Nordic Journal of Media Management | Aalborg University (original) (raw)
Papers by Nordic Journal of Media Management
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Three days before writing this editorial, U.S president, Donald Trump tweeted ‘This will be a... more Three days before writing this editorial, U.S president, Donald Trump tweeted ‘This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!’(@realDonalTrump; 28 May, 2020)and then signed executive order13925 that is known as ‘Preventing Online Censorship’. The story broke out when Twitter marked two tweets of the president about mail-in ballots, with fact check labels: ‘Get the facts about mail-in ballots’ linked to a fact-checking page.The executive order and ongoing struggle revealed one of the major challenges for media policy and regulations that effect on media business.Section 230 (c)(1), that the executive order has referred to,grants immunity from liability to the platforms that distribute third-party generated contents: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”
Nordic Journal of Media Management , 2020
Purpose: Agencies traditionally play the role of intermediaries between advertisers and media. Di... more Purpose: Agencies traditionally play the role of intermediaries between advertisers and media. Digital innovations and the rise of media platforms created multiple new channels to reach audiences and therefore provided opportunities and challenges for advertisers. In this research we map out advertisers' marketing-related challenges and explore how these challenges influence agency partner selection. Methodology: Our study is based on a survey of 146 larger Danish advertisers, using a combination of open and closed questions. An inductive thematic analysis resulted in the identification of 13 different marketing challenges, that we linked to the use of different types of agencies. Closed questions were aimed at identifying for example whether advertisers aim for more in-sourcing, or out-sourcing of marketing activities to agencies. Findings/Contribution: This research firstly reveals the challenges of advertisers in today's media market. Secondly, we discuss how agencies adopted new business models to answer different needs of their clients. Thirdly, the findings suggest that almost all surveyed advertisers use multiple agencies to solve their marketing challenges but prefer to maintain control over these agencies. The findings update what we know about marketing challenges for advertisers and suggest an altered academic perspective on the complexity around agency selection, and the role of the advertising agency.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: As TV and digital video converge, there is a need to compare advertising effectiveness, ... more Purpose: As TV and digital video converge, there is a need to compare advertising effectiveness, advertising receptivity, and video consumption drivers in this new context. Considering the emerging viewing practices and underlying theories, this study examines the feasibility of the traditional notion of differentiating between lean-back (LB) and lean-forward (LF) media, and proposes a revised approach of addressing video consumption processes and associated advertising effectiveness implications. Methodology: An extensive, systematic literature review examines a total of 715 sources regarding current lean-back/lean-forward media research and alternative approaches as by (1) basic terminologies, (2) limitations of lean-back/lean-forward situations, (3) advertising effectiveness implications, (4) video-specific approaches. Findings/Contribution: Key differences between lean-back and lean-forward video consumption are presented. A conceptual integration of video ad receptivity/effectiveness drivers is proposed to guide future media and marketing research and practice. Video consumption today is no longer lean-back or lean-forward, but a "leaning spectrum" with two dimensions: leaning direction and leaning degree. Designing video content today requires focusing on consumption drivers and platform synergies for owning the "leaning spectrum".
