Raul Lobanov, M.A.

Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM) · Tallinn University, Estonia — PhD Student

Research Areas

  • Media Audiences
  • Media, Information and Communication Technology
  • Public Service Media
  • Television and Film

About

Raul Lobanov is a PhD student at Baltic Film, Media and Arts School (BFM) of Tallinn University. He has a background in sociology, media analytics and development of digital media platforms. Raul has been working for all of the major media houses in Estonia analyzing digital media data and turning the knowledge into developments and innovations of digital media platforms. During the recent years, he has held various positions at Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR), focusing on development of video-on-demand (VOD) services and media analytics. His research interests include television, streaming services, VOD platforms, multidimensional audience studies and media analytics.

His PhD research focuses on the question of how and to what extent VOD platforms of public service media contribute to the creation of public value. The research aims to contextualize VOD services and their affordances within the ecosystem of public service media, conceptualize the public value of VOD services, and develop novel multidimensional methods to measure it.

The thesis originates from several current developments related to audiovisual media and television viewing. Over the past decade, most of the public broadcasters have introduced their own VOD platforms. While the viewership on these platforms is on the rise, traditional linear TV viewership is declining. Due to insufficient exploration of certain aspects regarding how content exposure (distribution and presentation) on VOD platforms translates into viewership, the overall shift in televisual media consumption poses challenges for public service media organizations in balancing their content offer in terms of diversity i.e. fulfilling their public objectives.