Media Business Models Research Articles

Content management at kapanlagi.com: a study of Indonesian digital media

The research aims to explore content management within the digital media landscape of Indonesia, with a specific focus on the strategies employed by Kapanlagi Youniverse (KLY), a renowned digital media platform. Technology is viewed as the paramount factor in implementing communication technology, encompassing the rise of digital media as a transformative force. Employing a descriptive qualitative methodology, this study conducted interviews with eight members of the management team. The findings reveal that KLY utilises three primary strategies: lifestyle entertainment, general news, and sports, which diversify information for readers without limiting the number of operated sites. These findings align with the Long Tail Theory of new media business models, suggesting that expanding reach to previously untapped audiences can lead to success. Effective exploration of the long-tail market requires organisations to address consumer needs at minimal cost. This study presents two key propositions: mergers and acquisitions impact organisational structure and media content, and these changes can be enhanced by applying long tail theory principles.

Monetising User Participation, Content and Expertise: Sources of Income for Indonesia’s Digital News Media

The global news media industry is still looking for a sustainable business model. The digitalisation of the media has forced the global press industry to seek compensation for lost revenue traditionally derived from advertising. A similar phenomenon is also occurring in a Global South country, Indonesia. With many social media users and thousands of startups, the opportunity to benefit comes from two channels: monetising user participation and content. What is the current position of conglomerate and digitally native news media on the two options? How are websites and social media used by both media to support these two sources of income? The research applied two methods, website content analysis and social media analysis, to see revenue channels, web functions, user participation on the web, and social media functions. In addition, we interviewed eight informants from eight media. This research finds that digital news media conglomerates and Indonesian startups earn profits through similar channels, such as monetising user participation and content and their expertise. However, slightly different from established digital media, digital native media companies expand their revenue stream by monetising their expertise, for example, by offering market research and data analysis. Digital news media with a niche market of readers will most likely offer their expertise. Keywords: Media business model, digital news media, paywall, user participation, user-generated content.

Effects of the 2008 Crisis on Agenda Building: Internally Originated Content Versus External Dependence

ABSTRACT This article analyses news media agenda building before, during and after 2008, when the global financial crisis converged with the rise of the Internet, leading to a worldwide failure of the media business model. In particular, the current research examines and quantifies the origin of the news stories included in the media agenda to observe its degree of dependence on external sources. In this regard, the study observes the front pages of three major Spanish newspapers – El País, ABC and El Mundo – over three years: 1998, 2008, and 2018. The findings reveal that the economic recession and the increasingly digital environment due to the spread of the Internet had a perverse effect on the construction of the media agenda. The volume of internally originated contents of public interest decreased, while there was an increase in contents emanating from diverse external sources – especially political and governmental – that attend to their own particular interests. This rising external dependence, which may be extrapolated to other countries or media (digital, television and radio), leads to media’s loss of control of their own agenda, favours the prevalence of desktop or passive journalism, and finally affects the necessary surveillance of power by the media.

13 актуални медийни бизнес модела в дигиталната епоха – поуките за България

The study seeks an answer to the current problem of the deepening global crisis of classic media business models in the digital age and the need to seek sustainable new forms of financing. This state of the journalistic media, resp. of quality journalism is the result of competition from the Internet and major online platforms, but also from acute financial crises, the most recent one caused by Covid-19. They hit the two market foundations of the media company the hardest – advertising and sales. Financially afflicted media repel citizens and are a direct threat to democracy. Weakened, they fall under external dependence, and cannot control the politicians and those in power; neither can they oppose the viral spread of misinformation and fake news on social media. The main research question is “Is it possible – and in what way – to save the media financially in the digital age?” 13 current media-financing models with an emphasis on digital media have been studied - beyond advertising, classified ads etc., which until recently ensured the well-being of the press and television. Two different media business models were also considered: taz – a successful German left-wing alternative newspaper based on cooperative ownership and a solidary model of attracting readers, and “Capital” – a Bulgarian business-oriented medium that successfully applies new forms of financing. Both editions focus on digital transition. The elements of comparison show that for several reasons the “taz model”, which provides a much more direct and emotional connection with the readership, is not applicable to Bulgaria in the medium term. The main conclusion of the study is that in order to survive in the digital age, journalistic media must have a flexible pluralistic funding model. Depending on the nature of the media, its target groups and the specifics of society, it may contain only part or a wider range of the following main sources of funding: market; state / public funding; structures of civil society and citizens.

