From rhetorics to practice: implementation of technological innovation within Spanish public service media

Abstract

In the context of media and information society policies, there has been deep 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 its public service remit and provides one of the first examples of innovation management in this field. Lessons from this study 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.