ScreenME Podcast

In this episode of the ScreenME Podcast, host Ulrike Rohn talk to Alice Kattago, alumna of Tallinn University's BFM and co-founder of SyncHub, a platform aiming to make music licensing simpler, faster, and more transparent.

Starting from her journey through music publishing, artist management, and pan-European music industry research, Alice explains what music sync actually is—and why licensing music for film, advertising, games, and other audiovisual media is still such a painful process.
The conversation explores how SyncHub emerged from firsthand industry frustration, how platform thinking and network effects shape creative markets, and why pricing, rights clearance, and trust remain major bottlenecks. Alice and Ulrike also dive into the big, unresolved questions around AI-generated music, human creativity, and ownership—raising fundamental questions about value, authenticity, and the future of the music industry.
Key Takeaways
Music sync is everywhere—but poorly understood
Complexity pushes buyers toward generic solutions
SyncHub fixes coordination problems
AI music blurs boundaries fast
Entrepreneurship is about persistence, not just ideas
Keywords
music sync · music licensing · creative industries · platforms · entrepreneurship · music tech · copyright · pricing · AI-generated music · network effects · creative markets · BFM alumni · startup journeys · cultural value · rights management

Key Quote
''It really helps to be around other founders and mentors who are realistic about both the rewards and challenges."
About Alice Kattago 
Alice Kattago is the co-founder of SyncHub, a platform that brings together music buyers and music sellers, facilitating the entire licensing process. She has a background in sync, music publishing and artist management, and is currently also a research coordinator for pan-European projects European Music Exporters Exchange and Europe in Synch. She is also an alumna of BFM with an MA in Communication Management. 
www.synchub.ee
Host: Ulrike Rohn
Sound engineer: Tanel Kadalipp (episode 1-14), Sangam Panta (episode 15 -

https://bfmentrepreneurhub.tlu.ee/screenme-podcast/

In this episode of the Screen Meet podcast, Ulrike Rohn interviews Christian Zabel about the evolving landscape of influencers as entrepreneurs. They discuss the changes in influencer operations over the years, the unique characteristics that differentiate influencers from traditional entrepreneurs, and the key competencies required for success in this field. The conversation also touches on the importance of market knowledge, the role of AI in the influencer economy, and what should be taught to aspiring influencers in educational settings.
Takeaways
Influencers have evolved from video creators to significant market players.
The influencer market is driven by personal branding and creativity.
Understanding the marketplace is crucial for aspiring influencers.
Dynamic capabilities are essential for adapting to changes in the influencer economy.
AI is transforming content production but may increase competition.
Market orientation is more important than technical skills for influencers.
Creativity alone does not guarantee success in the influencer space.
Influencers must balance authenticity with commercial interests.
Teaching entrepreneurial skills is vital for future media professionals.
The influencer economy is rapidly changing, requiring constant adaptation.
Keywords
influencers, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, media industry, dynamic capabilities, creative industries, influencer marketing, AI in media

Christian Zabel is Professor for Innovation and Corporate Management at TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences since 2016. His research focuses on the digital transformation of media companies, production and distribution of digital media and on the development of digital markets and ecosystems (including streaming services, VR, influencer marketing and online advertising). He regularly publishes in internationally renowned journals, including Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Journal of Media Economics or European Journal of Innovation Management. Previously, he headed the product management of t-online.de, Germany’s largest online publisher. From 2008 to 2012 he was executive assistant to Deutsche Telekom’s CEO René Obermann, overseeing strategic cooperation with the media industry. Christian Zabel studied journalism in Dortmund and Brussels and political science at Sciences-Po Paris (IEP). His doctoral thesis focused on the innovation competition in the German television production sector.
Host: Ulrike Rohn
Sound engineer: Tanel Kadalipp (episode 1-14), Sangam Panta (episode 15 -

