Future-Proofing the UK’s Public Service Media
POLICY BRIEF
Future-proofing the UK’s public service media
PSM AP
2024
The rise of global platforms has brought new challenges that have threatened the legitimacy of public service media and broadcasters. In this context, PSM-AP has carried out a large-scale comparative research project, studying media laws, broadcast contracts and licences, annual reports, and current policy debates. This brief presents the core findings, analysis and recommendations to better support public service media in the UK.
Towards a Future-Proof Public Service Media?
POLICY BRIEF
Towards a Future-Proof Public Service Media?
PSM AP
2024
Social and technological advances that appeared in the last few years have brought new challenges for public service media. Radical changes in media use, the advent of streaming services and the dominance of big tech as well as the increasing diversity and polarisation of societies have led to the erosion of trust in traditional media. This policy brief results from the comparative research project analysing ‘Public Service Media in the Age of Platforms’(PSM AP). It outlines key discoveries and conversations regarding Public Service Media (PSM) and platformisation in several markets in Europe and Canada. Among the recommendations made by the authors, was the emphasis on adopting a digital-first approach while ensuring universality and bridging digital and socio-economic divides.
Shifting TV Audience Expectations in the UK during Covid-19
JOURNAL
Public Service TV in the Age of Subscription Video on Demand: Shifting Audience Expectations in the UK during COVID-19
Catherine Johnson and Lauren Dempsey | Media, Culture and Society
2023
During the Covid lockdowns in the UK, television viewing surged, driven primarily by a doubling in the number of hours people spent watching subscription video on demand (SVOD) services like Netflix and Amazon Prime. If anything, lockdown appeared to catalyse the adoption of SVODs.
This paper, based on empirical research, examines how these changing behaviours might alter the cultural meanings people attach to television, and what this fast-changing dynamic may mean for public service broadcasters.
Addressing AI Intelligibility in Public Service Journalism
JOURNAL
AI ‘Everywhere and Nowhere’: Addressing the AI Intelligibility Problem in Public Service Journalism
Bronwyn Jones, Rhianne Jones, and Ewa Luger | Digital Journalism 10(10)
2023
Based on document analysis and interviews with 14 journalists, this paper explores how artificial intelligence is deployed at BBC News, and the level of literacy and understanding that those who are using AI for journalism have of the technology.
The rising prevalence of AI and algorithms has prompted concerns about how journalists understand and engage with the technology, without compromising their professional judgement and accountability.
Ultimately, the authors recommend better strategies for organisations and better AI literacy for journalists so public service organisations can uphold their norms and values.
News Personalisation and Public Service Media: The Audience Perspective
JOURNAL
News Personalisation and Public Service Media: The Audience Perspective in Three European Countries
Annika Sehl, Maximilian Eder | Journal Media 4(1)
2023
News organisations are increasingly providing personalised offerings curated by algorithms. This offers a tailored experience of a broadcaster’s content, but concerns have been raised about how it conflicts with public media values of universality of access, reach and content, particularly when an algorithm replaces an editor as curator.
This paper explores the opportunities and challenges, taking a look at users’ attitudes, concerns and expectations. Comparing three counties — the UK, Germany and France — it finds that some users are concerned about missing certain stories or viewpoints, though the extent of concern differs depending on each country’s media system.
The Governance of Artificial Intelligence in Public Service Media
REPORT
The Governance of Artificial Intelligence in Public Service Media: A Comparative Analysis
Colin Porlezza, Laura Pranteddu, and Petra Mazzoni | Federal Office of Communications report
2023
With AI-driven tools becoming pervasive in newsrooms, influencing nearly every aspect of journalism from retrieving information through to production and distribution, this report examines both the opportunities and questions which artificial intelligence raises for public service broadcasters.
Laws recently introduced in Europe to regulate AI are examined, as well as forms of self-regulation that many broadcasters have introduced to ensure their use of AI holds true to values and ethics as public service broadcasters, to ensure reliability, transparency, diversity and fairness.
Traditional broadcasting features in VoD services
REPORT
The reappropriation of time in television: How traditional qualities of broadcast media are being adopted by their video-on-demand services
Julie Münter Lassen l Nordicom
2023
In an increasingly digital media landscape, traditional broadcasters adapt their services to suit the new habits of their audience, who are spending more and more time using digital platforms. But how does it affect the presentation and the scheduling of programmes? Are old broadcasting theories such as immediacy, being live, being daily, and providing event television compatible with the new on-demand services offered by more public broadcasters today?
This study takes a look at these different questions through two different models of Danish Video on-demand services, DRTV and TV2 Play and demonstrates how features of traditional linear television are still key characteristics of SVoD services in Denmark.
Business models and sustainability in the newspaper industry
JOURNAL
Business models and sustainability in the newspaper industry: Perspectives from European and North American executives
Paulo Faustino | Journal of Digital Media & Policy
2023
The digital revolution has created significant challenges to the viability of media economic models while also broadening prospects for editorial organisations and journalists. This article seeks to comprehend the viability of media business models and how media executives modify their practises to deal with digital change in a competitive market. For this article, media executives from three US newspapers (from the United States of America and Canada) and three European newspapers (from Ireland, England, and France) were interviewed. All of the newspaper firms interviewed continue to face substantial problems in their search for ways to ensure the sustainability of their business models in order to motivate their partners, shareholders, and employees while also contributing to more diversity in the information market.
Public service media as drivers of innovation
JOURNAL
Public service media as drivers of innovation: A case study analysis of policies and strategies in Spain, Ireland, and Belgium
Sabela Direito-Rebollal and Karen Donders | Communications: The European Journal of Communication Research
2023
Public service media (PSM) organisations must adapt to the post-broadcast era by innovating, staying current with new content consumption methods, and experimenting with the plethora of options that interactivity presents for audience involvement. They still have a duty to fulfil their public service mandate. This article examines PSM’s innovation strategies and policies to determine if they are becoming more user-centric rather than technology-centric. It assesses the innovation policies set forth by public broadcasters, as well as whether these priorities are consistent with the innovation objectives put forth by academics for PSM organisations. Three public broadcasters – RTVE (Spain), RTÉ (Ireland), and VRT (Belgium) – with diverse sizes and locations in various political, cultural, and economic contexts are the subject of this article. It finds that innovation is still predominantly centred on technology.
Nordic countries' digital strategies and third-party platforms
JOURNAL
Digital strategies and third-party platforms: How Nordic public service media are reframing their audio strategies for the future
Aura Lindeberg | Journal of Digital Media & Policy
2023
This paper indicates the relationship between broadcasters and third-party platforms. The research examined four public service media organisations in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway who expressed their doubts regarding the distribution of their content on third party platforms. According to this study, PSMs’ ties with third-party platforms have gotten more complex , calling into question PSM’s value of universalism and the study also argues that national media policies are unable to regulate international audio distribution.