Publications

as media deregulation promised more competition, innovation, and vigorous economic growth. Some of this came true, but at a worrisome cost. Growing distrust in media today is partly rooted in the illusion that more media in more platforms would inevitably ensure better media in all platforms. There is now more of everything on offer except social responsibility.

This collection interrogates the historic universalism mission in public service broadcasting and explores its contemporary relevance for public service media. Taking a critical perspective on media policy and performance, the volume contributes to a much-needed contemporary reassessment that clarifies the importance of universalism for equity in access and provision, trustworthy content, and inclusive participation in the context of advancing digitalisation and globalisation. The collection situates universalism as an aspirational quest and inspirational pursuit. Researchers and policy makers will find the collection valuable for conceptualisation and strategic managers will find it helpful as a principled basis in the pursuit of improved reach and value.

Today’s media ecology is highly disruptive for traditional markets, mass media structures and modes of communication, and complicates policy, regulation and operations. The concept and practices associated with networked communications media in a networked society context are often celebrated, and merit critical scrutiny.

The book tackles questions of fundamental importance. What is the ‘networked society’ in and for media practice, and with what essential implications for public media organisations and ‘audiences’? Does the new ecology enhance or diminish PSM in contemporary societies – how much of each in which dimensions? Is what’s happening the same everywhere, or varying? How can PSM strengthen the democratic potential of networked communications and counter disruptive forces that are eroding public trust in media? How do commercial and non-commercial media organisations interact in a networked society? Which aspects of legacy public service traditions can be preserved, what is obsolete, and what is needed that is new?

Meanwhile, internal institutional boundaries pose challenges to internal collaboration and synergy, and to achieving greater openness and cultivating public participation in PSM. Traditional boundaries between professional and non-professional production are often problematic, as well, for external collaboration. And there are enormous challenges in efforts to bridge boundaries between PSM and other public institutions (public sector), social movements (civil and volunteer sector) and companies (private sector).

Cross-boundary phenomena offer tremendous opportunities for ensuring public service provision in the emerging media ecology, but managers and policy-makers must grapple with a range of dualities that require critical examination: public / private, national / international, broadcast / print, linear / non-linear, audience / user, production / distribution, citizen / consumer, and market / society. The scholarly contributions in this volume address issues that are relevant for improved understandings about Public Service Media Across Borders and Boundaries – a contemporary topic of keen theoretical and strategic importance.