Nordic Journal of Media Management , 2020
Purpose: Platformization is one of the most insightful theoretical frameworks with an exceptional... more Purpose: Platformization is one of the most insightful theoretical frameworks with an exceptional potential to provide a fine-grained ground for understanding how digital platforms contribute to the development of the media industry by facilitating entrepreneurial activities. Therefore, given the significant role of digital platforms in developing the field of 'media entrepreneurship,' the present paper seeks to (re)reading the field of 'media entrepreneurship" by employing the platformization framework. Methodology: We have adopted a conceptual reseach design, which tries to build a bridge between different theoretical frameworks in a novel way, and thus broaden our understanding on a particular issue. In so doing, we have calibrated our efforts based on the theory synthesis method. As such, using the platformization theoretical lens, this paper summarizes and integrates the fragmented literature on media entrepreneurship to offer a new way of thinking within this field. Findings/Contribution: The investigations in this study corroborate the idea that media entrepreneurs should be equipped with a multi-paradigmatic lens to see how their practices may have beneficial implications for the media industries, and they can also engage in some unfair and monopolistic initiatives that are prompted by the platforms and/or by governmental interventions. The platformization framework, introduced and developed in this research, reveals its potential as insightful perspective to systematically move the field of media entrepreneurship forward, from theory to practice.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: This article is for the purpose of presenting a continued observation on the research of... more Purpose: This article is for the purpose of presenting a continued observation on the research of media and entrepreneurship. Media and entrepreneurship have strong relevance to each other-on the one hand, essential characteristics of entrepreneurship including innovation and novel ways of content creation are crucial in building media business success; on the other hand, media play a vital role in promoting an entrepreneurial spirit, by transmitting values and images ascribed to it-this special relationship has been examined a decade ago by an earlier study conducted by this author. Well past the time of media industry development and landscape transformation, much progress has been made since then, it is highly worthwhile to revisit the topic and to identify changes in the field. Therefore, the current article presents a continued study, it aims at observing the status quo of the field of media entrepreneurship research and proposing an agenda for future development. Methodology: The study was conducted by a bibliographic analysis on the scholarly work published between 2005 and 2017. Findings from the study indicate growing interests in the research of media and entrepreneurship. The field of inquiries is getting to be more mature, with the progress made on the fundamental conceptual building. In the existing literature, innovation has been a central topic for study, and entrepreneurial journalism was emerged as a new focal issue; meanwhile, use of social media to promote entrepreneurship has also attracted close academic attention. Findings/Contribution: The study provides practical implications to media entrepreneurs and social implications to promote entrepreneurship spirit through traditional and new media platforms. The article also contributes original value to understanding the intrinsic linkage between media and entrepreneurship.
Nordic Journal of Media Management , 2020
Purpose: Journalistic startups are thriving around the world, bringing new approaches to the news... more Purpose: Journalistic startups are thriving around the world, bringing new approaches to the news media environment in terms of concepts, contents, dissemination, internal organization, and business models. This research is relevant to create a prospective view on the evolution of the news media business in the next years, also allowing us to identify some trends and experiences which can be useful to future researchers work, and for professionals of news media companies, startups or not, to get some insights that might help to develop (or even save) their own businesses. Methodology: Through semi-structured interviews with the editorial managers of each of the research subjects, we tried to understand the genesis, concepts, processes, and goals of these startups. We made a thematic analysis of the content, using an adapted version of the IPTC NewsCodes, to understand the editorial approach in terms of Genre, Subject, Media Topic, Media, and Priority in each of the publication platform. To better understand the business, we did a business model mapping, using the Business Model Canvas conceptual tool, for all the subjects. Findings/Contribution: The main findings indicate that all the startups in this research started through the identification of a problem or a need, within a small group of friends or colleagues. They all try to fit into a niche and not compete with legacy media, and search for alternative financing sources. All the teams are small, produce mainly long form reporting and interviews, and use mostly written text-but video tends to grow in volume. All the subjects work for niche audiences, by location or interests. These results contribute to create a structured and broader view of the journalistic startups scene in Portugal, but can also help other researchers to apply similar methods to map different realities, in geographical or thematical terms. This research can also contribute to better understanding the challenges that digital news media face in this networked society we live in.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: The present study analyzes, through the online survey method, the role of KIBS in the pr... more Purpose: The present study analyzes, through the online survey method, the role of KIBS in the processes of digital transformation and technological change of Spanish publishing companies. The general goal of this research is to explore the effects produced over Spanish publishing companies in interacting with KIBS as facilitators, bearers, and generators of innovation. Some other more specific objectives linked to this general goal are the following ones: a) to determine the role of transaction costs as drivers of the outsourcing of knowledge management systems through KIBS; and b) to understand to what extent the interaction of publishers with KIBS promotes in those the introduction of new business models. Methodology: Through the survey conducted among 310 Spanish publishers from a universe of 992 companies pertaining to DILVE, the only platform and database of Spanish publishers used for any approach to this sector, and using open and closed questions, the study tries to answer the stated research questions. Findings/Contribution: it is concluded that: i) the extension of the relationship between publishers and KIBS moves from the production subsystem to the distribution one; ii) the link between their respective value chains is perceived as profound enough to turn KIBS into facilitators, bearers and generators of the innovation required by the Spanish publishing companies; and iii) KIBS are the fundamental axes for the adoption of new business models.