Paradigmatic innovation in European cultural journalism: the pursuit of sustainability

Dora Santos-Silva

doi:10.5617/jomi.6523

Abstract

This article examines paradigmatic innovation (innovations in business models, mindsets and organizational values) in European cultural journalism. I hypothesize that paradigmatic innovation acts as a driver for innovations in product, process and positioning, and address two research questions: 1) How are the media innovating regarding their paradigm, both general and specifically in the culture section? 2) How does paradigmatic innovation affect the overall editorial positioning, including cultural scope and coverage, product and processes? Findings suggest that we are witnessing a paradigm shift in business models in the digital environment, challenging traditional boundaries related to editorial and branded content and expanding the revenue sources beyond the editorial core. I conclude that media innovation is firstly a paradigmatic innovation which impacts sustainability, the editorial products and processes, as well as brand positioning and extensions. The article proposes four types of paradigmatic innovation based on the analysis.

Highlights

IntroductionThis article examines paradigmatic innovation (innovations in business models, mindsets and organizational values) in European cultural journalism
This article examines paradigmatic innovation in European cultural journalism
This paper investigates paradigmatic innovation in four European culturally-oriented media companies, and how the paradigmatic innovation has an impact in all other forms of innovation: product, process and positioning (Francis & Bessant, 2005)

Summary

Introduction

This article examines paradigmatic innovation (innovations in business models, mindsets and organizational values) in European cultural journalism. Whenever the media enter a period of uncertainty such as the present one, where convergence has an impact in every field of media, including their funding model, there is an attempt to innovate to seek sustainability or skip the crisis Santos-Silva, Paradigmatic innovation in European cultural journalism coverage and digital journalism are contemporary phenomena that have undergone several transformations within a short period, with an impact on media business models, brand extensions and organization values. Both legacy and native digital media are seeking “new combinations”, using Schumpeter’s Both legacy and native digital media are seeking “new combinations”, using Schumpeter’s (1934, p. 78) words to describe what innovation means

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Conclusion