https://bfmentrepreneurhub.tlu.ee/screenme-podcast/

In this episode of the ScreenME Podcast, host Ulrike Rohn speaks with Ermo Säks, a PhD researcher at BFM and member of Tallinn University’s EXU (Enterprise x University) team, who brings nearly two decades of entrepreneurial and television-production experience into the academic world. Together, they explore why entrepreneurship education is becoming increasingly important for media students, drawing on examples such as the FilmEU Challenge and teaching practices at BFM.
The conversation dives into the broader question of why collaboration between academia and industry matters—not only with private sector companies but also with public and third-sector organisations. Ermo reflects on EU-level expectations that push universities toward stronger engagement with society and shares insights from his work with the MINT cluster, discussing how open researchers and companies truly are to collaboration, what bottlenecks persist, and what solutions might help bridge the gap.
With his background as a long-time TV producer, founder and CEO of a production company, director of major Estonian TV shows, and former entrepreneur in retail, Ermo offers a rare dual perspective. He describes how his career across sectors positions him as a kind of “translator” between academia and industry—someone who understands both worlds and sees the potential for innovation when they meet.
Key Quotes 
“Media innovation doesn't happen in isolation—it happens when people from different worlds start building things together.”
“Entrepreneurial skills are no longer optional in the creative industries; they are part of how people navigate uncertainty.”
“Universities have an incredible role to play in bridging research with practice, but we have to build these bridges deliberately.”
“My work sits right between academia, media, and entrepreneurship—and that’s exactly where exciting things happen.”
“Students don’t just need knowledge; they need the confidence and mindset to experiment, collaborate, and create impact.”
Keywords
Media entrepreneurship, Creative industries, Innovation ecosystems, University–industry collaboration, Entrepreneurial mindset, R&D partnerships, Academic–industry interfaces, Hybrid careers, Estonia, EXU (Entrepreneurship & Innovation)
Host: Ulrike Rohn
Sound engineer: Tanel Kadalipp (episode 1-14), Sangam Panta (episode 15 -

https://bfmentrepreneurhub.tlu.ee/screenme-podcast/

In this episode of the ScreenME Podcast, host Ulrike Rohn talks with Philippe Rixhon, chair of management board at Valunode, about one of the most pressing challenges facing today’s creative industries: how to manage and protect content rights in a world of generative AI and global digital distribution.
 Philippe shares his journey from early research and policy consulting for the European Commission to developing Valuenode, a groundbreaking solution that leverages blockchain technology, open data, and interoperable systemsto simplify rights management.
 They discuss why current rights management systems are overly complex, fragmented, and costly — and how generative AI poses an unprecedented disruption, even challenging the very role of authorship. Philippe explains the importance of trust, collaboration, and standardization across sectors, and envisions a future where creators, rights holders, and audiences can all benefit from fairer, more efficient data management.
 
Key Quotes
"We need a technical answer to a technical disruption."  
“Generative AI is not just another disruption — it fundamentally questions the very place of the author in the work.” 
“Better data management is essential. Without it, trust in what we see and hear will decline, and the creative industries will suffer.” 
“Collaboration is key: jurists alone cannot solve this, engineers alone cannot solve this, businesspeople alone cannot solve this. It takes everyone working together.” 
“If we want a digital single market, data must flow freely across borders, just like capital, goods, and services.” 
 
Philippe Rixhon works on digital rights management with creative enterprises, service providers, trade and standardisation bodies, law firms and government agencies. As an innovation trailblazer, he assembles and leads prestigious multi-disciplinary teams to initiate, create and operate ground-breaking solutions.
He co-authored the Study on Copyright and New Technologies published by the European Commission in 2022 and is building a Copyright Data Exchange with the Valunode team. Philippe is an expert at BSI and ISO contributing to the standardisation of media tokenisation. Recently, he worked on the AI and Copyright conundrum with the Copyright Infrastructure Task Force initiated by the Estonian and Finnish governments.
 Philippe hold degrees in engineering, management, theatre directing, and philosophy. He is an honorary Doctor of Arts in recognition of outstanding contributions to performing arts creation, production, and technology.