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: This paper sheds light on the distinctive nature of entrepreneurial-oriented behaviours ... more Purpose: This paper sheds light on the distinctive nature of entrepreneurial-oriented behaviours in news media firms. We reconsider conceptualisations of exploitation and exploration in the industry and seek to explore the extent to which they are related to organisational performance. Methodology: In a cross-sectional study, we draw on data from a longitudinal investigation into the decision making of news media executives worldwide. The study focuses on a correlational analysis of primary data collected from media executives across 107 countries. With a large sample size (N = 1438) and strict significance testing, we address the potential limitations of a purposive sampling strategy. Findings/Contribution: We find that firms that prioritise exploration higher than exploitation are more likely to be reporting financial success than those who do the opposite. We propose that the study contributes to the understanding of the impact of volatile times on the media industry, by suggesting that, even in the midst of considerable disruption, the exploration of new opportunities nevertheless has the potential to reap financial rewards. In so doing, it answers both the specific appeal for greater clarity of organisational ambidexterity measures, as well as calls to test and expand existing theory in various contexts, and to develop theory that is directly pertinent to media management science.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: With Internet technologies crushing entry barriers, India is witnessing a new wave of di... more Purpose: With Internet technologies crushing entry barriers, India is witnessing a new wave of digital news media entrepreneurship. The purpose of this study is to understand the political economy of this rising number of news media start-ups. To do so, it explores the social, political and economic contexts of news media entrepreneurship and the role of technology in creating an independent space for democratic interactions. Methodology: This is a qualitative case study. Following a mixed methodology approach, this study utilizes data from 18 interviews with the founders of a digital news media start-up and mainstream journalists as well as a variety of text materials, including news reports, trade materials and research reports. The data was analyzed using thematic coding and interpreted based on critical theory of technology. Findings/Contribution: The study demonstrates that the digital news media entrepreneurship in India is an ideological process. It shows that the government and corporates control the Internet and social media. As a result, technology alone cannot create and sustain an independent, democratic media space. Further, a news media organization that is totally dependent on these technologies for news distribution faces protracted legal battles and possible censorship.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: A closed keiretsu subcontracting network is a key feature of Japan's manufacturing indus... more Purpose: A closed keiretsu subcontracting network is a key feature of Japan's manufacturing industry. While subcontracting systems have been observed in various fields, including the content industry, the literature largely focuses on the assembly industry, where the contribution of these systems to high productivity has been appreciated. Except industrial and government reports addressing unfair trade and inefficiency problems, there is a dearth of systematic analyses on subcontracting systems in Japan's content industry. Thus, this study aims to theoretically examine why subcontracting systems work efficiently in some sectors but not in others, particularly Japan's content industry. Methodology: This study applies multitask agency and common agency theories to models that attribute issues in the content industry to inefficiencies in the overall subcontracting system and the asymmetric distribution of benefits. It is proved that certain characteristics of the content industries appear to worsen agency problems under the subcontracting system. Findings/Contribution: The important characteristics are that products have ambiguous quality attributes which are difficult to verify in contracts, and that subcontractors in Japan traditionally work with multiple contractors. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing the essential features of the abovementioned problems to vitalize Japan's content industry. Thus, this study contributes to the literature that has yet to thoroughly address these factors.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: Current changes in the media industries not only provide a range of new business opportu... more Purpose: Current changes in the media industries not only provide a range of new business opportunities for entrepreneurial start-ups, they also force legacy media firms to engage in corporate entrepreneurship and (re-)develop their entrepreneurial orientation as part of their strategic renewal. In recent years, media entrepreneurship has emerged as an area of study within media business studies, but it still lacks theoretical anchoring. While in mainstream entrepreneurship research entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has developed into a highly prominent theoretical concept, it has been largely overlooked for the study of media firms to date. This paper introduces entrepreneurial orientation to media business studies. Methodology: The paper characterizes EO's different dimensions and reviews relevant studies, and then illustrates the dimensions of the EO concept by drawing on the case example of a European online publisher. Findings/Contribution: The case shows how different dimensions of EO are at play in a media firm and how the relevance of these dimensions is not stable over time, but in constant flux. Such process perspective on EO is outlined as a major future research opportunity for media entrepreneurship studies.