Obsolescence as a pattern: an analysis of how public service media managers perceive and cope with resistance to change in the platformisation era

Abstract

[Abstract] Platformisation has greatly affected the operations of the media industry, forcing media corporations to undergo major changes. Under such circumstances, public service media (PSM) corporations have found themselves engaged in a process of rethinking their economics, structures and ways of working. However, the latter is rarely established without resistance. Through 60 in-depth interviews with Spanish PSM managers, this study analyses how resistance to change operates in the ongoing platformisation process. The results confirm the existence of a problem of obsolescence in Spanish PSM, which is motivated by four elements: legislation, financial means, technological capacity, and workforce. Furthermore, three possible strategies to address this challenge are identified: communication, training, and renewal of professional profiles.