Links
https://www.valunode.com/
https://accelerate.ee/projects/816/
https://www.e-resident.gov.ee/blog/posts/here-there-and-everywhere/
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-building-blocks/sites/spaces/EBSI/pages/716149456/Open+Rights+Data+Exchange
 
Keywords
Generative AI, copyright, rights management, blockchain, open data, interoperability, creative industries, ValueNode, European Union, metadata, standardization, trust, digital single market, creators’ rights, public-private collaboration.
 
Host: Ulrike Rohn
Sound engineer: Tanel Kadalipp (episode 1-14), Sangam Panta (episode 15 -

https://bfmentrepreneurhub.tlu.ee/screenme-podcast/

Media work can feel like a dream—and still make you sick. In this ScreenME episode, host Ulrike Rohn talks with Mark Deuze (University of Amsterdam) about his new book, Well-Being and Creative Careers: What Makes You Happy Can Also Make You Sick (Intellect). Drawing on industry surveys and occupational health research, Deuze unpacks three structural stressors that repeatedly show up across film/TV, journalism, games, music, and advertising: excessive workload, a lack of organizational justice, and poor reciprocity between what creatives put in and what they get back.
The conversation moves from “it’s not you, it’s your work” (healthy boundaries) to what actually helps: professionalizing leadership, improving mental-health literacy, and organizing with peers (“don’t do it alone”). We also touch on recent policy shifts like Australia’s right-to-disconnect and psychosocial-hazard duties of care, and—on the lighter side—Deuze’s life in music with his grunge band Skinflower, a reminder that identity can (and should) be bigger than your job.
Quotes: 
“Professionalizing leadership, investing in empathic leadership—leadership that normalizes the discussion around health and wellbeing at work—would make a massive difference.”
“People in general—creative people in particular—are quite poor at recognizing their own emotional health.”
“Love is a transformative force. It can be exploited by a cynical industry, but it can also empower workers to organize.”
“Mental-health literacy is recognizing when you’re crossing a line, recognizing when somebody else might be struggling, and knowing how to help.”
“The industry individualizes its own structural problems… everybody gets a free mental-health app and—problem solved.”
“Whatever you do, don’t do it alone.”
“A simple mind trick—this is not who I am; this is what I do—can have profound consequences.”
Mark Deuze
Mark Deuze is Professor of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Humanities, having served as its Director of Graduate Studies and as Director of the national Research School for Media Studies (RMeS). Before that he worked as a journalist and academic in the United States at Indiana University Bloomington, in Germany at the University of Münster, and in South Africa at the University of Johannesburg. 
His publications include 100+ papers in academic journals and 15 books, including most recently "Well-Being and Creative Careers: What Makes You Happy Can Also Make You Sick“ (published with Intellect, 2025), "Happiness in Journalism” (volume co-edited with Valérie Bélair-Gagnon, Avery Holton and Claudia Mellado, published with Routledge, 2023), “Life in Media” (The MIT Press, 2023), and “McQuail’s Media and Mass Communication Theory” (7th edition published by Sage in 2020, co-authored with the late Denis McQuail; 8th edition scheduled for 2025). Mark’s work has been translated in Chinese, Czech, German, Mongolian, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Turkish, and Hungarian. He is also the bass player and singer of Skinflower (skinflower.bandcamp.com).
Keywords: 
creative industries, media work, mental health, burnout, wellbeing at work, organizational justice, reciprocity, workload, leadership in media, mental-health literacy, right to disconnect, psychosocial hazards, journalism, film and TV, games industry, self-exploitation

Host: Ulrike Rohn
Sound engineer: Tanel Kadalipp (episode 1-14), Sangam Panta (episode 15 -

https://bfmentrepreneurhub.tlu.ee/screenme-podcast/