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: Digital media technologies transform the ways in which entrepreneurs communicate, organi... more Purpose: Digital media technologies transform the ways in which entrepreneurs communicate, organize and strategize. Yet, how strategy work is practiced as a form of "mediated" engagement with audiences through social media technologies remains a novel ground. Therefore, this paper traces the growing interdisciplinary literature and describes (1) how media is playing a more predominant role in entrepreneurship, (2) how classical media entrepreneurship is opening up, and (3) how digital media entrepreneurship (DME) emerges. Subsequently, the paper envisions how DME can be seen as a strategic practice of entrepreneurs. Methodology: Our paper constructs new theoretical concepts based on existing frames and discussions. We purposefully review relevant literature and create an idiosyncratic interpretation of what digital media entrepreneurship entails. Findings/Contribution: We discuss implications for entrepreneurial strategy work regarding entrepreneurial identity development and entrepreneurial knowledge construction, with a particular emphasis on co-location. Overall, this contributes to our understanding of strategy work of beginning entrepreneurs and sheds light on possibilities for future research.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: Crowdfunding is widely used for journalism, whose primary purpose is to provide informat... more Purpose: Crowdfunding is widely used for journalism, whose primary purpose is to provide information that citizens need. Therefore, this study frames journalism crowdfunding as social entrepreneurship and investigates how the characteristics of narratives and entrepreneurs influence citizens' financial support for journalism crowdfunding. Methodology: To that end, this study employed a mix of secondary data analysis and content analysis. The data were compiled from Storyfunding, a Korea-based crowdfunding platform. A total of 127 journalism crowdfunding campaigns launched from 2017 to 2018 was employed for data analysis. Findings/Contribution: This study reveals how social change aims, public interest, past and future narratives, entrepreneurs' gender and their affiliation with mainstream news outlets can predict funding for journalism crowdfunding projects. The results provide both theoretical and practical implications for the role of narratives in gaining financial resources and the potential of crowdfunded journalism as a tool for social change.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Three days before writing this editorial, U.S president, Donald Trump tweeted ‘This will be a... more Three days before writing this editorial, U.S president, Donald Trump tweeted ‘This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!’(@realDonalTrump; 28 May, 2020)and then signed executive order13925 that is known as ‘Preventing Online Censorship’. The story broke out when Twitter marked two tweets of the president about mail-in ballots, with fact check labels: ‘Get the facts about mail-in ballots’ linked to a fact-checking page.The executive order and ongoing struggle revealed one of the major challenges for media policy and regulations that effect on media business.Section 230 (c)(1), that the executive order has referred to,grants immunity from liability to the platforms that distribute third-party generated contents: “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.”
Nordic Journal of Media Management , 2020
Purpose: Agencies traditionally play the role of intermediaries between advertisers and media. Di... more Purpose: Agencies traditionally play the role of intermediaries between advertisers and media. Digital innovations and the rise of media platforms created multiple new channels to reach audiences and therefore provided opportunities and challenges for advertisers. In this research we map out advertisers' marketing-related challenges and explore how these challenges influence agency partner selection. Methodology: Our study is based on a survey of 146 larger Danish advertisers, using a combination of open and closed questions. An inductive thematic analysis resulted in the identification of 13 different marketing challenges, that we linked to the use of different types of agencies. Closed questions were aimed at identifying for example whether advertisers aim for more in-sourcing, or out-sourcing of marketing activities to agencies. Findings/Contribution: This research firstly reveals the challenges of advertisers in today's media market. Secondly, we discuss how agencies adopted new business models to answer different needs of their clients. Thirdly, the findings suggest that almost all surveyed advertisers use multiple agencies to solve their marketing challenges but prefer to maintain control over these agencies. The findings update what we know about marketing challenges for advertisers and suggest an altered academic perspective on the complexity around agency selection, and the role of the advertising agency.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: As TV and digital video converge, there is a need to compare advertising effectiveness, ... more Purpose: As TV and digital video converge, there is a need to compare advertising effectiveness, advertising receptivity, and video consumption drivers in this new context. Considering the emerging viewing practices and underlying theories, this study examines the feasibility of the traditional notion of differentiating between lean-back (LB) and lean-forward (LF) media, and proposes a revised approach of addressing video consumption processes and associated advertising effectiveness implications. Methodology: An extensive, systematic literature review examines a total of 715 sources regarding current lean-back/lean-forward media research and alternative approaches as by (1) basic terminologies, (2) limitations of lean-back/lean-forward situations, (3) advertising effectiveness implications, (4) video-specific approaches. Findings/Contribution: Key differences between lean-back and lean-forward video consumption are presented. A conceptual integration of video ad receptivity/effectiveness drivers is proposed to guide future media and marketing research and practice. Video consumption today is no longer lean-back or lean-forward, but a "leaning spectrum" with two dimensions: leaning direction and leaning degree. Designing video content today requires focusing on consumption drivers and platform synergies for owning the "leaning spectrum".
