are constantly seeking new forms and formats to communicate with and engage our members even better. Newsletters have become a common channel for reaching out. They offer ample possibilities to address issues that are interesting, topical, and relevant to us, in a personal way. In terms of future development, audio and audiovisual content entail intriguing potential, says Jaakkola.
Next strategic goals of the platform, run by Nordicom, a centre for Nordic media research at the University of Gothenburg, include strengthening the Nordic–Baltic cooperation.
– Nordic–Baltic cooperation has long been a prioritised policy area in Nordic politics, but in the times we are living in it feels even more timely. Our Baltic colleagues are widely networked in Europe, but NordMedia Network can offer a boost for enhancing connections at the Nordic level, says Jaakkola, who collaborates with Baltic states on a regular basis and visited Latvia in December.
Create your profile today
The aim of the expert database – which was duplicated in the African context when the spin-off AfroMedia Network started in 2021 – is to make the expertise visible and accessible.
By creating a personal profile at NordMedia Network, users become part of the open database for media and communication experts with an interest in the Nordic region. They can also choose whether they want to subscribe to a bimonthly newsletter that curates information on ongoing calls for papers, upcoming conferences, and vacant positions, among other things.
– You can use very specific terms in your personal description. If users – who could be journalists or potential collaborators – are searching for TikTok and you have mentioned it in your profile, you will come up as an expert in it. It is also recommended to use the profile as a stepping stone and add links to all the relevant online sites where more information is provided, suggests Jaakkola.
Not yet a member? You can create a profile in NordMedia Network’s expert database here.
Photos: Gunnar Jönsson