» Callesen’s research revealed that women often lose opportunities, relegated to planning and organisational roles «
GIRL POWER NXTV aims for at least a 50/50 gender split in its academy
a hub for knowledge sharing, future planning and ensuring educational programmes stay current. Daybreak Alliance is actively seeking funding and sponsors to help scale up its operations and impact. Realising this vision will require lots of support. Denmark’s 38 local broadcasters collectively receive about 52 million DKK annually. Callesen argues that current funding is insufficient for getting the next generation ready. But, despite the ongoing challenge of limited resources, she remains optimistic. After all, the journey of NXTV hasn’t been that smooth. She recalls the station’s early days with a mixture of pride and amusement, and says that support from the local community proved crucial. “We were set to air from 1 January 2020, but I had nothing when we started,” she says. “For a month I was running around producing programmes for a TV station that may or may not be approved. The local community was supportive because they saw the value in this TV station. We had to borrow gear, offices, computers – everything.” Through it all, Callesen has routinely proved her ability to adapt and innovate in the face of adversity – a key component of the station’s survival and growth. It’s this spirit that she hopes to instil in the next generation of media professionals.
landscape, Callesen has integrated an academy called Medieakademiet into NXTV’s operations. The academy aims to provide real-world experience for students and recent graduates. It offers mentorships and workshops, covering everything from idea development to production, editing, branding and digital publishing. Callesen also has collaboration agreements with several universities to create practical environments for their students, in an effort to address
the lack of hands-on experience in formal media education. Another key focus is tackling the gender disparity in Denmark’s media production sector. Callesen’s research revealed that women often lose opportunities in these fields during their studies, frequently being relegated to planning and organisational roles in group projects. NXTV and its academy are actively working to change this dynamic by giving female students the chance to explore camera operation, editing and other hands-on production tasks. She aims for balance in the academy’s programmes, targeting a 50/50 or even 60/40 female/male split in gender representation. “The academy was part of the original business plan when I created the TV station. We envisioned it as a way to create a network between students, businesses and industry,” says Callesen. “In time, with the right sponsors and investors, this could become a place where we develop new technologies that will be part of every business worldwide.” Forging ahead against the odds Callesen’s vision extends beyond just revolutionising local TV. She sees NXTV and a new media hub – tentatively called Daybreak Alliance – as potential catalysts for broader change in Denmark’s media landscape. Her ambitious plans for Daybreak Alliance include an innovation component that connects media studies with various industries involving software, AI and other technologies. The goal is to create
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