Why does it matter?
When disaster strikes, audiences turn to public service media (PSM) for facts they can trust. Natural disasters, cyberattacks, and geopolitical conflicts are happening more often and are harder to predict, and PSM need to keep broadcasting through all of them to protect democracy and public trust. If PSM go off air or lose audience trust at the wrong moment, people lose access to reliable information exactly when they need it most. That is why crisis preparedness has become essential, not optional.
What are we doing about it?
EBU Members are strengthening crisis readiness in 3 practical ways: setting up clear governance and decision-making for emergencies, assessing the risks most likely to hit their organization, and planning for operational continuity so core services keep running.
To support these efforts, we have developed the PSM Crisis Preparedness Toolkit. It brings together a handbook with step-by-step guidance, case studies from Members who have managed real crises, and lessons learned with practical examples of what worked and what did not. Members can use it to spot gaps, build resilience, and adapt as the risk landscape changes.
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Foreword by Cilla Benkö
CEO, Swedish Radio
Vice-President, EBUIn public service media, our mission becomes most visible when circumstances are at their worst. Despite recent progress, no EBU Member considers itself fully prepared to manage a crisis. At the same time, 4 in 10 EBU Member organizations that responded to this year’s survey reported experiencing a major crisis within the past three years.
At Swedish Radio, we often say that we are “the company that must never go silent.” This is more than a statement: it is a commitment. It underlines the need for resilience, sustained investment, and clarity of roles and responsibilities from the organization itself to individuals. It shapes our internal culture, reminding every team member that preparedness is a vital part of our relevance. And it strengthens the trust our audiences place in us when it matters most.
Preparedness is not a destination but a continuous effort. Preparedness also goes hand in hand with our journalistic mission. To be able to reach the public with vital information is important but also to be a clear counterweight to disinformation and propaganda. For that, you need independent and fact-checked, reliable news. And you need to have boots on the ground that can report on what is happening. That is also part of our preparedness.
By learning from one another and strengthening cooperation, we can move faster and more efficiently, while safeguarding our independence and ensuring we remain reliable pillars in times of crisis.
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Foreword by Jean Philip De Tender
Deputy Director-General / EBU Strategy Services & Media
Crisis preparedness is no longer a theoretical exercise - it is an operational necessity, with 9 out of 10 organizations reporting that they have formal obligations during crises. Encouragingly, across public service media, 9 in 10 organizations have also reported integration of preparedness into their corporate strategies, and many have already implemented key measures. Yet only 6 in 10 feel they have the essential elements in place, and none believe they are fully ready.
This gap between responsibility and readiness is where leadership matters most.
As public service media leaders, we operate in an environment where risks are immediate and potentially acute. Expectations are high. And resources are not always aligned with our mandate. Our role as leaders in times of crisis must be recognized and supported - not only within our organizations, but by external policymakers and stakeholders.
We also know that no organization can address this challenge alone. There is immense value in sharing knowledge, aligning approaches, and speaking with a unified voice. By doing so, we strengthen both our individual resilience and our collective impact, ensuring we are ready to serve when society needs us most. This is what we aim to achieve together with the EBU Crisis Preparedness Toolkit.
