Arne H. Krumsvik

Editorial power and public participation in online newspapers

The Internet has radically increased the opportunity for the public to take part in debate and deliberation, challenging the hegemonic position of the established media as the facilitators of such debate. As new forums for participation have entered the market, traditional players in television, radio and the press have also transformed their services, strategically aiming to facilitate new forms of participatory services where citizens can engage in discussions. In this article we explore how the participatory trend raises important questions concerning how editorial standards and editorial control are maintained in online newspapers. Based on a mapping of the available services, surveys of newspaper executives, and in-depth interviews with online editors, we investigate attitudes and practices with regard to editorial control and its attempt to balance the new ideals of participation in the online world with maintaining the editorial standards of print media.

What Is the Strategic Role of Online Newspapers

Abstract The newspapers are in a pressed situation of circulation decline. This is partly a consequence of increased Internet usage, a development the papers themselves have helped push forward. This survey reveals that Norwegian newspapers executives do not approve fully of their own organizations’ online activities, and explores their rationale for online publishing: Is it marketing of the print product, the development of new business, or are the newspapers still in an explorative mode?

Social media as a political backchannel : Twitter use during televised election debates in Norway

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how Twitter is used as a political backchannel and potential agenda setter during two televised political debates during the Norwegian election in 2011. The paper engages with current debates about the role of social media in audience participation and traditional medias changing role as gatekeepers and agenda setter. Design/methodology/approach – A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. By introducing and using the IMSC multiple step analysis model on the Twitter datasets, the authors are able to analyse the flow of thousands of tweets and compare them with topics discussed in the televised debates. Findings – The paper finds that the same topics are discussed on Twitter as on TV, but “the debate about the debate” or Meta talk tweets reveal critical scrutiny of the agenda. The paper identifies a clear pattern of political fandom and media criticism in the “debate about the debate”, indicating that Meta talk in social media can function as a...

WHY OLD MEDIA WILL BE FUNDING JOURNALISM IN THE FUTURE

An analysis of traditional and new news industries (i.e. newspapers, television, and online media) with Porters Five Forces as a framework, explain why business models for journalism in new media are not likely to become sustainable. While the competitive force of substitutes challenges the funding of journalism in newspapers, the main concern in the television industry is lower barriers of entry due to digital distribution. In new media all five competitive forces in the model work against profit in the news industry. As users and advertisers migrate online in the age of digitisation, convergence and participation, news media are adapting and expanding their distribution strategies. This article argues that while new digital media products will increase their strategic value in order to defend and expand the reach of traditional media players, it is likely that the funding of journalism in the future will be dependent on the revenues from strong traditional media products in the portfolio. The findings from this analysis of Norwegian news industries will be generalisable to most sophisticated media markets.

Digital Challenges on the Norwegian Media Scene

Abstract This article summarises findings from a research project on the digitisation of Norwegian newsrooms, analysing trends in the industry and changes in user-habits. Findings suggest that most journalists are positive about the digitisation of the newsroom but fear that cutbacks in staff will prevent them from exploiting the potential of the new technology. They also fear that too much focus on technical skills will leave less space for critical journalism. Findings also suggest a correlation between resources used to develop the online edition and the perceived ethical standards of the content. More online journalism leads to a higher degree of scepticism among the readers. There are two different justifications for using resources on the online edition. Some newspaper executives hope to use the online edition to recruit new readers to the paper edition while another group hopes to develop the breadth of market service through a portfolio of publishing platforms.

The Shifting Role of Value-Added Tax (VAT) as a Media Policy Tool: A Three-Country Comparison of Political Justifications

Media policy schemes around the world are seemingly shifting character. As budgets for direct subsidies are under increasing pressure, the role of indirect tools, such as tax reductions, are growing in relative importance. This article explores the political justifications of value-added tax (VAT) as a media policy tool, and how longitudinal shifts indicate broader changes in the media systems. Based on a document analysis of newspaper VAT development in three countries with similar historical policy models—Finland, Sweden and Norway—the article identifies and describes the dynamics between four major policy positions; transparency, pluralism, harmonisation and financial austerity.

Towards a Typology of Strategies for User Involvement

Four types of strategic approach for traditional media in the utilization of social media are identified. The Donation strategy includes users in the production of content. The Distribution strategy utilizes viral marketing in order to invite potential users to consume this content, while the Deliberation strategy enables users to react and interact with the produced and distributed content. At last The Data Gathering Strategy accumulate information about users and their interaction in order to better serve the same users and potential advertisers.

Impact of VAT on Portfolio Strategies of Media Houses

Abstract Repurposing of traditional media content has been a major component of new media products in the portfolio of Norwegian publishers, but they have not developed bundling strategies for cross-platform distribution of the traditional product. This article explores, through an e-survey of newspaper executives and in-dept interviews with key decision makers, the strategic rationale for media product developments and the impact of media policy, especially different VAT rates, on traditional and new media products and services.

Strategy and Structure for Online News Production - Case Studies of CNN and NRK

This cross-national comparative case study of online news production analyzes the strategies of Cable News Network (CNN) and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), aiming at understanding of the implications of organizational strategy on the role of journalists, explains why traditional media organizations have a tendency to develop a multi-platform approach (distributing content on several platforms, such as television, online, mobile) rather than developing the cross-media (with interplay between media types) or multimedia approach anticipated by both scholars and practitioners.

Redefining User Involvement in Digital News Media

This article provides insight into the strategic priority of various approaches towards user involvement and how these are changing over time. A longitudinal series of surveys studying prioritizations among editorial staff identify a redefinition of user involvement in digital media: from 2012 to 2015 the role of users has been reframed from co-producers to distributors. This indicates that promotion and business development gain prominence at the expense of the traditional focus on user participation to ensure media’s social role. At the same time, the approaches increasing in importance are those least likely to challenge the traditional understanding of journalists’ professional role.