Studying the transformation of the media business model: A new framework for case studies

espanolLa industria periodistica ha mostrado dificultades para encontrar modelos de negocio sostenibles en el contexto digital. De acuerdo con la literatura cientifica del campo de la empresa, un modelo de negocio esta formado por una serie de componentes cuyas interacciones describen la logica con que una compania crea, distribuye y crea valor. Sin embargo, la investigacion centrada en la economia de los medios de comunicacion se ha centrado en buscar nuevas fuentes de ingresos para el sector. Por esta razon, adolece una falta de visiones holisticas sobre el modelo de negocio que, ademas, tengan en cuenta la importancia de la creacion de valor como elemento nuclear de cualquier estrategia empresarial. Para contribuir a la resolucion de este problema, la presente investigacion propone una herramienta metodologica que permita analizar, de forma completa y con atencion a los procesos relacionados con la creacion de valor, un modelo de negocio periodistico. La metodologia se basa en un cuestionario (n=16) a expertos en modelos de negocio de empresas informativas y ofrece como resultado un framework para estudios de caso compuesto por una ficha de la empresa, preguntas de investigacion para seis componentes del modelo de negocio y preguntas de investigacion para desarrollar un analisis critico sobre los vinculos, las interacciones y las sinergias entre esos elementos. EnglishThe journalism industry is struggling to create sustainable business models for the digital age. Prior research in the field of media economics has broadly analyzed this challenge through case studies. According to extant research on management, a business model is comprised by components whose interactions convey the logic of creating, distributing and capturing the value developed by a firm. However, many journalism scholars have focused on new revenue streams, and not only is there a lack of holistic views, but value must be considered when applying the business model concept. In response to the aforementioned problem, this paper proposes a methodological tool that future researchers may use to analyze the business model of any news company. The method is based on a questionnaire (n=16) submitted to experts specialized in media business models, and the paper proposes a global framework aimed at improving comparisons between companies and gaining a better understanding of the success patterns for sustainable business models in order to foster innovation and knowledge transfer. This framework consists of a case file, research questions for six components of the business models, and research questions for a critical assessment of the links, interactions and synergies between them.

Análisis de la transformación de los modelos de negocio periodísticos: propuesta de un nuevo framework para estudios de caso

The journalism industry is struggling to create sustainable business models for the digital age. Prior research in the field of media economics has broadly analyzed this challenge through case studies. According to extant research on management, a business model is comprised by components whose interactions convey the logic of creating, distributing and capturing the value developed by a firm. However, many journalism scholars have focused on new revenue streams, and not only is there a lack of holistic views, but value must be considered when applying the business model concept. In response to the aforementioned problem, this paper proposes a methodological tool that future researchers may use to analyze the business model of any news company. The method is based on a questionnaire (n=16) submitted to experts specialized in media business models, and the paper proposes a global framework aimed at improving comparisons between companies and gaining a better understanding of the success patterns for sustainable business models in order to foster innovation and knowledge transfer. This framework consists of a case file, research questions for six components of the business models, and research questions for a critical assessment of the links, interactions and synergies between them.

Implications of AT&T/Time Warner Decision for Vertical Integration and Media Business Models in the Age of Digitization (Excerpt)

This paper discusses the AT&T/Time Warner merger and how the evolution of new business models led to this vertically integrated merger. Using inter-disciplinary insights from competition policy and business management, this article discusses the evolution of business models in the media industry. Following deregulation, convergence and digitization of content, and more recently the emergence of big data, the media industry has seen the evolution of new business models. This paper offering an overview of the AT&T/Time Warner decision, argues that the unconditional approval of the AT&T/Time Warner merger needs to be assessed against this backdrop. The implications of this decision for future cases of vertical integration and more Chicago school style enforcement are also discussed.

Innovate alone or with others? Influence of entrepreneurial orientation and alliance orientation on media business model innovation

ABSTRACTBeing able to innovate one’s business model has been a topic of paramount importance in media management research and practice. Recent studies suggest that the strategic orientation of a company is a central driver of business model innovation. However, empirical evidence is scarce. To fill this gap, we assess the impact of entrepreneurial and alliance orientation as two highly relevant strategic orientations with a quantitative survey of 50 companies. Our results show that a media company’s entrepreneurial orientation has positive effects on its ability to innovate value creation and value proposition, but not on its ability to capture that value. In addition, we could not find significant results indicating that being alliance oriented is beneficial for business model innovation.

