The future of national news agencies in Europe - case study 3: the changing relationship between news agencies and the state

Juntunen, Laura and Nieminen, Hannu (2019) The future of national news agencies in Europe - case study 3: the changing relationship between news agencies and the state. . London School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Media and Communications, London, UK. ISBN 9781909890558

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Abstract

This case study analyses the relationship between European news agencies and the state. On the basis of interviews, official documents and secondary sources, we examine recent developments in the relationship with the state in a sample of four countries – Finland, France, Poland and Spain – representing different kinds of media systems. While the evolution of this relationship has been different and unique in each country, they are all bound by the competition rules of the European Union, and the challenges that the agencies face are similar. In general, European news agencies are struggling to keep their basic news services profitable. We argue that in the age of fake news and disinformation the social and democratic value of these news services is much greater than their economic value to their owners. From the democracy perspective, these services can be understood as a public good, and therefore the subsidising of content with a high information value can be in the public interest if certain preconditions are met. At the same time, safeguarding the editorial, and in particular the structural, independence of the agencies from political control is essential.

Item Type:	Monograph (Working Paper)
Additional Information:	© 2019 The Authors
Divisions:	LSE
Subjects:	P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN1990 Broadcasting
Date Deposited:	08 Feb 2019 12:21
Last Modified:	15 Sep 2023 23:46
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/100066

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