Conventional wisdom has it that Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) can hardly be more forward than the society it serves, which spells problems for PSB in many Western Balkans countries. But in actual fact in can be at least slightly ahead – provided that it has the international and multi-lateral backing necessary to rise above everyday obstructions.
Continue ReadingThe transition to a free and democratic media system in formerly authoritarian countries may be almost as difficult for the revolutionaries themselves as it typically is for the former mouthpieces of defunct regimes. Can the European Union help?
Continue ReadingDie Landesmedienanstalten beharren auf liebgewonnenen Denkfiguren und rufen nach strengeren Vorschriften, wenn die Welt sich ändert. Doch ihrer Sinn- und Identitätskrise könnten sie mit dem begegnen, was Odo Marquardt einst "Inkompetenzkompensations-kompetenz" nannte. Artikel aus epd Medien, Heft 69/2010.
Continue ReadingThe EU has masterminded the very rules of public procurement, but it is also one of the largest tendering authorities itself. The scope of design of tenders is such that it may make or break entire companies and organisations, and affect the implementation of public policy beyond the specific objectives of any individual tender.
Continue ReadingLike so many things in our current media environment, accrediting bloggers alongside with journalists is more difficult, requires more effort, and entails more risks than sticking to the old ways. It is worth the while, though, seeing that blogging seems to be coming of age.
Continue ReadingThe notion of intellectual property resonates with the idea that the original authors – journalists, writers, translators, photographers – deserve protection. However in fact, a substantial part of the copyright regime is in place to protect an intermediate industry that feeds off the creativity of the original authors.
Continue ReadingThere is an oligopolistic infrastructure emerging on the Web that facilitates the manipulation and exploitation of the public as well as censorship and obstruction of inconvenient content at a mere whim of a handful of private companies, or by - more or less stealthy - government influence.
Continue ReadingPerhaps there just are no stakeholders of the Digital Agenda as a whole, only stakeholders of a number of particular Digital Agenda subsections. Is the Agenda therefore too encompassing a policy after all?
Continue ReadingWhat Europe is still missing is a substantial intellectual debate about the Digital Agenda and its implications for civil society and politics. Europe dearly needs innovative and groundbreaking outside-the-box-yet-pragmatic thinking at the interface between technology and the public sphere.
Continue ReadingAcross all the application areas of the EU's Digital Agenda policy there are several common and mutually interdependent issues which need to be tackled irrespective of the specific purpose of a technological solution. This is why I first take a look at some of the most important overarching issues at stake. Political analysis will follow in part II.
Continue ReadingJournalism should respond to globalization by adopting a new point of view. Many times, journalism embraces clear-cut, polar angles simply because they attract attention more easily and lend themselves to schematically balanced reporting. Today, however, this kind of black-and-white attitude does not cut it anymore.
Continue ReadingOur current notion of democracy has developed within and for the modern nation state. Robert Menasse, however, advocates Europe as a post-national utopia, requiring a fundamentally new and different understanding and practice of democracy that still needs to be developed. “The nation states”, he suggests, “must fade away if we want a system of checks and balances at European level.”
Continue ReadingDas Privatfernsehen in Deutschland entstand in den 1980er Jahren aus einer historisch gewachsenen Mischung wirtschaftlicher Interessen mit politischen Wunschvorstellungen. Als es endlich soweit war, rieb sich das Establishment angesichts des tatsächlichen Programmangebots verwundert die Augen.
Continue ReadingLegacy media are affected by a tectonic shift: First, declining audience translates into lower advertising revenue; second, the abundance of advertising space on the Internet lowers ad prices dramatically; and third, subscription and sales revenues are going down as well. Aside from volunteering, alternative ways of news media financing are therefore being considered.
Continue ReadingErstaunlich eigentlich, dass ein so offensichtliches und im wörtlichen Sinne abendfüllendes Thema wie der Zusammenhang von Fernsehen und Ärger nicht schon längst eingehend untersucht worden ist. Die Erziehungswissenschaftlerin Christine Meinhardt-Remy hat sich des Themas angenommen.
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Conventional wisdom has it that Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) can hardly be more forward than the society it serves, which spells problems for PSB in many Western Balkans countries. But in actual fact in can be at least slightly ahead – provided that it has the international and multi-lateral backing necessary to rise above everyday obstructions.
Continue Reading
The transition to a free and democratic media system in formerly authoritarian countries may be almost as difficult for the revolutionaries themselves as it typically is for the former mouthpieces of defunct regimes. Can the European Union help?
Continue Reading
Die Landesmedienanstalten beharren auf liebgewonnenen Denkfiguren und rufen nach strengeren Vorschriften, wenn die Welt sich ändert. Doch ihrer Sinn- und Identitätskrise könnten sie mit dem begegnen, was Odo Marquardt einst "Inkompetenzkompensations-kompetenz" nannte. Artikel aus epd Medien, Heft 69/2010.
Continue Reading
The EU has masterminded the very rules of public procurement, but it is also one of the largest tendering authorities itself. The scope of design of tenders is such that it may make or break entire companies and organisations, and affect the implementation of public policy beyond the specific objectives of any individual tender.
Continue Reading