Prof. Dr. Tim Raats

Tim Raats studied communication sciences at the VUB and obtained a PhD in 2014 (funded by FWO) in Media and Communication Studies, with a dissertation on the role and position of public service media in a networked media environment. Tim Raats is (1985°) is Associate Professor at the Communication Sciences Department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). He lectures courses on media policy and media economics and coordinates the Medialab of the department. He also acts as head of the Educational Board of the communication sciences department. 

At SMIT, Tim heads the Media Economics and Policy unit, and one of the six research units, consisting of 15+ fundamental and applied junior and senior researchers working on topics within media policy and economics. He specializes in media policy and audiovisual market research in small markets. Tim has published widely in edited volumes and peer-reviewed journals. Since 2018, he is also Board Member of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund. He is an often-invited speaker on audiovisual and media policies and also advises media players and policymakers on a regular basis. Tim regularly provides opinions and comments in Flemish newspapers, and has co-organised various industry events and academic conferences, including 4 editions of the Private Television Conference, EMMA, RIPE and Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap.

Tim is currently involved in various research projects related to due prominence regulation, support for audiovisual industries and cinema in Europe (e.g. CRESCINE), public service media (e.g. PSM-AP) and recommender systems in the Belgian media industry (e.g. SRPmedia, Proeftuin Streaming Affordances)