Nordic Journal of Media Management , 2020
Purpose: Platformization is one of the most insightful theoretical frameworks with an exceptional... more Purpose: Platformization is one of the most insightful theoretical frameworks with an exceptional potential to provide a fine-grained ground for understanding how digital platforms contribute to the development of the media industry by facilitating entrepreneurial activities. Therefore, given the significant role of digital platforms in developing the field of 'media entrepreneurship,' the present paper seeks to (re)reading the field of 'media entrepreneurship" by employing the platformization framework. Methodology: We have adopted a conceptual reseach design, which tries to build a bridge between different theoretical frameworks in a novel way, and thus broaden our understanding on a particular issue. In so doing, we have calibrated our efforts based on the theory synthesis method. As such, using the platformization theoretical lens, this paper summarizes and integrates the fragmented literature on media entrepreneurship to offer a new way of thinking within this field. Findings/Contribution: The investigations in this study corroborate the idea that media entrepreneurs should be equipped with a multi-paradigmatic lens to see how their practices may have beneficial implications for the media industries, and they can also engage in some unfair and monopolistic initiatives that are prompted by the platforms and/or by governmental interventions. The platformization framework, introduced and developed in this research, reveals its potential as insightful perspective to systematically move the field of media entrepreneurship forward, from theory to practice.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: This article is for the purpose of presenting a continued observation on the research of... more Purpose: This article is for the purpose of presenting a continued observation on the research of media and entrepreneurship. Media and entrepreneurship have strong relevance to each other-on the one hand, essential characteristics of entrepreneurship including innovation and novel ways of content creation are crucial in building media business success; on the other hand, media play a vital role in promoting an entrepreneurial spirit, by transmitting values and images ascribed to it-this special relationship has been examined a decade ago by an earlier study conducted by this author. Well past the time of media industry development and landscape transformation, much progress has been made since then, it is highly worthwhile to revisit the topic and to identify changes in the field. Therefore, the current article presents a continued study, it aims at observing the status quo of the field of media entrepreneurship research and proposing an agenda for future development. Methodology: The study was conducted by a bibliographic analysis on the scholarly work published between 2005 and 2017. Findings from the study indicate growing interests in the research of media and entrepreneurship. The field of inquiries is getting to be more mature, with the progress made on the fundamental conceptual building. In the existing literature, innovation has been a central topic for study, and entrepreneurial journalism was emerged as a new focal issue; meanwhile, use of social media to promote entrepreneurship has also attracted close academic attention. Findings/Contribution: The study provides practical implications to media entrepreneurs and social implications to promote entrepreneurship spirit through traditional and new media platforms. The article also contributes original value to understanding the intrinsic linkage between media and entrepreneurship.