Online Media Business Models: Lessons from the Video Game Sector

Today’s media industry is characterized by disruptive changes and business models have been acknowledged as a driving force for success. Current business model research manages only to grasp static descriptions while in reality media managers are struggling with the dynamics of the industry. This article aims to close this gap by investigating a new paradigm of online media business models. Based on three video game case studies of the massively multiplayer online role-playing game genre, this article explores a novel theoretical approach to explain the changes that can be made within business models. The article highlights the importance of changing processes within online media business models and emphasises that the video game sector is at the forefront of business innovation. Finally, it demonstrates that online media business model change is in a trade-off paradigm between capturing or offering potentially higher value per player vs. accessing a potentially larger player-base.

The Business of Slow Journalism

This study examines the commercial viability of Slow Journalism in light of its recent efforts to reinvent the business model in the news industry today that relies heavily or exclusively on display advertising for revenue. Some Slow Journalism companies, such as De Correspondent and Delayed Gratification, have defiantly positioned themselves in opposition to advertising’s prominent role in mitigating free online news production and consumption, which they argue is both philosophically and financially anathema to the intimate journalist–reader interface. Still others, such as Narratively, have also eliminated display advertisements, but openly embrace brand sponsorship through events, creative agency, and native advertising. Touting visually pleasing high-end production values for immersive reading environments free of distracting display advertisements, many publishers promote a relation in which supply meets demand without undisclosed, conflicting third-party or corporate interest. This research explores the methods by which several prominent Slow Journalism organizations have mobilized a critique of corporate media to strategically communicate their maverick missions. The case studies examine Delayed Gratification, De Correspondent, Narratively, and The Big Roundtable as expressions of Slow Journalism’s experimental approaches to for-profit enterprise through alternative media business models.

Orientalism, “Yellow Peril,” and the “New Yellow Journalism”

In this essay, I take the recent publication of several texts examining the historical and contemporary phenomena of Sinophobia, Orientalism, and Sinologism as an opening for theorizing underlying and related issues including pervasive anti-China biases in Western journalism and China’s position therein. In addition to illustrating how the concepts of Orientalism arise from Western historical and epistemological foundations, I theorize what I call a “new yellow journalism” that has grown in tandem with “China’s rise” and the threat this indicates to many Western observers, and how this threat and others like it have been met in the age of “new imperialism.” I compare this new phenomenon with its historical antecedents, “yellow journalism” and America’s emergence as a imperialism power with the Spanish-American War (1898), and note several key insights offered by recent critical analyses of that period, which together suggest a confluence of different players, including policymakers, new media business models, and what I describe as a type of public “corporatism” in which citizens, particularly Americans, function effectively as shareholders in maintaining hegemonic if not imperialist power.

Future Business Innovation in Minority Language Media

This article investigates innovation in the media business models that some European minority-language news organizations are implementing in these times of economic crisis. It entails a shift in the underlying business and service philosophy which interpellates the community and pleads for a change in their mutual relationship. The research is based on the case studies of two private media companies from the Catalan and Basque language media systems that were experiencing economic and financial difficulties. Conducting inspirational advertising campaigns, the news organizations issued a call for readers and non-readers to make a funding commitment to the project, a pledge to provide new revenues and liaisons, while retaining and enhancing the standard income streams. In brief, it is about going back to the basics of active community projects and involvement.

Consumer habits in the digital media space

Earthquake-like changes of digital consumption had shocked the mediacommunication in last decade not just homeland, but worldwide as well. The generation of linked, content-driven models destroyed the convenient usage of people-meters, and statistics-based mass media business models. Commercial media have started adapting to these new challenges but the public communication services are still in struggle. The new ways of public communication would be highlighted.

Audience Behavior in the Multi-Screen “Video-Verse”

The traditional television viewing experience has given way to a multi-screen environment in which people, programs, and screens are mobile—viewers can consume video content wherever they have access to a computer, mobile phone, or television set. This emerging “video-verse” is bringing about new patterns of audience exposure, as well as new media business models. This study integrates “multi-screen viewing” research from academia and industry, summarizing current knowledge about this subject. Based on this synthesis, the authors propose avenues for further research to help media managers understand this changing media landscape.

