Innovation as the Key for the Future of Public Service Media

Journalism Studies, 2018

From a global vision of journalism innovation, this article presents a matrix that analyses and measures an innovation index of market-specific media initiatives, providing a valuable tool for comparative analysis. A method has been designed that consists of (1) sample collection and selection, and (2) the quantitative and qualitative analysis of each innovation identified in the cases studied. With the aim of generating an Index of Media Innovation, 25 of the most innovative cases within the field of reference in Spain were studied during the period 2013–2014 through a database consisting of 196 innovations that were analysed as a function of area, degree and technological basis. The results indicate that, in Spain, journalism innovation occurs at the margins of the traditional news industry and, for the most part, innovation is expanding among digital native media outlets, niche initiatives and start-ups.

Journalism Studies, 2016

From a global vision of journalism innovation, this article presents a matrix that analyses and measures an innovation index of market-specific media initiatives, providing a valuable tool for comparative analysis. A method has been designed that consists of (1) sample collection and selection, and (2) the quantitative and qualitative analysis of each innovation identified in the cases studied. With the aim of generating an Index of Media Innovation, 25 of the most innovative cases within the field of reference in Spain were studied during the period 2013-2014 through a database consisting of 196 innovations that were analysed as a function of area, degree and technological basis. The results indicate that, in Spain, journalism innovation occurs at the margins of the traditional news industry and, for the most part, innovation is expanding among digital native media outlets, niche initiatives and start-ups.

International Journal of Communication, 2021

Technological convergence has forced television networks to reinvent themselves as multiplatform online distribution media, which may lead such networks to question the utility of the public media system and its financing models. At the same time, a global economic crisis caused budget cuts for public service broadcasters, forcing the closure of some of them. First, it was the Greek ERT in June 2013. The same year, in November, a regional Spanish public television was closed as well; this was also due to political decisions. This article presents a study of the reopening of this regional Spanish Public Service Media (PSM) in 2018. This is a singular case in Europe, as it was the first PSM that was conceived from the outset as a convergent media network. The results show many challenges related to political action, which reveal the need for an effective governance system that can provide PSM that are neutral and independent public service media, convergence, media ecosystem, public service broadcasting, public television.

2021

Technological convergence has forced television networks to reinvent themselves as multiplatform online distribution media, which may lead such networks to question the utility of the public media system and its financing models. At the same time, a global economic crisis caused budget cuts for public service broadcasters, forcing the closure of some of them. First, it was the Greek ERT in June 2013. The same year, in November, a regional Spanish public television was closed as well; this was also due to political decisions. This article presents a study of the reopening of this regional Spanish Public Service Media (PSM) in 2018. This is a singular case in Europe, as it was the first PSM that was conceived from the outset as a convergent media network. The results show many challenges related to political action, which reveal the need for an effective governance system that can provide PSM that are neutral and independent.

In the context of media and Information Society policies, there has been profound controversy in Europe with respect to the legitimate use of new technologies by public service media. Through qualitative interviews and policy documents analysis with a case study, this article illustrates how three Spanish public service media organizations apply technological innovations in order to successfully achieve their public service remit; the article thereby provides one of the first studies of innovation management in this field. Lessons from this paper include the difficult accountability of innovation, the non-formal nature of its practice, the central role of techno-enthusiasts and the bureaucratic problems of developing open innovation practices.

2015

In the context of media and Information Society policies, there has been profound controversy in Europe with respect to the legitimate use of new technologies by public service media. Through qualitative interviews and policy documents analysis with a case study, this article illustrates how three Spanish public service media organizations apply technological innovations in order to successfully achieve their public service remit; the article thereby provides one of the first studies of innovation management in this field. Lessons from this paper include the difficult accountability of innovation, the non-formal nature of its practice, the central role of techno-enthusiasts and the bureaucratic problems of developing open innovation practices.

Journalism and media, 2024

Public service media (PSM) are grappling with structural shifts in the audio-visual sector, notably the shift of audiences towards over-the-top (OTT) or subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services. They have also heavily invested in online platforms, adapting their policies to engage digital users on their video-on-demand (VOD) platforms. This paper assesses PSM policies in Britain, Denmark, and Greece, examining initiatives regarding adaptation to the digital era. It explores whether they implement new strategies to expand their digital reach. Data from policy documents and interviews with BBC, DR, and ERT leading executives inform the analysis. Findings showed varied responses among PSM organisations, influenced by market dynamics and the evolution of broadcasting traditions.

Media, Culture & Society

Netflix and other transnational online video streaming services are disrupting long-established arrangements in national television systems around the world. In this paper we analyse how public service media (PSM) organisations (key purveyors of societal goals in broadcasting) are responding to the fast-growing popularity of these new services. Drawing on Philip Napoli’s framework for analysing strategic responses by established media to threats of competitive displacement by new media, we find that the three PSM organisations in our study exhibit commonalities. Their responses have tended to follow a particular evolution starting with different levels of complacency and resistance before settling into more coherent strategies revolving around efforts to differentiate PSM offerings, while also diversifying into activities, primarily across new platforms, that mimic SVoD approaches and probe production collaborations. Beyond these similarities, however, we also find that a range of c...

Academia Mental Health and Well-Being, 2024

The global impact of mental health, specifically depression, is expected to be a top concern by 2030. Despite the growing number of medications and interventions, access to resources for well-being, psychiatric medications, and psychotherapy continue to be a long-standing barrier, regardless of a person’s socioeconomic status or wealth of the country. Additionally, there is a bidirectionality between mental health and physical illness as individuals with mental health have higher comorbid medical conditions and visa versa. The benefits of lifestyle interventions are often overlooked, but they are scientifically significant, well-tolerated by patients, and can address modalities of illness. Lifestyle psychiatry can become an integral tool for global mental health providers.