“It is a great honour again to serve as Jury Coordinator for PRIX EUROPA 2026 – one of Europe’s most inspiring media awards, where the winners are chosen by the makers themselves. Prizes matter – and it is crucial that vision and judgement happen in full transparency.
In times of war, geopolitical tension and growing pressure on democracy, (video)facts matter more than ever — especially as AI makes it harder to know what is real. That is why we (public broadcasters) must keep investing in strong investigative (video)journalism.
This year’s motto, “Public service media – defending democracy together”, captures what journalists everywhere feel they need to stand for together. The task ahead is immense: uncover the truth, challenge those in power, give a voice to those who are rarely heard and, by doing so, help protect democracy.”

Pascal Seynhaeve coordinates the Video Investigation category.

For the past ten years I have been Editor-in-Chief of Pano, the flagship investigative magazine of Flemish public broadcaster VRT, itself a multiple PRIX EUROPA nominee. Outside of investigative journalism, I’m a father of two teenagers and passionate about documentaries, classical music, (trail)running, (kite)surfing, and chess.