Nordic Journal of Media Management , 2020
Purpose: Journalistic startups are thriving around the world, bringing new approaches to the news... more Purpose: Journalistic startups are thriving around the world, bringing new approaches to the news media environment in terms of concepts, contents, dissemination, internal organization, and business models. This research is relevant to create a prospective view on the evolution of the news media business in the next years, also allowing us to identify some trends and experiences which can be useful to future researchers work, and for professionals of news media companies, startups or not, to get some insights that might help to develop (or even save) their own businesses. Methodology: Through semi-structured interviews with the editorial managers of each of the research subjects, we tried to understand the genesis, concepts, processes, and goals of these startups. We made a thematic analysis of the content, using an adapted version of the IPTC NewsCodes, to understand the editorial approach in terms of Genre, Subject, Media Topic, Media, and Priority in each of the publication platform. To better understand the business, we did a business model mapping, using the Business Model Canvas conceptual tool, for all the subjects. Findings/Contribution: The main findings indicate that all the startups in this research started through the identification of a problem or a need, within a small group of friends or colleagues. They all try to fit into a niche and not compete with legacy media, and search for alternative financing sources. All the teams are small, produce mainly long form reporting and interviews, and use mostly written text-but video tends to grow in volume. All the subjects work for niche audiences, by location or interests. These results contribute to create a structured and broader view of the journalistic startups scene in Portugal, but can also help other researchers to apply similar methods to map different realities, in geographical or thematical terms. This research can also contribute to better understanding the challenges that digital news media face in this networked society we live in.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: The present study analyzes, through the online survey method, the role of KIBS in the pr... more Purpose: The present study analyzes, through the online survey method, the role of KIBS in the processes of digital transformation and technological change of Spanish publishing companies. The general goal of this research is to explore the effects produced over Spanish publishing companies in interacting with KIBS as facilitators, bearers, and generators of innovation. Some other more specific objectives linked to this general goal are the following ones: a) to determine the role of transaction costs as drivers of the outsourcing of knowledge management systems through KIBS; and b) to understand to what extent the interaction of publishers with KIBS promotes in those the introduction of new business models. Methodology: Through the survey conducted among 310 Spanish publishers from a universe of 992 companies pertaining to DILVE, the only platform and database of Spanish publishers used for any approach to this sector, and using open and closed questions, the study tries to answer the stated research questions. Findings/Contribution: it is concluded that: i) the extension of the relationship between publishers and KIBS moves from the production subsystem to the distribution one; ii) the link between their respective value chains is perceived as profound enough to turn KIBS into facilitators, bearers and generators of the innovation required by the Spanish publishing companies; and iii) KIBS are the fundamental axes for the adoption of new business models.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: This paper sheds light on the distinctive nature of entrepreneurial-oriented behaviours ... more Purpose: This paper sheds light on the distinctive nature of entrepreneurial-oriented behaviours in news media firms. We reconsider conceptualisations of exploitation and exploration in the industry and seek to explore the extent to which they are related to organisational performance. Methodology: In a cross-sectional study, we draw on data from a longitudinal investigation into the decision making of news media executives worldwide. The study focuses on a correlational analysis of primary data collected from media executives across 107 countries. With a large sample size (N = 1438) and strict significance testing, we address the potential limitations of a purposive sampling strategy. Findings/Contribution: We find that firms that prioritise exploration higher than exploitation are more likely to be reporting financial success than those who do the opposite. We propose that the study contributes to the understanding of the impact of volatile times on the media industry, by suggesting that, even in the midst of considerable disruption, the exploration of new opportunities nevertheless has the potential to reap financial rewards. In so doing, it answers both the specific appeal for greater clarity of organisational ambidexterity measures, as well as calls to test and expand existing theory in various contexts, and to develop theory that is directly pertinent to media management science.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: With Internet technologies crushing entry barriers, India is witnessing a new wave of di... more Purpose: With Internet technologies crushing entry barriers, India is witnessing a new wave of digital news media entrepreneurship. The purpose of this study is to understand the political economy of this rising number of news media start-ups. To do so, it explores the social, political and economic contexts of news media entrepreneurship and the role of technology in creating an independent space for democratic interactions. Methodology: This is a qualitative case study. Following a mixed methodology approach, this study utilizes data from 18 interviews with the founders of a digital news media start-up and mainstream journalists as well as a variety of text materials, including news reports, trade materials and research reports. The data was analyzed using thematic coding and interpreted based on critical theory of technology. Findings/Contribution: The study demonstrates that the digital news media entrepreneurship in India is an ideological process. It shows that the government and corporates control the Internet and social media. As a result, technology alone cannot create and sustain an independent, democratic media space. Further, a news media organization that is totally dependent on these technologies for news distribution faces protracted legal battles and possible censorship.