STA SMART TALKS WITH KEVIN BORRAS: TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURES IN THE MEDIA: EMERGING TRENDS

We are thrilled to announce the release of a new episode of STA Smart Talks, where STA President & Host, Dr José F. Papí, engages in an enlightening dialogue with Mr Kevin Borras, a well-reputed communicator with over 26 years of experience in the field of transport and mobility. Together, they delve into the emerging trends for transportation infrastructure in the media landscape.

Mr Borras is the founder of ^THIS Media Co and in the past, he spent 16 years as Publishing Director and Co-Founder of H3B Media, during which time he was the editor of Thinking Highways and Thinking Cities magazines.

The discussion begins by addressing the question: Is it currently fashionable for media outlets to cover the topic of transportation infrastructure, or does coverage primarily hinge on incidents or accidents? Mr. Borras believes that mass media often intensify the coverage of transportation infrastructures when some high-profile incidents or disasters occur, which capture also the public interest due to their immediate impact on daily life.

However, he emphasises that over time, significant advancements such as autonomous vehicles, smart mobility solutions, and other technological breakthroughs have garnered attention from media in Europe and beyond. The once-popular concept of blockchain is highlighted during their dialogue, which aimed to revolutionise supply chain transparency and security, as an example of a topic that gained widespread media coverage.

Moreover, he predicts that electric mobility is more likely to have a prolonged lifespan and additional advertising in the years ahead.

From this observation, the conversation shifts to the decline in specialised transportation infrastructure media outlets which can be mostly attributed to the lack of advertising. Mr Boras draws attention to an example from a 2007 edition of the magazine "Thinking Highways," which listed 37 advertisers, compared to only 14 advertisers in current editions. The example shows how advertising trends have transformed the industry in the last decade.

Moreover, Mr Borras notes that artificial intelligence has led to additional challenges. According to him, the broad use of social media platforms and the features they offer to the audience, such as estimated reading times and character limits, have affected journalism negatively.

All the abovementioned factors contribute to a shifting media landscape, presenting both challenges and opportunities for those within the transportation infrastructure sector.

As the dialogue unfolds between Dr Papi and Mr Borras, offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between media coverage, technological advancements, and shifting industry dynamics, providing listeners with a deeper understanding of the emerging trends for transportation infrastructure in the media.

Stay tuned for more and do not forget to subscribe to the ‘STA in Action’ Newsletter and be the first one to learn all updates on the path towards Smart Transportation Infrastructures. 

Author: Eftychia Koliou (Smart Transportation Alliance)