Reinforcing Property by Strengthening the Commons: A New Media Policy Paradigm?

In much scholarly writing and in many leftist and activist accounts the enclosures of the cultural commons have been fiercely critiqued. However, during the last years, new media business models, that challenge the notion of the cultural industries as “copyright industries”, has been taking shape. A new class of entrepreneurs is instead working to expand the commons as part of their businesses. Accordingly, representatives from these new media industries, policy makers, and politicians have joined the academic and political critique of the “enclosures of the cultural common”. The paper argues that this is a shift within the dominant media policy paradigm and an attempt to integrate existing practices on the Internet, based on cooperation and sharing, into the market. By relocating the struggle from “intellectual property” to “platform economics”, the media industry can exploit the productivity of the commons while holding on to the power that comes with ownership and property.

Reinforcing Property by Strengthening the Commons: A New Media Policy Paradigm?

In much scholarly writing and in many leftist and activist accounts the enclosures of the cultural commons have been fiercely critiqued. However, during the last years, new media business models, that challenge the notion of the cultural industries as “copyright industries”, has been taking shape. A new class of entrepreneurs is instead working to expand the commons as part of their businesses. Accordingly, representatives from these new media industries, policy makers, and politicians have joined the academic and political critique of the “enclosures of the cultural common”. The paper argues that this is a shift within the dominant media policy paradigm and an attempt to integrate existing practices on the Internet, based on cooperation and sharing, into the market. By relocating the struggle from “intellectual property” to “platform economics”, the media industry can exploit the productivity of the commons while holding on to the power that comes with ownership and property.

What Publishers Can Learn From Other Media Business Models

This article discusses current trends in popular media access and asks why these models are not being applied to journal subscriptions.

“New” Holistic Mass Media Business Model

This qualitative case study, based on the principles of grounded theory, develops a holistic business model for media outlets by investigating the organizational structure and corporate culture of a unique agricultural radio station that operated successfully for over 60 years. It examines the station in the context of its founding era and determines the process used to create this survivor. An inductively generated “theory of commitment” is proposed, and guidelines are provided that could help today's independent media start-ups become survivors.

New Media Business Models in Social and Web Media

The author argues that the economic shakeout of media firms and economic downturn of media markets is dominantly evident in traditional media industries whereas in new media the profit has been relatively stable. He argues that a real media crisis began a decade before the global recession that started in September 2008 and resulted from the emergence and subsequent convergence of digital media, falling costs of computing and online (internet-web) distribution, exponential growth of internet and broadband adoption and media market deregulation. The author argues that in order to attain sustainable competitive advantage, media executives and companies are required to strategically adopt, implement and utilize new consumer strategies integrating micropayments, new advertising models, innovative distribution methods, new audience concepts and high quality social and web media content production.

Wresting the crop from the traditional farmer: the entrepreneurial developer in new media business models

Entrepreneurial social developers play a significant role in new media business models. Traditional media models operated within an environment where technology that enabled content production and provision, was owned and managed by the content producer. In new media models, this relationship is overturned. Entrepreneurial social developers have empowered end users by enabling them to become content producers. This has ensured that media companies are no longer the sole owners of tools that enable content production and provision. What end users have previously lacked is the skill to create a method of dissemination. During the last five years, entrepreneurial developers have acted as conduits providing end users with access to web based platforms such as Facebook, and sites that assist in the dissemination of end user content and which now also promote social networks, such as video (YouTube), photographs (Flickr), text by blog (WordPress) and micro blogs (Twitter). Entrepreneurial developers have provided platforms and web sites for user-generated content to be disseminated and possibly form part of a package of content provided by business organisations to their end users and consumers.This paper outlines some new media models that are emerging as a result of these innovative developments. It suggests that there are four models of macro integration, 'gregarious', 'friendly', 'solitary' and 'neighbourly'. The fourth model 'neighbourly' introduces FarmVille as a case study to illustrate the trend of social games like FarmVille, and how the tactics they apply to engage users can be applied in other areas. Copyright 2010 Scott Rickard. No part of this article may be reproduced by any means without the written consent of the publisher.