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: A closed keiretsu subcontracting network is a key feature of Japan's manufacturing indus... more Purpose: A closed keiretsu subcontracting network is a key feature of Japan's manufacturing industry. While subcontracting systems have been observed in various fields, including the content industry, the literature largely focuses on the assembly industry, where the contribution of these systems to high productivity has been appreciated. Except industrial and government reports addressing unfair trade and inefficiency problems, there is a dearth of systematic analyses on subcontracting systems in Japan's content industry. Thus, this study aims to theoretically examine why subcontracting systems work efficiently in some sectors but not in others, particularly Japan's content industry. Methodology: This study applies multitask agency and common agency theories to models that attribute issues in the content industry to inefficiencies in the overall subcontracting system and the asymmetric distribution of benefits. It is proved that certain characteristics of the content industries appear to worsen agency problems under the subcontracting system. Findings/Contribution: The important characteristics are that products have ambiguous quality attributes which are difficult to verify in contracts, and that subcontractors in Japan traditionally work with multiple contractors. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing the essential features of the abovementioned problems to vitalize Japan's content industry. Thus, this study contributes to the literature that has yet to thoroughly address these factors.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: Current changes in the media industries not only provide a range of new business opportu... more Purpose: Current changes in the media industries not only provide a range of new business opportunities for entrepreneurial start-ups, they also force legacy media firms to engage in corporate entrepreneurship and (re-)develop their entrepreneurial orientation as part of their strategic renewal. In recent years, media entrepreneurship has emerged as an area of study within media business studies, but it still lacks theoretical anchoring. While in mainstream entrepreneurship research entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has developed into a highly prominent theoretical concept, it has been largely overlooked for the study of media firms to date. This paper introduces entrepreneurial orientation to media business studies. Methodology: The paper characterizes EO's different dimensions and reviews relevant studies, and then illustrates the dimensions of the EO concept by drawing on the case example of a European online publisher. Findings/Contribution: The case shows how different dimensions of EO are at play in a media firm and how the relevance of these dimensions is not stable over time, but in constant flux. Such process perspective on EO is outlined as a major future research opportunity for media entrepreneurship studies.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: Digital media technologies transform the ways in which entrepreneurs communicate, organi... more Purpose: Digital media technologies transform the ways in which entrepreneurs communicate, organize and strategize. Yet, how strategy work is practiced as a form of "mediated" engagement with audiences through social media technologies remains a novel ground. Therefore, this paper traces the growing interdisciplinary literature and describes (1) how media is playing a more predominant role in entrepreneurship, (2) how classical media entrepreneurship is opening up, and (3) how digital media entrepreneurship (DME) emerges. Subsequently, the paper envisions how DME can be seen as a strategic practice of entrepreneurs. Methodology: Our paper constructs new theoretical concepts based on existing frames and discussions. We purposefully review relevant literature and create an idiosyncratic interpretation of what digital media entrepreneurship entails. Findings/Contribution: We discuss implications for entrepreneurial strategy work regarding entrepreneurial identity development and entrepreneurial knowledge construction, with a particular emphasis on co-location. Overall, this contributes to our understanding of strategy work of beginning entrepreneurs and sheds light on possibilities for future research.
Nordic Journal of Media Management, 2020
Purpose: Crowdfunding is widely used for journalism, whose primary purpose is to provide informat... more Purpose: Crowdfunding is widely used for journalism, whose primary purpose is to provide information that citizens need. Therefore, this study frames journalism crowdfunding as social entrepreneurship and investigates how the characteristics of narratives and entrepreneurs influence citizens' financial support for journalism crowdfunding. Methodology: To that end, this study employed a mix of secondary data analysis and content analysis. The data were compiled from Storyfunding, a Korea-based crowdfunding platform. A total of 127 journalism crowdfunding campaigns launched from 2017 to 2018 was employed for data analysis. Findings/Contribution: This study reveals how social change aims, public interest, past and future narratives, entrepreneurs' gender and their affiliation with mainstream news outlets can predict funding for journalism crowdfunding projects. The results provide both theoretical and practical implications for the role of narratives in gaining financial resources and the potential of crowdfunded journalism as a tool for social change.